Author: Clare at CatsEatDogs

Mono Printing on a Homemade Gelatin Plate.

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Today I made a slab of gelatin (actually I made that yesterday) in a cookie pan and used it to make mono prints of bamboo leaves and crochet doilies! I was reading Courtney Cerruti’s book ‘Playing with Surface Design’ and she was talking about how a handmade gelatin plate behaves slightly differently to a commercial gelli plate.  I have been using and loving my gelli plate for a few years now, so I was keen to try! Making the ‘plate’ was super easy, I used 4 envelopes of unflavored gelatin according to the instructions on the packet (they suggested apple juice but I went for water!) and I left it in the fridge over night to set.  I forgot to remove any surface bubbles so I had immediate access to some extra texture (oops!). There are lots of videos and recipes for gelatin plates on the inter webs but I was happy with this one as it lasted for an afternoon of printing and I can make another one when I need it. This picture was …

The 100 day project 2019

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What to do when you can literally do anything, for 100 days? I have been deciding what to do for this year’s 100 day Project. 100 yoga poses? 100 found poems? 100 altered playing cards? 100 altered vintage photos? These are some of the ideas which have swum in and out of my mind, I decided found poems might be boring after about 27 and I did playing cards a few years ago. I enjoyed the cards project best out of all of my 100 day collections, so I decided to use them again but with other ephemera. ‘100 altered vintage pieces of ephemera’ will be my 100 day project for 2019.   I can use playing cards, flash cards, book pages, book covers, rolodex cards, business cards, library catalogue cards, vintage photos et al. I will allow myself to sketch on, paint on, collage on, stamp on and cut up the ephemera of the day. I will mark make, write words, splash ink and stick down stuff! In 100 days I should have a …

Have Art Supplies, will Travel.

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Every time I travel I give a lot of thought to my art supplies and not nearly as much thought to how many t shirts I will need! Clean shirts, jeans and a nice scarf. Clothes done.  Art supplies need way more thought. What will I be able to do? How big do I want my sketchbook? What paper is in it?  Wet media or dry?  Will I be able to use watercolors or acrylic paints?  How about water-soluble pencils? Some things always travel with me, my mini Moleskine Art Plus sketchbook, a Micron pen or three and my trusty Pentel Pocket Brush pen with a spare ink cartridge.  For this trip to New York City, I have added some Derwent Inktense pencils in a few favorite colors and a water soluble graphite pencil.  In fact as I write this, I have remembered that if I want to use water soluble pencils, I am going to need a water brush, so in that goes! The Field Notes book is for jotting down ideas and anything …

Good books

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I have just finished reading ‘The Girl Who Saved the King of Sweden’ by Jonas Jonasson of 100 year old man fame. This book was in-depth with lots of characters but it wasn’t a laborious read it was interesting and witty at each turn. Nombeko is an endearing leading lady and holds her own without bashing you over the head with all her good points. It is full of subdued drama and dry wit and I loved it! The book I have literally just started (last night) is ‘Little’ by Edward Carey and it was only when I read the list of other books he has written that I realised that he is the author of the Iremonger Trilogy which I read to my son when he was a tween. This series of books was the last we read together and we still talk about them now that he is a teenager and taller than me. Consequently I went into this book with high hopes and so far I am not disappointed. I will only …

Daily planner practice 2019

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I wasn’t going to use a planner for my daily practice this year, so I started in a regular sketchbook.  Part way through January I realized that this was not working, I liked the dates and style of a planner. So after some investigating and deciding I ended up with an ‘EDiT’ daily planner to work in.  To be honest it was a little smaller than I thought it would be (even though I looked at the measurements!), but it turns out I love this size and the paper is like magic, it is so smooth and even though it is quite see through it still holds a little wet media and pens don’t bleed through. For the rest of January (I started on Jan 23rd) I sketched a flower a day with my Micron pen.  When February rolled around I had spotted a couple of collage challenges on the interwebs, so collage was in my mind.  I started sticking down some images and adding a little note which made me smile and I think I …

Wanderlust 2019

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We are now a month into Wanderlust 2019 and I am having a blast!  Wanderlust is a year long series of tutorials, ideas, techniques and inspiration for all of your art making and art journaling needs. I am biased because I am teaching this year and my class will be live in the Rivers theme in March.  Having said that I have no truck with a class I don’t enjoy and Wanderlust is so varied and prolific that if there is a class or a theme you are not feeling, fear not, another is just around the corner. I made my journal which should last all year and I am looking forward to seeing it fill up with a variety of work, ideas and art. For all the information and enrollment details, follow this link Wanderlust 2019 information  Please note that the above link is an affiliate link. Happy Sunday x

Looking back at 2018, a year in review including books read.

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I like to look back over photos and diary entries from the past year, remember what I did,what I learnt and where I went.  Here is a brief summary from 2018, what did you get up to?  Any surprises?  I had no groundbreaking moments, but some new techniques were learnt and new places visited. I have also included the books I was reading each month. January  I started my tutorial making year for Get Messy and it was quite the learning curve! I got this fabulous typewriter which works very well. We went metal detecting and found things like ring pulls, a screwdriver and a swallow brooch. Book – Future Home of the Living God by Louise Erdrich. February  I have been working at the library for one year. We went to the Contemporary Art Museum and the Pulitzer Arts Foundation to see some art (darling). Book – Started The Keeper of Lost Things by Ruth Hogan, but I had to return it to the library, so I made a note of the page I had …