Collage Mania! AKA Creative Cross Training

In November, right after I had surgery, I decided to take a few weeks off from quilting and to do some "Creative Cross Training." I was tired (from surgery, from the mental fatigue of the ongoing pandemic, and from the stress of the upcoming presidential election) and uninspired. I needed a change. So I decided to work through Laura Kemshall's Sketchbook Challenge. And I think the change of pace has done me a lot of good.

Did any of you read The Artist's Way? I did, many years ago. Author Julia Cameron talks about going on artist dates -- intentionally getting out and doing something, usually all by yourself, that feeds your creative soul and provides inspiration. It can be a walk in the park, a trip to the cinema, a visit to a museum, a shopping expedition at a garden center, a coffee at a sidewalk cafe....anything that provides visual stimulation and that gets you out of your studio.

In theory, play time in another artistic discipline can make you a better artist in your own. It can jumpstart your imagination. It can ignite a spark of whimsy. And it is just plain fun!

I started Laura's Sketchbook challenge with a new, empty sketchbook and no stress or expectations of greatness. I was not going to worry about creating a masterpiece. This was supposed to be fun! Her first suggestion was to cut into some of the pages, and to replace the cut portions with handmade paper. I dug into my stash of Japanese papers and set to work. The first page below is a Japanese paper made of bark. The second is a fibrous white paper with embedded white strings. Both papers were glued into the book and the overlap was reinforced with machine stitching:

Most pages started with a watercolor wash. This page was painted with watercolors and then stenciled with black paint. Stencil by Stencil Girl:

I tore the handmade paper and glued it onto the pages. I cut shapes out of black construction paper. I drew ghostly circles and squares:

I found an old pack of white gift bag tissue in the cupboard, drew, stamped or stenciled it, and used it as overlays on the pages. I love the transparency:

I did a lot of mono printing:

And I can't leave them alone! I keep adding to the pages. More cut and torn paper, more printing, more stenciling, more stamping, more drawing. More more more!