Sunday, April 22, 2012

Arting With Friends

Yesterday I headed to Westbeth for a journaling class with Diana Trout.  With me, some of the usual suspects in these events, Heidi, Michele and Pat.   I always enjoy the classes that The Ink Pad sponsors at Westbeth, because it's a nice large space and we each get half of a long table to spread out on.

Diana is a fun, down to earth person with a very loose and carefree style that I am very drawn to.  No measuring, no over thinking, no rules.  Yea! 

We started with a warm up exercise that Diana calls journal spilling.  I think a lifetime ago it might have been called stream of consciousness writing.  We just wrote and wrote and wrote without thinking or planning until Diana told us to stop.


Then Diana demonstrated some of her background techniques, which involved a lot of water.....appropriately called paint spilling.




After which we proceded to cover up all that writing, and that was a process I enjoyed very much.



Other exercises involved drawing lines.  This was my favorite.  Put your pen down on the paper and start drawing, and don't lift the pen or stop drawing until time is called (or the page is filled, whichever comes first).  Also, don't cross over any of the lines.



I'll be filling that with color at some point.  Here is another page I worked on.


My art pals, getting all inky and painty.

Michele and Heidi


 Pat


 Heidi's hands, smooshing the paint


After our lunch break we made paper dolls.  I don't know about you, but these crack me up.  Here are the girls:



 Most people did two sided dolls, with different outfits and accessories on the backs.  Look closely.  I did not.  LOL!


We were joined by some other friends.


Play nice, ladies!



Although the workshop was geared a bit more towards beginners than I'd expected, I enjoyed myself thoroughly, and was introduced to a new supply which I absolutely love......Derwent Inktense pencils.  They are watersoluble ink pencils.  So, they react with water as watercolor pencils do, but when dry, they are permanent, because they are INK, not paint.  Very rich beautiful colors, and I think I need to get a larger set.

17 comments:

Alicia B said...

LOVE your paper dolls Eileen!! IT looks like you had a great time in your class, as did everyone else! I haven't heard of the ink pencils you are talking of, but they sound like so much fun to play with! *Hugs*

inge said...

Hello Eileen,

loved to read you had such a fun time !
It's sometimes good you can lay back more and thrive on your experiences from the past and just have fun creating.

And you see , there is always something new to learn, new must have materials to discover !

Especially when you are together in a workshop with friends this workshop is as valuable as learning something completely new !

Inge
greetings from Belgium

Dorothy said...

Wonderful work Eileen!!!
How fun!

Nancy Lynn said...

Looks like a ton of fun. Sometimes these classes are the best where you are relaxed and just having a great time with your art supplies. I have not used the Derwent Inktense pens before but have heard about them. Guess I need to check them out more closely.

Elaine Akers said...

Oh, what a fun class. I love the paper dolls. It is always fun to art with others. Glad you had a fun class.

lilyandthelotus.blogspot.com said...

How fun and wonderful. I am so happy you had such a wonderful time and share it with us..love your paper doll.
susan s.

teri said...

This looks like fun! I've been meaning to try some of those Inktense pencils. Thanks for the reminder!

Patzee said...

Your continuous line is fabulous. Unexpectedly my funny bone got a real workout. A case of the giggles got a hold of me and I am happy to report that it vastly improved my work. As usual, it's wonderful to craft with friends.

Vic said...

Great pages! Those paper dolls are so fun! (Please consider turning word verification off. I love commenting but it makes it so difficult.)

Kerry said...

Love your pages. I remember an article (unfortunately not author) that suggested starting every day by writing for 5 min. anything at all. If you didn't have anything to say just write that. The idea was to open up the creative juices! Thanks for sharing.
Kerry

Diann said...

For sure you had a wonderful time with your class and friends...love your creations! Diann

Art By Wanda said...

Sounds like a blast!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Elena said...

As always it's clear you ladies had a great time! Love those paper dolls , I love my intense pencils almost as much as I lovemy intense blocks!

Unknown said...

you must have had such a fun day at that class and those paper dolls are hysterical. ROFLMAO!

Lori said...

Does Pat know she's a "usual suspect"? lol. I'll bet she was right at home with the sketching and drawing. Looks like a wonderful time, the paper dolls are a hoot! And great tip about those pens, off to investigate! You enabler you.

Bethan said...

Looks like you had a load of fun! those 'dolls' are brilliant.

Chris aka Scrappylassie said...

Love your pages.Wish I could see the line one colored in. Have Diana's book Journal Spilling and have enjoyed learning from it.The paper dolls are adorable. May have to "borrow" this idea for my next girls'art meeting.