Free To Be ...Random Thoughts Tuesday

Aunt Sue stopped by today with some of my old records. Anybody remember Free To Be You & Me? I played it to death in the early 70s. All I really remember about the 70s was hideous fashion.

I'm the goofball with the Dorothy Hamill hair. One of my more coordinated outfits. I recall lots of mismatched neon & plaid

My 5 yr old saw the record & asked How do you get it in the CD player? Imagine, someday his kid'll ask What's a CD Player?

He also tells me he's working on the cheat-code to buy everything in the world without spending any of his own money.... Guess he's going into banking....

The ArtFreebies blog has some new Easter themed copyright-free images to play with here & here

Cafe Press has free shipping on orders over $50 til April 2 - get code & details here

If you're in Tampa on 4/2 there's free chocolate martinis & treats at City Street Sweets' new Lava Lounge

Feeling Lucky? Lisa Falon is giving away this cool piece on her blog - click here for rules

Last year I bought a wonderful drawing from her etsy shop Meluseena .

Portrait of a boy with eyes askance by Lisa Falon

Today my Uncle Jeff told me about his WW1 postcard collection. Passed down through the family & he's not sure what he wants to do with it. I tried not to drool. Thinking I should offer to inventory it. Scan the good ones for future collage projects....

If you have an interest in WW1 or just like reading blogs that are different from the norm, this is 1 of my favorites: WW1 Experiences of an English Soldier

Here's a couple of postcards from my collection. Both state Published by W.R. Thompson & CO. (Richmond , VA) and 1 is postmarked 1942. It's ok with me if you want to use them in a project. Be warned tho that with such a late date somebody probably has a copyright on them. I dunno.

Who knew inoculations could be so much fun?!

The fellow who sent this 1 wrote: Army Life isn't too bad. The gave me size 9E - I have to take 2 steps before my shoes move.


Just for kicks, here's a couple of receipt tickets from the empire state building for all you collage artists out there.

And if you need a little less structure today, pop over to see The Un Mom, fearless leader of the random pack

IF - Poise

For beautiful eyes, look for the good in others; for beautiful lips, speak only words of kindness; and for poise, walk with the knowledge that you are never alone - Audrey Hepburn

Poise ... another stimulating prompt from the folks at
Illustration Friday.

My 1st thought was to draw Audrey H., but I got distracted by some new ideas for the stagnant blue WIP canvas. I've got most of it sketched out now. Hope to have some time in April to bring it all together....

Due to the time-crunch, I've gone archive diving again. This lovely lady seems to fit. She is a life size drawing in lithocoal & chromacoal on thick etching paper.

By the way, I love D'uva Lithocoal products! Comes as stick, powder or liquid & is fully erasable until you heat set it. Then it is permanent without fixative. Not easy to find anymore though.....hmm...what is it with my favorite products going extinct?

I was sooo sad the day Polaroid announced they were eliminating film 669 (among others) It's my fave for transfers. Here are a couple more on marble tiles that are now available at ArtSnark.etsy.com . Click on the pic to go straight to the details :

Sorrow

These are both emulsion transfers of charcoal drawings

So Naive

On the plus side, I heard a rumor that Fuji has a film similar to 669 on the market. Has anybody heard anything? I'll have to get googling. The last of my film stash is expired & temperamental but still works okay most of the time. I'm down to 3 boxes tho...

The Butterfly Charmer & Faux Frescoes

Cleaning out some shelves & uncovered these wonderful teeny frames

Decided I needed to make a little something.

And I do mean little. The frames are 3"sq & almost 1.5" deep.
So made this tiny Butterfly Charmer

It feels good to create something...anything. Too many days without making stuff & I get cranky!

Hope to really dig my heels into something meaty soon.

Till then, I added 5 Polaroid Transfers to my etsy sale at ArtSnark.

These are emulsion transfers on marble tile.* Ready to hang
Fun to make The final look reminds me of old frescoes & ruined walls.Just click on any pic for details
* If you'd like to read more about the different steps for making emulsion vs. image Polaroid transfers click here. The photos I posted yesterday were image transfers. Friday's post featured an emulsion transfer

Giant Polaroid Transfer Sale

The studio cleaning continues! It's a tiny space but so cluttered I'm having trouble working.

Deep discounting a bunch of Polaroid Transfers from a few years ago.
Just click on any pic to see the detailsThey are all originals (no prints) and have been enhanced with watercolors & colored pencils. Most are framed & ready to hang. Please keep checking back at ArtSnark on etsy
I 'll add 3-4 new pieces every day,

including some emulsion transfers on marble tiles.

You Can't Escape .... Random Tuesday Thoughts

But this guy could
Happy Birthday Harry Houdini!

If you need a little escapist fun today let's get you started:

Harry's My Space page is "authorized by...the grand nephew..."
Houdini tribute If you're at work be sure to mute - the music's a bit of a giveaway that you're slacking off. Course if you're still at work you've already got this covered,yeah?

Den Mother of Random Tuesday, Keely The Un Mom, has rampant robots (+ a lovely Haiku) on her blog today. (C'mon....click thru, grab a button & play along....you know you want too....) So Keely, this pic I found last night on The Great Harry Houdini is for you


Had your dose of vitamin Z today? Check out this new zombie piece by digital artist Barbara Moustafa. She's having a bit o' fun with the latest image prompt from Art On The Darkside , one of my favorite challenge sites.

Mike over at The Mental Kavity features the seriously cool skateboard art of etsian alexxxcastaneda today. Had to nick the image & share....forgive me, Mike?Click the pic to visit alexxxcastaneda on etsy. If you like what you see, visit iamalexxx.com for some more fabulous work by this talented artist

If you are looking for a spellbinding tale check out The Hermitage blog by the wonderful wandering artist Rima. She shares her adventures in art, thought & the great wide world. Her house on wheels is extrememly photogenic too. If you enjoy her blog, be sure to check out Rima's etsy shop, also The Hermitage.

I want to take a minute to say thanks for all the kind comments that have been left by visitors. Although I suck at getting back to you, I do stop by & enjoy your posts. Been out of town & without internet but will be catching up this week, I hope. Seeing some amazing creativity out there! Keep it up

I could get lost blog-hopping today, but the day job awaits. If you can spare a minute, go grab a button & share your wonderful random thoughts with the world.....

IF- Subtract

Polaroid Emulsion Transfer of original sketch

Digging into the archives again to satisfy Illustration Friday's prompt, Subtract. The email came with a wonderful quote by Leon Batista Alberti: Beauty: the adjustment of all parts proportionately so that one cannot add or subtract or change without impairing the harmony of the whole

Back in the early 90's I lived down the street from the Carnegie Museum of Art where I spent hours just wandering and absorbing all I could. Managed to squeeze a bit of sketching in too. The original drawing is a charcoal/pastel sketch of Antoine-Louis Bayre's bronze sculpture Tiger Attacking An Antelope

I love playing with Polaroid transfers, especially the emulsion transfers. Once the image has been heated & lifted from the substrate, it floats in the warm water bath like some kind of funky jellyfish. You can then stretch & fold it (carefully though as it easily tears) before removing & sticking to your choice of surface. In this case, I used canvas paper. While the emulsion was still wet I had fun tearing into the edges. I think the subtracted bits finish out the whole predator feel

Random Thoughts Tuesday Again !?!

Dang! Where has this month gone?

Any art in this post is created by others, so please click on the pics to visit their sites.
Feeling Linky? Lets go!

Found Thomas Serrano through Illustration Friday. Very very fun.
Check out his art blog waldowalkiria

Gave into the cravings this weekend & bought a couple of pieces for the wall-o-great-art Spring Blossoms by LGraceOriginals

Time by LGraceOriginals

Recently started following darke curiosity emporium blog. John Donald Carlucci has some very cool creations going on. His etsy shop is here

Mike over at The Mental Kavity reminds us that today is William Gibson's birthday. I remember reading Neuromancer a million years ago. Might have to pick it up again. Lately I've been rereading old favorites - some still pass the test of time. Others leave me wondering what the #$@% was I thinking.

Totally lusting after Dr Evil by Shelly at Paper Mischief.

No, not the old dude! The artwork ..... sheesh

TODAY ONLY sale at Cafe Press. Free shipping on orders over $50 with code. If I remember tonight, I think it is time to make some tiles or boxes & see how they do over at ArtSnark's on etsy.....whatcha think?

Zazzle has 50% off posters with code until the 21st

Brass Goggles, a must-bookmark for fans of all things Steamy, has some great links today

In honor of the day, go check out this fun vintage pic at La Donna Papercutting. Aahhh...life before photoshop....

Oh & don't forget to see what kind of trouble Keely, The Un-Mom & RTT cult leader, is getting into today. And be sure to wish her a Happy Air-Kraken Day! Special thanks to nullalux at cephalopod tea party, as I'd forgotten just how very cool March 17 is