This is my attempt at collage in my visual journal. Inspired by the Sketchbook Challenge's theme for this month, Branching Out (Out on a Limb), I decided to try two new things: Citri-Solv backgrounds using National Geographic magazines, and then collaging them into the 'messy' book (i.e., my visual journal where I use up art supplies and sketch out things I find randomly on the ground).

I ended up with two finished spreads and one I'm going to use for a "New Maps" page, and add some journaling to it once I get the lettering finished. I'm not sure about the first spread -- they weren't intended to go together or match, so they don't. They were just first attempts trying out various materials and techniques. But I like the map background. I'm almost afraid to do anything more to it for fear of ruining it, but I have to get over that fear and forge ahead.



This is what I like to do with pages in the my sketchbook that have been used as pallets. I blend out the pools of paint and practice sketching with dip pens!

This piece was my first time using a dip pen -- ever. I love the technique and flow of ink.
Tim Booth released his new solo album, Love Life, on April 4. Here's a great video for 'All About Time'.

Or rather, 22 weeks. :) Only 18(+/-) more weeks to go, and Ian Alexander will make his debut appearance!

This week is my first week doing the Diva's weekly Zentangle challenges. This week was perfect for me since lately (and in the coming months) I haven't had much more than 10-15 minutes to myself to work on art.

This week's challenge is 15 Minutes of Fame, where you set 15 minutes on a timer and do an entire Zentangle tile. Since most of my work is so huge, I admittedly freaked out, thinking there's no way I can do a tangle in 15 minutes! But then I read that a tile is supposed to be 3.5 inches square, so I relaxed a bit, drew some 3.5 inch squares in my sketchbook, and started tangling!

Excuse the horrible lighting/picture quality this time. We're in for some major storms tonight/tomrrow, and I can't get outside to take better ones right now.

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I didn't get a chance to finish this one. I never realized how time-intensive my favorite pattern really is!