When organizing an art swap of any kind, postage can be a Very Big Headache. Here are some tips to keep the postage problems to a minimum. Different people send items that are varying sizes and — more importantly — different weights. Even in a cloth doll swap, you never know who’ll embellish their dolls…
Author: Aisling
Art Swaps – How the Numbers Work
When you’re participating in an art swap through an online group or community, the numbers may confuse you. Here are some tips to help you understand them. There are three kinds of art swaps: Equal-for-equal, Number-for-number-minus-one, and Number-for-number-minus-X. Here’s how they work… EQUAL-FOR-EQUAL Art Swap When a swap is 3-for-3 or 10-for-10 or anything…
Art Swaps – How the Numbers Work
When you’re participating in art or crafts swaps through an online group or community, the numbers may confuse you. Here are some tips to help you understand how swaps work. (These tips apply to swaps exchanged through the postal mail. For a typical digital swap example, see my article, Artistamps – digital swaps.) EQUAL-FOR-EQUAL When…
Disneyland Tribute for My Mom (Fantasyland game)
Disneyland is celebrating its 55th anniversary. I’m commemorating it with an artistamp design featuring art by my mother, Muriel Joan Bernier (1919 – 2010). The artwork at left, which was also on the Fantasyland board game, was based on my mother’s art. She freelanced for Disney in the 1950s. I remember her drawing lots &…
How to Make a Simple, Single-Sheet Zine
There are as many ways to create, modify & embellish a single-sheet zine as there are artists. How to Create a Single-Sheet Zine Here’s a very simple way to create one: 1. Take any white sheet of paper. Pull one out of your desktop printer, or rip one out of a notebook. (Think of the…
Single-Sheet Zine Layout – Expanded
Single-sheet zines can be easy or complex. In my earlier article, Single-sheet Zine Design – Basics, I showed one of the simpler ways to create a zine. Now, let’s talk about a more complex approach… that still uses a single sheet of paper. But first, a little history: In 1977, I published my first zine….
Sketchcrawls Explained
A sketchcrawl is a full-day of sketching or drawing in a journal, or on some other art materials such as paper, canvas, etc. It’s usually part of a stroll, alone or with a group, looking at scenery at or near a specific destination. Sketchcrawl Supplies It’s best to use whatever sketching supplies you’re most comfortable with. They…
Inspiring Quotes about Creativity
I’ll bet quotations inspire you. Well, some of them do… that’s how I feel, anyway. When a quotation sparks my creativity or makes me smile, it’s like the person is at my side saying, “You can do this… you really ARE an artist… we ALL are!” So, as I’m taking a course in online videos,…
Torn-Paper Collages – How-to video
Torn-paper collages are among my favorite ways to illustrate an artist’s journal. I’ve been creating them for over 20 years now, and I never seem to get tired of them. In fact, two walls in our living room are a mini-museum of my favorite torn-paper collages. (People who visit us can be overwhelmed. It’s like…
What’s an Artist’s Journal?
Artist’s journals are illustrated diaries and journals on any theme. An artist’s journal – or art journal – can be a record of your daily thoughts, a travel journal, an exercise or diet diary, a dream journal, a place where you jot down your goals or to-do lists, or… well, almost any record that you’d…