Joyful Colors

Moomin in the scorching summer sun

2009-07-15T18:33:00.001-07:00

I really like the Moomins. There's a series of books being published with the Moomin comic strips, three so far, two more to follow. Since I have been doing Postcrossing, I have received several Moomin postcards. The simple old style are my favorite. So for this Swap-bot swap, I created a Moomin ATC with Moomin himself just sitting in the scorching summer sun. It's summer and hot here as well, so I find that a very fitting situation to be in these days...

Potholder

2009-05-11T17:05:00.001-07:00

I hadn't crocheted for a long time. But a week ago I just started a project to see what I could remember. I don't remember the names of the stitches (I learned the German names back then anyway), but I managed to finish a potholder within a week. I used two different kinds of stitches. In the end I went twice around the perimeter. The yarn I used had different colors in different sections, so I didn't have to do anything to get the stripes.

Handstitched Bookmarks

2008-07-08T22:38:00.001-07:00

Handstitched Bookmarks
Originally uploaded by swan4

I made these fabric bookmarks for a "hand stitched bookmarks" swap on swapbot. I attached sticky felt to the back to make them more sturdy. One funny thing is that I wasn't even sure about the theme or layout when I started. I sewed on the flower first. Then I had the idea for the stitches for the stem. While stitching the piece of fabric below the stem to the fabric of the first bookmark, I realized that it looked like a flower pot. For the second bookmark, I just varied the color scheme a bit according to the preferences of my second swap partner.

Crochet bag

2007-09-24T19:05:00.001-07:00

One of my online friends crocheted this bag for herself. I love it. I haven't crocheted since grade school, I think. It's been a long time, anyway. So I don't really remember how to do it. I think it would be fun to try again and make something like this.
But who knows when I'll get around to it. Maybe someone who knows how to do it, will make one for me.

St. Patrick's Day Countdown

2007-03-04T17:11:00.000-08:00

Lisa Vollrath posted a countdown to St. Patrick's Day that reveals a new paper crafting surprise each day.

100 Faces Project

2007-02-09T15:01:00.000-08:00

The 100 Faces Project originated as an exercise in stamina. Leah intended to draw 100 faces onto 4" x 6" index cards, just to see if she had the patience and perseverance for it. Then she realized that she could get others involved. In order to get one of her face postcards, you send your own hand-made postcard with a face to her. The picture on the right shows the face I sent. I received her "Old Grumpster" card.

Sprout

2007-02-08T23:06:00.001-08:00

Sprout
Originally uploaded by swan4.

For Illustration Friday

Ich sehe rot

2007-01-28T23:54:00.001-08:00

Ich sehe rot
Originally uploaded by swan4.

"I see red" means "I'm angry".

The topic for Illustration Friday this week is "Red".

Ink markers in watercolor Moleskine

"Superhero"

2007-01-24T22:49:00.001-08:00

"Superhero"
Originally uploaded by swan4.

The topic this week for Illustration Friday is "Superhero".

I don't really care that much about those fantasy superheroes. But since I've come to Australia, I've heard a lot about surf lifesaving - There is an exhibit here at the National Museum of Australia and they show some stuff on TV. I think people like this and also firefighters etc. and those who don't have a description like that are the real superheroes. They just go out and save people's lives.

Buzzzzz

2007-01-12T02:18:00.000-08:00

The topic for Illustration Friday this week is "buzz". This was my first idea. Buzzing bees. Marker and gelpens on watercolor moleskine. I'll cut these apart to make two ATCs.

I also had another idea for the topic, but I'm not finished with the sketch yet.

Phoenix

2006-12-31T18:08:00.000-08:00

This week's topic of Illustration Friday is "phoenix".

In ancient Egyptian mythology and in myths derived from it, the phoenix or phœnix is a mythical sacred firebird. The phoenix also became popular in early Christian art, literature and Christian symbolism, as a symbol of Christ, and further, represented the resurrection, immortality, and the life-after-death of Jesus Christ.

This image also captures the surreal feeling of New Year's Eve. This day of the year always feels different. You stay up until after midnight on purpose. This time, we had a thunderstorm as well as sunshine. They showed stuff like "Groundhog Day" and "Dinner for One" on TV. It's my first time in Australia or in the Southern Hemisphere for that matter. It was so quiet in Canberra, no crowds near City Hill where the fireworks were, unlike in Sydney. It's just this weird, dream-like atmosphere.

For this image, I sketched a few lines in pencil, then I just used my watercolor pencils and later brushed with some water. In my watercolor Moleskine.

I don't have a scanner here, so I have to take pictures with my digital camera. So that's why sometimes things aren't quite square even if the paper is.

Forgiveness is the foundation of Peace

2006-12-28T22:58:00.001-08:00

Forgiveness is the foundation of Peace
Originally uploaded by swan4.

Sent to "Postcards for Peace". It also fits this week's topic of Illustration Friday: "Peace".

Permanent markers on white cardboard.

I also made a card with the title "Peace on Earth".

I Lift My Eyes To The Hills

2006-11-20T21:47:00.000-08:00

I Lift My Eyes To The Hills
Originally uploaded by swan4.

The topic for Illustration Friday was Thanksgiving. Instead of the US holiday, I thought of the more general concept of giving thanks.
My grandmother and my mom both had/have low pressure glaucoma. It's hereditery, so I might get it, too. Every year I have my eyes tested, and each time I'm especially thankful when they are still ok.
I'm grateful that I can see the beauty of nature, art, etc.

Watercolor pencils in my sketchbook Moleskine. The scan came out more yellowish than the picture really is.

The choice is clear

2006-11-16T13:13:00.000-08:00

The topic for Illustration Friday this week is "Clear". It was easy to come up with the concept, but a lot harder to illustrate it.
Acrylic colors and gel pens in my sketchbook Moleskine.

See also my entry on flickr.

Still life Of Windinstruments

2006-11-02T10:32:00.000-08:00

Still life Of Windinstruments
Originally uploaded by swan4.

Watercolor pencils, silver sharpie in my Sketchbook Moleskine.

The topic for Illustration Friday was "wind" which reminded me of wind instruments. This is my first submission for Illustration Friday (last week I didn't make it in time). It's also the first time I have used my watercolor pencils. I like them a lot!

Two Kinds of Ghosts

2006-10-27T22:57:00.000-07:00

Two Kinds of Ghosts
Originally uploaded by swan4.

I have been subscribed to the Illustration Friday messages for a while but never done anything about it. This is my first illustration. Last week's topic was "Ghost". Two different kinds of ghosts came to my mind. First, because it's close to Halloween, the cute ghosts that children get dressed up as. Then I realized that the Holy Spirit is also called the Holy Ghost. I left the two pictures together as a contrast.

Behind Bars, He Turns M&M’s Into an Art Form

2006-07-21T08:38:00.000-07:00

A fascinating article about a prisoner who paints with M&M colors on postcards:
Behind Bars, He Turns M&M’s Into an Art Form

Hearts

2006-02-21T12:34:00.000-08:00

The first card was just for the topic of a hand-made heart. That inspired me to do two versions of the second to send to family. After that I made third one to send to a postcrosser who likes handmade cards.

Handmade Postcard Collage

2006-02-18T20:16:00.000-08:00

These are four parts of a collage that I made in 8th grade at school. Now, many years later, I ave turned the negative experience I had back then into a positive one by sending these pieces (slightly altered) off to others as mailart.

I think we tried to do these collages in the style of Giuseppe Arcimboldo's pictures.
One part was the face of my collage, the others were hair (the two with lots of stamps) and one was the shoulder (with the books).

Chocolate. Mmm!

2006-02-04T21:13:00.000-08:00

This is my second hand-made postcard. Sent to a postcrosser who likes dark chocolate as a replacement for a card that hadn't arrived. Collage and markers.

Hopi-Tewa design

2006-02-04T21:05:00.000-08:00

This is my first try at mailart or a self-made postcard.
It is inspired by a design on ceramics by Nampeyo, Hopi-Tewa, circa 1900.
I used art markers and silver sharpie.
I did this about a month ago.

Homemade postcards

2006-02-03T08:46:00.000-08:00

I started making homemade postcards. I really like receiving them and it is fun to create them, too. This is the third one I sent out, it was for a German language exchange. The receiver really liked it.

This one was pretty straightforward to do. I chose a picture I had taken with my digital camera, added the stamp border with an online utility; I mounted the printout on cardboard, added the black border and two thin cardboard stripes as the banners.

Favorite Places - Berlin

2006-01-29T21:36:00.000-08:00

This is the last of the ten pages I created in this notebook. In 1983, when it was still a divided city, we made a one week high school field trip to Berlin. A friend and I went to a classical concert or to the theater every night.

Favorite Places - Florida Keys and Everglades

2006-01-29T21:33:00.000-08:00

Everglades National Park. The mangroves were very interesting. The Florida Keys are another place to see beautiful sunsets.

Favorite Places - Luebeck

2006-01-29T21:16:00.000-08:00

Fourth is the city I grew up in. It's not only the place where I meet my parents when I go visit, but I still like to do sightseeing in and around town, because there are so many nice old buildings there. Some are over 500 years old.

Favorite Places - Cruise

2006-01-29T21:12:00.000-08:00

Third, we just took a wonderful cruise to Cozumel, Mexico. We saw Mayan ruins, some beautiful sunsets, and had great food on board and in Mexican restaurant in Cozumel.

Favorite Places - South Korea

2006-01-29T21:07:00.000-08:00

Next, I did a double page about Seoul, Korea. We had a wonderful trip there in 2001. It was my first (and still my only) trip to Asia. I'm trying to show the interesting customs and architectural detail.

Favorite Places - Pasadena

2006-01-29T21:01:00.000-08:00

I finished the pages in the second notebook of the traveling notebook project and sent it off to the next person. The topic of this book is Roads I have travelled, favorite places I've seen. I started with a page about Pasadena, the town I currently live in, because I like it here very much.

Surfing

2006-01-09T22:12:00.000-08:00

ATC 19
Originally uploaded by leap-of-faith.

This is one of my favourite ATCs I have seen on flickr. ATC 19 by leap-of-faith.

Altered Dictionary

2006-01-07T10:18:00.000-08:00

This is a project I find fascinating: Altered Dictionary. I think I'll try something like this some time.

Found through Postcrossing.

Thankful 3

2006-01-07T10:01:00.000-08:00

A third page I created for the notebook. I just used four different colors of acid-free markers.

Thankful 2

2006-01-07T09:57:00.000-08:00

A page about people from the same notebook. I printed, copied, found the pictures and glued them in.

Traveling notebook - Thankful 1

2006-01-07T09:38:00.000-08:00

I am participating in a traveling notebook project. Here is the first page I created for my notebook with the topic "What I'm thankful for". I used some appropriately themed stickers and pictures for this one. The background is acrylic paint. This is a variation of a page I did for my art journal. I thought I'd start with something safe to get me going...

Art Journal

2006-01-07T09:18:00.000-08:00

I started an art journal in the middle of December. I like the idea. It gives me an opportunity to be creative in a format that's not too formal and not too large. I haven't been drawing and creating artwork for a long time, so we'll see how it goes. I'm adding something in it whenever I feel like it.