ArtTRADER

ATCs, Altered Art, Art Journals, Chunky Books & Creative Inspiration
m a g a z i n e
P UT T I NG T HE A RT I N T R A D E
I s s ue 22 - Spr i ng 2014
Cover art by Sarah Trumpp
PAPER DOLLS
The gateway to
creative problem
solving!
Al t ering
your eye glasses case
Stencils
Trading Artist
Inspiration Dolls
MARKERS
Co l o r i n g a
Me r ma i d
Anti Art
Journal i ng
F R E E B I E S !
Downloadable
Templates
m a g a z i n e
Table of Contents SPRING 2014
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4
5
12
13
19
24
27
28
30
31
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36
37
39
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48
49
50
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ArtTrader Mag Contributors
Letter from the ArtTrader Team
Design 911: Paper Dolls - The gateway to creative
problem solving!
Workshops at EraserQueen Studios
Do It Five Ways: Stencils
Look! Altering Your Glasses Case
Art Journal Prompts & Ideas for 2014
Musings of a Self-Trained Artist: A Laywomans
Laycolumn
Online Workshop: Creating with Intention
Artist Inspiration Dolls: How-to
Template: Artist Inspiration Dolls
Gallery: Artist Inspiration Dolls
Anti-Art-Journaling: Chronicles Project
Online Workshop: Mixed Media Goth Girls
Walk-Through with Markers: Whimsical Mermaid
Readers Gallery: Art Journal Pages
Bunnymonster Art Doll
Template: Bunnymonster
Readers Gallery: Owls
Whimsical Houses: Keeping things in perspective
Gallery: Whimsical Houses
Altering a Doll Head with Epoxy Clay and Paint
Advertisements
Submissions: Call for Art & Articles
WRITING & ART TEAM
CONTRIBUTOR
Ann DAngelo
Andrea Melione
Sal Scheibe
Sarah Trumpp
Connie Powell
ArtTRADER Magazine
www.arttradermag.com
General Inquiries: Sal Scheibe
[email protected]
Submissions
[email protected]
Product Reviews: Sal Scheibe
[email protected]
Critique Corner: Andrea Melione
[email protected]
OPEN Call for Entries
www.arttradermag.com
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Art TRADER m a g a z i n e
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Sarah Trumpp (aka themuppet) has never seen the inside of an art school and
is making it up as she goes along. She lives in a teeny town in the wilds of New
York with her husband, kids, and fsh, and dreams of being an evil overlord. She
has been an active participant in the Mailart world for the past four years, and
she works primarily in acrylics, watercolors, colored pencil, marker, ink, clay,
paper mache, yarn, felt, bone, wire, and glass. She obviously needs to reign it
in a bit.
wonderstrange.com | wonderstrumpet.blogspot.com
ArtTrader Mag Contributors
Sal Scheibe works as a freelance illustrator and creative designer. Sal is always
working on new art and paintings for her Etsy store as well as a couple of online
comics that will be appearing in the Spring of 2014. She also enjoys trading
ATCs, working in Decos from around the world and sharing art with others.
Sals favorite artists and illustrators include Joe Sorren, J.C. Leyendecker,
William Bougereau, Norman Rockwell and John Singer Sargent. Her favored
mediums are acrylic paint, colored pencils and markers.
www.slscheibe.com | SLSlines.etsy.com | redzombies.blogspot.ca
Andrea Melione (aka EraserQueen) has a B.S. in Arts Management and is
doggedly pursuing a Masters in Public Administration. She has been involved
in Mailart for ten years and is the co-founder of IllustratedATCs.com. She is a
contributor to ArtTrader Magazine where she is a graphic designer and author.
She mainly works in watercolor, colored pencil, acrylics, markers and gel pens.
Her work has been in four exhibits, though two were academic and she isnt
sure if that counts enough to sound cool.
eraserqueenstudios.blogspot.com
Ann DAngelo (right in photo) is having one of those lives with a lot of spontaneous
left turns. She started out teaching English at Boston University, and after a
lengthy detour through corporate America, she is now making art in Central
Indiana, where she lives with her husband, son, and more than her fair share of
puppet heads. Most of Anns work involves altering found objects with paint and
(lately) epoxy clay, but she loves mixed media and is determined to become
way more awesome with acrylics. You can fnd her at www.wonderstrange.com
and wonderann.etsy.com.
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Art TRADER m a g a z i n e
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Letter from the ArtTrader Team
Happy Spring to our readers! Well.... sort of. Its almost spring, even though up here in the cold
north there is still about three feet of snow on the ground. Thankfully, this looooong winter is
almost over and we can tiptoe through the tulips very soon.
This issue is pretty packed with amazing goodness. For Easter, we have bunny monsters! We
also have altered doll heads, art journal pages, walk-throughs for markers and perspective
drawing. Plus we have a feature on techniques for altering your eye glass cases. Lots of fun. Its
our biggest issue in a long time. We hope you enjoy it!
Remember, we also want to feature your artwork! Send it to us! If we receive enough artwork,
well create a Readers Gallery and show it all off. Maybe well even feature your artwork in your
own spread, like Tami L. Davis and her gorgeous Art Journal pages in this very issue. It can
happen to you - but only if you send us your art. Please check out the last page of each issue
for submission guidelines as well as our website for details. Upcoming art themes are below.
Themes for next issue:
Summer Fun
Art Journal Pages
Portraits in all mediums (whimsical, realistic or weird)
Want to write for us? We always welcome guest contributions! We actively seek them in fact!
And again, please check out the last page of each issue for submission guidelines as well as
our website for details. Or feel free to use our contact form and send off your proposal to us.
Andrea Melione Ann DAngelo Sal Scheibe Sarah Trumpp
Design 911:
Paper Dolls - the gateway to
creative
problem solving !
with Andrea Melione AKA Eraserqueen
Even since I discovered my moms old Betsy McCall Paper dolls,
Ive been hooked. I was only 9 at the time, but I became obsessed.
I would lie on the foor of my bedroom until the unheard of hour of
11 pm, designing dress after dress after dress. I also gave Betsy
friends who, like Betsy herself, were more obsessed with clothing
than Carrie from Sex and the City. I even made a mansion for them
by stacking two rather large boxes on their sides, and flled it with
clothes.
Im thirty years old now, and I am still hooked on paper dolls. Even
though ATCs have taken over my life, I still make them. I use them to
express my love of design, color and form, to expand my knowledge
of fashion and costume history, and I use them as a teaching tool for
creative brainstorming.
Pick a theme:
This could be any theme: a color combination that really inspires you; a location such as a
beach or the forest; or your favorite childhood candies. Im going to be healthy here and choose
Fruits and Veggies as my theme.
Make a list:
Now that you have your theme, write a list of everything you associate with that theme. You can
expand to what songs might inspire you, what colors speak to you, or any patterns or textures
you fnd appropriate. You could just start doodling your ideas, but I fnd lists helpful because I
can get the ideas down quickly before I forget them. If I doodle frst, I have to wait until Im done
drawing to get the next idea down on paper. Here is what my list ended up like:
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Here is what my list ended up like:
Fruits and Vegetables List of Awesome:
Eggplant
Watermelon (Black seeds!)
Citrus (mix of lemons, limes, & oranges, or just choose one?)
Carrots (incorporate bunnies? YES)
Carmen Miranda/banana hat/Banana Boat song
Cherries EVERYWHERE
Asparagus?
Listen to Carmen Miranda musichahaha
Singing Orange with lips
Turnips...or not.
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Brainstorm:
Now that I have my list I want to see what ideas appeal
to me most by seeing them on paper. This is my chance
to doodle with no expectations, and no pressure. I dont
think about what stuff looks like on this paper. Also, I
usually just use cheap copy paper. And a pen - pens
cant be erased, so I dont get hung up on perfection.
Refne:
Look over your sketches and see what most appeals to
you. At that point you can begin drawing your design in I
am using my doll Monique as the paper doll form.
If you want to make clothes for Monique using the brainstorm process above,
or color clothes Ive made for her, check out my blog at:
http://eraserqueenstudios.blogspot.com
Please show me what you made, I would LOVE to see it!
Art TRADER m a g a z i n e
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Art TRADER m a g a z i n e
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So much has infuenced me in my journey as a artist

and continues to as I keep evolving. I know my faith and
family and my environment that I grew up in infuenced
me. My family has always been supportive of my natural
artistic abilities, and I think growing up in the historically
vibrant state of Mississippi has infuenced me a lot. Sure,
Mississippi has a less than fabulous past, as the media
wants to portray it but who doesnt? What Mississippi
does have is a lot of vibrant, eclectic old soul its true, we
may live in a pace as slow as the syrupy-thickness in the
way we talk, but we have so much or in most cases so little
around us, that it requires us to be creative!!! And that in
turn has infuenced me, a lot like many other artisans from
my home state.
Im used to working with little to nothing, recycling bits n bobs,
random ephemera, fabric scraps, etc. I think its why I love mixed
media so much. I tend to gravitate towards primary-like vibrant or
even weathered distressed colors, inspired by lots of unique folk
art, handmade goods and historical or vintage items because it
feels so familiar, and I like to translate that into my work when I
can
My schooling has infuenced my abilities greatly,
of course, as it should have. Not only did I get to
learn many techniques, but I had a chance to meet
a lot of other artists who I could be infuenced by.
See what others have done!
Kimberly Davion
Art TRADER m a g a z i n e
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I love
meeting
other artists
and crafters
online and
to be open
to learning
about their
own styles
I think the greatest infuences are people
Ive met, who have drifted in and out of
my life, people that I interact with on a
daily basis, and even people I meet online
infuence what I do. I love meeting other
artists and crafters online and to be open
to learning about their own styles and
sharing in a collaboration of ideas from
hundreds of miles away. As far as classic
text book infuences are concerned, the
most obvious is Jackson Pollock, Norman
Rockwell and Vincent Van Gogh, just to
name a few of a long list. I enjoy learning
about all the people I meet, their stories,
their livelihoods, and majority of the time it
impacts me, and which I translate over into
my art.

What media do you like to work with?

I love to draw and color, so my favorite mediums to use are
pencils, pens, and markers. Ive tried acrylic and wasnt
comfortable with it. Ive also been known to dabble in watercolor,
which I absolutely love, but just dont have time for.
How did you get involved with Mailart?
I was a member a Ning group in 2009 and that is how I found
and joined ATCs for All! in October of 2009. I knew I wanted to
do something artsy fartsy and so I started with just layering stuff
on an ATC sized piece of paper and found collaging. I didnt
really enjoy collaging and wanted to hone in on my drawing
skills, which I knew was someone deep inside. I drew here and
there, but didnt seriously get into drawing until maybe a year
later.
I am by no means a great artist and I am in awe of those that can
sit down and draw beautiful art. Ive taken workshops through Art
Trader Magazine, which really helped me with drawing bodies.
Ive bought tons of books, watched other artists online through
Dick Blick, etc. I just keep trying to learn different techniques in
hopes that someday it just all clicks into place.
Practice makes perfect and I havent done anything in a long time, so when the opportunity came to do
something like this costume project I got excited again about doing art.
Now, if I can just get the shadow thingy down! LOL
Tammy L. Sexton
Art TRADER m a g a z i n e
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Art TRADER m a g a z i n e
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I love to draw and

color, so my favorite
mediums to use are
pencils, pens, and
markers.

Whimsical Mermaid Workshop

Eraserqueen Studios!
Welcome to the underwater world of whimsical
mermaids; fat, funky, ethereal and bizarre! Full-
color workbooks are flled with inspirational
artwork and instructions for creative design
and brainstorming, and step by-step images
of projects. Videos show techniques in slow,
real time to help you draw your designs and
learn various rendering techniques to create
your own personal mermaid art!
http://EraserqueenStudios.blogspot.com
Purchase workshops at:
W
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rk
s
h
o
p
s
N
o
w

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n

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V
D
!
Women of India Workshop
This workshop is designed to
tantalize your creative side
through the exploration of female
imagery and style of India. You
will be taken through the design
process and stages of illustration;
and guided through the creative
process to help you fex you
imagination muscles though
exercises and resources. In this
workshop youll journey through
the styles of exotic India. Learn
what fashions Indian women
wear, and how you can creatively
design your own ensembles. Full
color illustrations, examples, and
walk-throughs are included. This
is a great class for those whove
taken the Whimsy workshops
and want to expand their skills.
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My 12 x 12 stencil album may be almost full. Ill never tell.
Stencil tease. Like a striptease but sexier.
Stencils are super versatile and can help you add interest to your backgrounds and pattern to your
foregrounds. There are two different types: Stencils and masks. In a stencil, the design is the cutout
area, and, in a mask, the design is the solid area. For example, if you cut a circle out of a piece of
Do It Five Ways: Stencils By Sarah Trumpp
Stencils. The very word is enough to send me into paroxysms of joy. Sten. Cils. Steeencilllls. MMM
stencils. I could/should probably join a 12-step program for stencil addiction - I may actually have a
problem. I DONT EVEN CARE. They are my most-favorite thing.
Art TRADER m a g a z i n e
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paper, the paper with a hole in it is the stencil, and the circle removed from the paper is a mask. You
can fnd stencils and masks in just about every design that you can imagine, and, using a sharp pair of
scissors and a little ingenuity, you can even make them in every design you can imagine.
Were not going to do that here, though! Here Im going to use a selection of store-bought stencils and
show you fve fantastic techniques on the same painting.
Technique 1: Gelli Plate/Monoprinting
The Gelli Plate is my second most-favorite thing. It is a permanent version of the old gelatin printing
plate and is used to pull monoprints. You can fnd more information about the Gelli Plate at http://www.
gelliarts.com/, and there are instructions on the internet for making your own out of gelatin if you dont
want to dish out 20 bucks for your own plate.
Gelli Plate with stencil, prior to being pulled
Gelli plates are a fantastic way to get quick layers of color onto your canvas, and stencils really shine
when paired with a plate. After using a brayer (paint roller) to quickly spread out a layer of acrylic, lay
down a stencil and your canvas or paper face down on top. Apply a bit of pressure and a conscientious
massage, and youll have the perfect stenciled image in less than a minute. Seriously, the whole
process takes about 45 seconds. Magic.
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\
Technique 2: Sprays
Spray paints are another completely versatile medium. They can be cheap spray enamels that you
buy at your local dollar store, spray inks and paints made for crafters, or even diluted acrylic in a spray
bottle. I have everything from artist-grade spray paint made for graffti artists to tiny mister bottles full
of watered down craft acrylics, and I have to say that a few drops of golden mixed with water is my
favorite. In this example Im using India ink mixed with alcohol the alcohol dilutes the ink and helps it
dry really fast, which is awesome on those days where 30 seconds seems too long to heat up my tea.
Since my canvas panel is larger than my
plate, I have some overlap. Operator error.
Still awesome.
Its subtle, but it works.
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Technique 3: Sponge Dabbing
This is probably the best-known technique for stencil love, as demonstrated by every home improvement
show in the early 90s. Plop down a stencil and dab it with a sponge. Easy! They do make specifc
stencil brushes for this purpose, but I prefer a cheapo foam brush from the DIY section of the dollar
store, or at least I did when I started writing this article in December. Now, however, I have discovered
that makeup sponges work even better. Plus theyre cheaper! Bonus!
The whole thing at this point.
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Technique 4: Brush
If youre careful, you can absolutely use a brush. This works especially well with masks, which is what
Im using here a pennant bunting mask. Of course, with this technique, you need to be extra careful
that your paint doesnt go underneath up and down pounces and dabs for the win!
From here, I sketched out a clown and continued with
black, leaving the pennants and the clowns costume
uncovered:
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Technique 5: Modeling Paste/Palette Knife
Modeling/molding paste is a great way to get some added texture to your work. It is an acrylic medium,
like gel medium, that is flled with solid material that does not level out, so it dries raised from the
canvas. It is very opaque white, and you can mix it with paint to tint it (though this is probably less
desirable if you want anything but a pastel color, since the amount of paint youd have to mix in would
thin it too much) or just paint over it once it has dried. My favorite technique is to dry brush once it is
dry, just catching the raised edges. It is easy to apply with a stencil, just scrape it over a stencil with a
palette knife or old credit card.
Its hard to photograph, but the
texture is very cool and bumpy.
And here is the fnal piece!
I hoped this helped toss some more techniques
into your toolbox, and I apologize in advance to
your bank account.
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By Sal Scheibe
Materials List
* Old eyeglass case
* Gel Medium or glue mixture
* Torn pieces of paper
* Paint (acrylic or watercolor)
* Thicker sketch paper or Bristol Board
* Markers, colored pencil, ink pens
* Varnish, gloss fnish (I used Golden
brand for artwork)
* Felt
Look! Altering Your Glasses Case
I have carried around my tattered, ugly and torn glasses case for the past year, always intending to buy
a new one and never getting around to it. Then it occurred to me that it would be a lot more fun to just
alter the old one. There was nothing wrong with the case itself, just the cover. Voila! New project time
sink!
The frst thing I did was pull off the gross old cover and everything on the inside. The one section I did
leave intact was the covering on the inside seam (above right) since pulling it off would have probably
ruined the case. I fgured I could paint over it or disguise it somehow. Plus it was on the inside and I
wasnt too worried about. I scored the top and bottom of my case with a sharp knife (bottom image). I
dont think its totally necessary but a little more grip area for my old book pages wouldnt hurt.
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I used a bunch of old book pages to recover
my case but you could use pretty much any
thinnish paper product - scrapbooking paper,
tissue paper, newspaper, etc. I used book
pages since I wanted the text to show through
a little.
I tore off strips and very carefully (and very
messily) covered my case using gel medium
and a brush (and my fngers). You really need
to get in there with your fngers and hands
and squeeze out all of the air bubbles an
ensure that your paper covering lies fat and
neatly. You dont want any air pockets that will
eventually lead to rips.
As mentioned, I used gel medium (matte)
though you could use a version of gel medium
mixed with water and white school glue. It
will harden in a clear state and might be a bit
sticker.
Once youve covered your case, let it dry fully.
Dont touch it while drying since half dried
paper tends to stick to fngers and it makes a
mess. I wont say I learned this from bad art
experiences.
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While your cover is drying, grab your papers and sketch pencils and start creating the art you want to
see on your case. Alternatively, you can of course paint directly onto your case if thats your preference.
I just found the case a little awkward and thought Id do my art separately.
I used some Bristol Board and markers for my case art and left it out to fully dry before attempting to
adhere to the case. Again, letting things fully dry eliminates horrible art accidents like grossly smudged
black ink.
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To paint your case, you can use acrylic paint
or watercolors. The acrylic sticks better in
my opinion but watercolors will do the job
eventually too.
I slathered my watered down paint on with
a paper towel so that I could rub off any
excess and ensure that the text would still
show through.
Decorate away!
I affxed my paper art with the same gel
medium mix, squeezing out any air bubbles
and pockets. I let it all dry and then came
back to it to add in more decoration with gel
pens and bits of paint and paper.
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Once you have your case decorated to your liking, it
needs to be varnished. These cases often get showed
into purses and with all sorts of sharp objects and you
dont want to tear up all of your nice artwork. I used
Goldens archival gloss varnish and I did three thick
coats. You really need to let things dry between coats
but please be prepared. It takes a long time for varnish
to dry. It took me 2-3 days to do the three coats and
another few days before the case itself wasnt sticky
anymore. Let it sit and dry before you use it or add
your material to the inside. And spray it while its open
so it doesnt dry closed!
After varnishing:
On the inside of my case, I cut out long oval shapes
from my felt and glued them inside with white school
glue. I didnt want to put my glasses inside without
some sort of softness. You can add a couple of layers
or just one if you have a nice, thick felt.
And voila! Much better than any case I could have
bought. And it was a fun project too. I have a sunglasses
case thats up next for altering!
by Ann DAngelo
Musings of a Self-Trained Artist:
A Laywomans
Laycolumn
Art TRADER m a g a z i n e
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As a mixed media artist, I love tiny images. I know they can be fussy, especially when it comes time
to cut around the sub-microscopic details, but I love building little scenes on ATCs so much that Im
willing to suffer for the cause. One of my favorite places to fnd tiny images is an old-school illustrated
dictionary. I might, in fact, go through periods of being mildly dictionary-obsessed.
We all know that illustrated dictionaries
contain cool botanical, zoological, and
architectural images. My favorites,
however, are the odd little images like
this one, which comes from my two-
volume Websters dictionary, published
in the 1940s.
Although I can see what the image is
supposed to represent, it looks for all
the world like an ancient Greek girl
practicing her posture. To me, thats a
great ATC just waiting to be made!
Of course, not all of the images are that
complete. Some simply feature torsos,
the upper halves of houses, the rear
legs of a horse. For me, however, this
is part of the challenge and the thrill
of making dictionary cards: I have to
resolve those issues, as well as issues
of relative scale and proportion. Call
me a collage dork, but I really enjoy that
challenge!
Art TRADER m a g a z i n e
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Lets take as an example a card
that I made during the 2014 Oscars.
I started by clipping out some
gentlemen from the Renaissance,
along with a tree that caught my
fancy and the roof of a house I liked.
To help establish that the scene
would not be completely realistic, I
put animal heads on the two male
fgures, whom I had decided would
be guards for a queen fgure.
After spending a few minutes testing the locations of things on an ATC blank, I set about turning the roof
of a house into a full and complete building by clipping and coloring a section of dictionary text.
To help sell this
pairing as a coherent
house, I utilized the
tree that I liked.
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Following the addition
of both land and a
queen fgure, the
house recedes slightly
and therefore works a
little better.
I chose this placement
for the queen,
incidentally, because
the guards will look
best out in front of
her - which is to say,
along the bottom of the
canvas.
This placement addresses the problem of having incomplete bodies and pushes the house farther into
the background.
With all of my images glued into place, I focused my attention on
unifying the piece. To bring together a whole scene, the best bet
is light. Put another way, all of the elements should be lit from
the same direction by the same source. Fortunately, the original
illustrations of both the ox head and the queens dress contained
shading on the right side, so I could easily put the light source on
the left. I used a combination of markers and watercolor pencils
to shade all of the images accordingly.
ONLINE
WORKSHOP!
with Ann DAngelo & Sal Scheibe
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Register Anytime!
$35 US per person
Registration
www.wonderstrange.com
We all know there can be joy in a spontaneous, instinctive artistic process where we
are guided from layer to layer by what feels right and what looks good. Yet that same
process can turn on us, especially when things start to feel wrong and we dont know
why, when we cant understand what happened to the piece we were so in love with 20
minutes ago, when the joy is suddenly gone.
To avoid that spiral, this class helps you introduce more intention into your process,
making conscious, well-informed decisions about colors, layers, shapes, and the ripple
effects of every new addition to your work. Through this workshop, youll be able to:
* Create stronger focal points packed with visual interest
* Develop rich, layered backgrounds that support your focal point and your theme /
prompt
* Identify and resolve problems so you can get back to the joy of making art
A fantastic program for
beginner and
intermediate artists
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I love to host swaps over at ATCs for All (www.ATCsForAll.com). One day while surfng the internet I
came across some nesting dolls and thought what a great shape for an Art Doll! I sketched a similar
shape and with a bit of tweaking and resizing, came up with a good size for trading. I wanted to make
my swap challenging so players were asked to make dolls inspired by 3 different artists. Hence the
name Artist Inspiration Dolls!
Artist Inspiration Dolls were designed to be made in the style of artists that you admire. But you can
always make them in your own style. Maybe you swoon over Picasso or Klimt, maybe Outsider Art is
your thing. Maybe youre like me and love it all! Either way, creating and swapping these dolls is a
great way to improve your skills, expand your techniques and explore using different mediums. Not to
mention all the amazing artists youll discover in the process!
Artist Inspiration Dolls above by Connie Powell
Artist Inspiration Dolls
By Connie Powell
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Constructing the Doll
The doll is roughly 2 wide by 4 3/4 tall. Print the attached
template onto card stock (template on page 28). Cut out and
trace the doll form onto the paper of your choice. Ive found that
140lb watercolor paper works well with most mediums. You want
the doll form to be frm not foppy.
Technique Tips
My sample doll was inspired by Gustav Klimt. I created the doll
in my own style and incorporated Klimt like elements. The two
pictures show the doll before and after adding color.
Step 1: Lightly sketch the face, fgure and background elements
using a mechanical pencil. Then draw over the pencil lines with
a fne tipped waterproof pen. I like to use a size 08 brown Micron
pen. After the ink is dry erase all the pencil lines with a kneaded
eraser.
Step 2: Color and Shade the Face. I like to start coloring the
face using Spectrum Noir Pale Hues markers # FS2 for the base
and # FS2 for shading. I then add more shading to the face using
a Light Umber Prismacolor pencil. Color the cheeks, eyes and
lips using the colors of your choice. Add a tiny white dot in the
eye to bring the face to life.
Step 3: Color the body and background. For this particular doll
I used Prismacolor colored pencils for the body and background.
The circles in the background are a mix of gold markers; Pentel
Slicci size 08, Sharpie gold metallic and Pitt Gold 1.5 and Pitt
black.
Step 4: Finishing Touches Metallic pens are great for fnishing
touches like circles, swirls, dots and other doodle type marks! I
like to use white gel pens and black fne tipped Pitt Artist pens for
accents.
For trading opportunities, visit
ATCs For All
http://www.atcsforall.com
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Artist Inspiration
Doll Template
Cut out and trace the
doll form onto the
paper of your choice.
Paper recommendations:
* 140lb watercolor
paper
* Bristol board with
backing
* Illustration board
Template by
Connie Powell
Artist Inspiration Dolls
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Trish Lavato
Kelly Hankins
Debby Peot
Gallery of Dolls
Artist Inspiration Dolls
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Connie Powell
Debby Peot
Susanne Skene
Melissa Fetalvera
Melissa Fetalvera
Artist Inspiration Dolls
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Dolls by Tracy Anderson
Ar t J our n al i n g Wi t h
t he An t i -Ar t -J our n al er
by Sarah Trumpp
Anti-Art-Journaling: Chronicles Project
In the last issue, I talked about my plan to keep an art journal that is part art
journal, part scrapbook, part sketchbook, and part Chihuahua. I am happy to report that it has been a
huge success so far, so I fgured Id give our readers an update.
Every week I release a random list of 11 to 12 prompts, including art, journaling, photography, destash,
and scrapbook-style. All of those prompts are designed to ft into a two-page spread, and you can do
as many or as few as you want. Feel like skipping the photography? Skip it! Writers block getting you
down? Dont journal! Its your project, make it ft your life. You can play along by visiting http://www.
wonderstrange.com/tag/chronicles-project/ - wed love to see you!
Here are some of my pages from the last few weeks:
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An art journaling prompt from Journal52
Pretend Polaroids
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Random things that made
me laugh
Art inspired by YouTube
Another Journal52 prompt
A typical page with lots of random
writing, pictures, and art all together.
Popups from a Lifebook lesson on a journal page.
If you start your own Chronicles journal, Id love to feature your art here! Feel
free to contact me at [email protected] for more information.
Online Workshop:
Mixed Media Goth Girls
with Sal Scheibe
Videos included in this workshop:
Gothic Hair & Clothing
Drawing Goth Girls
Canvas 1: Whimsical Mixed Media Girl
Canvas 2: Painted Mixed Media Girl
Canvas 3: Collaged Gothic Crones
$35.00 per person
Registration is open so join
in at any time!
For additional information
and registration, visit
http://redzombies.blogspot.com
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This online workshop
features an in-depth look at
creating mixed media goth
girls with multiple videos
and a 30 page workbook.
Well look at goth culture
and background, explore
gothic style clothing and
hair and pretty goth faces.
Whats in the (30 page) workbook:
* Goth Culture, Background, Inspiration and Links
* Drawing Whimsical Goth Girls (basic to intermediate)
* Facial Features: Eyes, Nose and Mouth
* Walk-Throughs of Whimsical Goth Girls (drawn and mixed media)
* Gothic Style Clothing
* Gothic Hair Styles
* Gothic Elements
* Collaging a Creepy Goth Girl
* Mixed Media Walk-Throughs: Backgrounds & Gothic Elements
* Planning Your Canvases
Whi msical Mermaid
Start with a clean line drawing
(erase all pencil, as the graphite
will muddy your marker colors
when you add them.
Now you can lay in your base
coats. I have used Canary
Yellow and Spanish orange.
Outline frst, then fll in with
color.
Now I add mid-tone color. I am
using Spanish orange for the
canary yellow mid- tone, and
Orange as a mid-tone for the
Spanish orange.
Now I add the dark tones.
Orange goes over Spanish
orange mid-tone and Burnt
Ochre goes over orange
mid-tone
With Andrea Melione aka Eraserqueen
Here Ive added a Violet
background, Light Violet for
the wings, and Avocado for
the seaweed.
Here Ive added a cyclone
shape in the background for
a school of fsh, and detail on
the wings
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A Walk-Through with Markers
Andrea Melione is a self-proclaimed Whimsical Folk
Artist, who loves to teach and share her techniques
with others.
You can view more of her art and purchase her
workshops on disc at her blog:
http://eraserqueenstudios.blogspot.com
Select Workshops now available and more coming soon!
To the left is the fnished ATC! I Added the school
of fsh and other highlights with a white gel pen.
In addition, I re-inked the drawing with a pen - to
make the line work bolder. Finishing touches were
made with Stardust Pens (a Sakura product.)
Materials:
Prismacolor Markers:
Canary Yellow,
Spanish Orange
Orange
Burnt Ochre
Violet
Light Violet
Avacado
True Green
Novelty Pens:
Green and Purple Stardust pens
White Gelly Roll (med)
Uni-ball Vision Roller Ball Stick Water-Proof
Pen (Fine and Extra-Fine weights)
Whimsical Mermaid Workshop
now available on Disc!
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Readers Gallery: Art Journal Pages
Beautiful art journal
pages by
Tami L Davis
Readers Gallery: Art Journal Pages
Beautiful art journal
pages by
Tami L Davis
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Readers Gallery: Art Journal Pages
Beautiful art journal
pages by
Tami L Davis
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If youd like to share some of your art
journal pages, please contact us! We
love to show off peoples lovely art.
Our submission details are on the last
page of each issue and on our website:
www.arttradermag.com
Bun n ymon st er Ar t Dol l
By Sarah Trumpp
I love to design weird dolls and
other sewing patterns, and I
especially love to make them
holiday themed. I generally
avoid the typical holidays
and make patterns dedicated
to the little known holidays,
like International Caviar Day
and Ice Cream Sundae Day,
which are conveniently on
the same day. To celebrate,
I once designed a felt sundae
with caviar sprinkles. It was
disgusting to even look at.
This time, however, Easter is
right around the corner, and
a bunnymonster is just up my
alley.
Happy Easter, careful, he
bites. Gigantic marshmallow
Peep not included, we bit his
ears off.
Mat er i al s:
Muslin
Freezer Paper
Fabric scraps
Bunnymonster Pattern (bunnymonster.pdf available on the ArtTrader website in Freebies! section)
Optional:
Stamps/ink pads
Spray paints
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Freezer paper comes in a gigantic roll and
can be found in the foil/plastic bag section
of your local grocery store. It is paper that
has a plastic coating on one side and can
be ironed onto fabric which will allow it
to be FED THROUGH YOUR PRINTER.
WHAT?!! Yes. How cool is that? So cool.
I have a relatively expensive Epson printer
that handles it with ease, but I have also
tried it with a cheapo Canon and had no
problems.
Cut your freezer paper into 8.5 x 11 inch
sheets. Position it on your fabric so that
the plasticy waxy side is touching the fabric
and iron on the paper side. I use the cotton
setting on my iron, no steam. Move the
iron constantly for a minute or two, and the
paper will stick to the fabric. Cut the fabric
the same size as the paper and insert it into
the paper feed of your printer. Download
the pdf of the pattern and print!
We will be adding fabric scraps to the body
to make it more interesting, but the ears
and the back of the head might need a
little love. I used some foam stamps with
Staz-On ink to put designs on his ears and
then sprayed randomly with watered-down
turquoise paint.
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Once you have them all decorated to your
liking, peel the fabric away from the paper.
This is my absolute favorite part. SO
PEELY.
My favorite part is immediately followed
by my least-favorite part: Cutting all of the
pieces out. Do that then reward yourself
with whatever guilty pleasure gives you the
most pleasure.
To give him some clothes, we will be using
simple strips of fabric. To make them even,
place the body pieces side by side and the
leg pieces side by side and then lay the
fabric out and pin it down.
Once you have it arranged to your liking,
fip it over and make sure your pattern
pieces dont overlap.
And then sew it down! I used a simple
zigzag stitch. Totally Old School. Cut off
the excess fabric, then sew the legs. Ive
given a very scant seam allowance, less
than inch, so keep it tight! Check all of
the seams to make sure you dont have
holes (I always have holes), resew as
necessary, and then turn them right-side-
out.
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Finally, sew the belly patch to the front of the
doll.
Now comes the fun part!! Lay out all of the
pieces on your doll and decide where you want
them. If you want your ears crooked or your
legs off to the side (like I have mine), now is the
time to set it up. Add a little bit of stuffng to the
legs just to plump up the toes.
Match up the ears, sew, and turn. Fold the
bottoms of the ears so that they meet in the
middle and tack them down.
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Keeping the pieces in the same position,
reverse them so that they are laying face
down on the body with the back-side facing
up. The raw edges should extend a little
bit past the raw edge of the body as shown
in the picture below.
Place the body back face-down on top and
carefully line everything up and pin. Sew
close to the edge, leaving a small opening
(about 2 inches) so that you can turn and
stuff. When you pin, be sure that none of
the pieces will be caught when you sew!
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Download the Bunny Monster template at ArtTraders website:
http://resource.arttradermag.com/freebies/ArtTraderMag_BunnyMonsterTemplate.pdf
Check your seam to make sure there
arent any holes, especially around the
legs where youre sewing through about
six layers of fabric, and reinforce as
necessary. Turn it right-side-out and stuff
frmly, then sew the opening closed!
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Readers Gallery
A wise old owl sat on an
oak; The more he saw the
less he spoke; The less he
spoke the more he heard;
Why arent we like that wise
old bird?
Elizabeth Boudreau, Soaring the Skies
Rhonda Anderson Rhonda Anderson
Owls
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Please note that ArtTrader Magazine no longer hosts online workshops. This program is
presented independently by Sal Scheibe on her blog. If you took this specifc program through
ArtTrader, please contact Sal Scheibe on her site for re-registration (free of course!)
Whimsical Houses:
Keeping things in perspective
By Sal Scheibe
Drawing cute little houses in art journals and on ATCs is a
fun thing to do but it can be a little intimidating once you try
to make a house in perspective, or from a view other than
face on. Hopefully, this little article will teach you a few tricks
and make your whimsical house making easier and cooler!
One Point Perspective
Drawing in perspective allows us to draw an object as it is
- in three dimensions so the object will look real rather than
a fat, 2D representation.
Horizon Line
Vanishing Point
Drawing in perspective requires that
we defne a couple of terms:
Horizon Line: A continuous line
typically described as where the sky
meets the earth (grass, treeline, etc.).
Its usually the viewers eye level,
regardless of whether theyre standing
or sitting. The horizon line may not be
visible so you need to create a line in
order to draw in perspective.
Vanishing Point: The point at which
objects disappear from view. Think
of the vanishing point as a road (see
image below). The further off in the
distance, the thinner the lines until they
eventually disappear (the vanishing
point).
One Point Perspective
Were going to take the standard house shape (fgure 1) and create
a real, 3D object.
Start by drawing a horizon line on your paper. You can see the
horizon line below; its the thick red line that runs horizontally in
fgure 2.
At one end of your horizon line, make a dot. This will be your
vanishing point.
Draw some grid lines that extend up and down from the vanishing
point. These lines are your grid and will show you where to draw
the lines of your 3D house.
Draw the standard house shape of rectangle and triangle within
the grid (like fgure 1).
As your eye recedes to the vanishing point, so do the sides of the
home. They follow the same path as the grid lines.
Draw your home as a 3D object within the grid, exactly like fgure
2 below. Note the fnished version in fgure 3 below.
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
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Two point perspective isnt
much more diffcult to master
than one point perspective.
Instead of one vanishing point,
you will now have 2 vanishing
points to work with. This allows
you to draw objects from an
angle (you will see more sides
of the object) rather than
just face-on as in one point
perspective.
The vanishing points should
be fairly far apart as it takes
some distance for objects to
recede. If you put them too
close together, your house
may look a bit wonky - perhaps
ok for whimsical art but not so
much for houses in proper
perspective!
Again, the grid lines extend
outward (can go both up and
down though only down is
shown here) from the vanishing
point. These lines extend from
BOTH vanishing points and
create a grid for you to draw
on.
As you can see in fgure 2, a 3D
block was created by simply
following the grid lines. Easy!
In fgure 3, Ive added whimsical
house elements and plants to
show a fnished piece.
If youre a new artist, master
one point perspective frst
before moving on to two
point perspective. I highly
recommend purchasing a
book solely on perspective as
Ive only touched on the bare
minimum here.
Figure 1
Figure 2
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Two Point Perspective
Figure 3
Whimsical Houses Gal lery
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Art by
Sal Scheibe
Altering a Doll Head with Epoxy Clay and Paint
by Ann DAngelo
Anyone who visits my house must quickly adjust to the sight of doll heads, which appear on shelves,
chandeliers, and everywhere in between. Lately, Ive been thinking that I need to put some of these
heads to use, because Ive been trying to organize my art supplies and fnding that I dont have enough
containers for them. Thus was born this project, in which I turned a doll head into a holder for my
colored pencils. I know - I have a very small collection of colored pencils. The good news is that this
could just as easily hold any small collection: short-handled paintbrushes, Microns, gel pens, or heck,
decorative scissors.
This project requires just a few supplies:
A doll head with an open hole in the top
Epoxy clay
Paint
Gesso
Strips from a book page
Gel medium
To fnd a doll with an open head,
visit a Goodwill or other charity
shop. Skip the toy aisle, where
the dolls will all be plastic, and
go for the collector dolls located
a few aisles over. These dolls
have wigs and dresses on, so its
impossible to tell on sight which
ones have an open head. Instead,
apply this highly scientifc test:
Tap the dolls face, then tap the
top of the dolls head. If the top
of the head sounds different - if
it sounds like it might be a plastic
pate instead of bisque or ceramic
- that is the doll to choose!
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Decapitating a doll feels a bit creepy,
but its easy enough to do with a pair of
scissors and some pluck.
If the head has dried glue on it from the
wig, as mine did, soak it in warm soapy
water for 15 minutes to soften the glue
and then scrub it clean.
Apply 2-3 coats of gesso and set the
head aside.
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Now to the clay! My brand of choice in epoxy
clay is Apoxie, but obviously, other brands
work just fne, too. Epoxy clay comes in two
parts, so the frst step is to take a small pinch of
one and an equal pinch of the other and knead
them together until the clay is uniform in color.
Streaks are a sign to keep kneading!
To make the doll head functional, fatten the
ball of clay into an oval stopper for the dolls
neck. The oval doesnt have to win a beauty
contest; it simply has to cover the opening.
Insert it through the top of the head and use
a clay tool or even a thin marker to press it
against the insides.
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Base coat the head with one or two coats
of a fesh tone. When the paint dries,
tear short strips from the book page and
adhere them to the head around the front
and back of the hair with gel medium. The
point here is not to have the text or images
show through in the fnished product, but
to have the inevitable folds and creases in
the paper lend a bit of texture and variation
to the parts of the hair not ultimately
covered by clay.
Mix up a bigger batch of clay, then add hair, eyes, teeth, ears, and any other details that strike you. (If
its helpful, rough in a hairstyle with paint before placing the clay, as I did.)
My project looks, I confess, a bit strange in this picture, but then, my project is a woodland girl with a
mixture of human and animal features, so a little strangeness is to be expected.
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Once the clay dries, its time for painting!
The fnished project looks pretty fantastic on the shelf - so much so that Im going to turn around and
do it again with that poor unsuspecting head on the left. In a day or so, shell be holding my clay tools.
What a lucky girl.
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SL Scheibe ART
Ori gi nal s, Di gi t al St amps, Col l age Sheet s, ACEOs
SLSlines.etsy.com
Art TRADER m a g a z i n e
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WonderAnn.etsy.com WonderStrumpet.etsy.com
Eraserqueen Studios!
Purchase workshops at:
http://EraserqueenStudios.blogspot.com
W
o
rk
s
h
o
p
s
N
o
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o
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D
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!
Whimsy Workshop
This workshop places emphasis on creating art in a
whimsical style that you can make your own!
Learn how to deconstruct what you see to stylize it in a
way that is unique and meaningful to you. Discussion,
examples and exercises on pattern, color, media, and
resources guide your artistic journey. This workshop is
perfect for beginner and intermediate artists.
Art TRADER
www.arttradermag.com
Advertising, Product Reviews
& Partnership Inquiries
[email protected]
Submissions
Sal Scheibe
[email protected]
Critique Corner
Andrea Melione
[email protected]
For additional details on our
submission and artwork guidelines,
please visit our website:
www.arttradermag.com
Article Submissions - write for us!
Thank you for your interest in contributing to ArtTrader Magazine.
ArtTrader Magazine is a web-based publication (in PDF format)
focused on Mailart for trade such as ATCs (Artist Trading Cards),
ACEOs, art journals, chunky books, altered art and altered
books.
We are always accepting the following types of materials:
How to or Step-by-Step articles on artistic techniques.
Articles on artistic journeys or experiences.
Showcasing Art. We are interested in showcasing
assemblages, mixed media work, creative journaling, chunky
books, fat books, inchies, ATCs (Artist Trading Cards), post
cards and more.
OPEN Call for Artwork: Readers Gallery
We want to have a Readers Gallery in every magazine issue to
showcase the beautiful art made by the Mailart community. Please
send us your Mailart pics! Theme doesnt matter, as long as its
Mailart. Were looking for ATCs, ACEOs, Chunky Pages, Inchies,
Twinchies, Skinny Pages, Art Journals, altered art and altered
books.
Submissions should be sent to:
[email protected]
Send images in JPG, BMP or TIF format. PDFs are also fne.
High quality scans please so at least 100 DPI though 300 DPI is
preferred.
Make sure you fll out an Artwork Release Form so that we can
show off your art! Its on our website in the Magazine section. Very
important!
Thanks for reading!
The ArtTrader Zine Team
Red Hot (markers)
ATC by Sal Scheibe
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