Composition for Collage: Week One Homework

I am taking a class taught by Claudine Hellmuth at  Big Picture Class.  This is my first online class... Composition for Collage, so far I am loving it.  Our first assignment is to create an asymmetrical collage. 

Starting with a sheet of BasicGrey 12x12 from the Porcelain collection, I painted a light coat of Claudine Hellmuth Gesso over part of the paper.

I love the print and colors of the paper, 

it was just too busy of a background for what I had in mind. 

I can't believe I have had this jar of gesso for a couple of years and never used it... 

I love the effect the gesso gives the paper.

I mounted (glued) the 12x12 onto a thick chipboard. 

Now for some images.  

I did a bit of searching as I had this idea running around in my head ever since I watched the videos Claudine Hellmuth did for the class.  I wanted birds, not just any birds.  I wanted flying birds, birds that flock together. BIG and little birds to give depth of field.  Keeping in mind the assignment is "asymmetry."  I got all of my bird images and the lady from Graphics Fairy.  She has so many images to use and has kindly posted them for free.  If you like vintage and collage her site is the place for you!!!

Above is my work in progress... I have cut out each bird, the lady, did some stamping.  I did make a mistake while I was stamping on the tissue... I did the stamping right on my project, a BIG NO NO.  (Stamp from Artistic Outpost: Jane's Country) I know better... what was I thinking, the ink bleed right through the tissue so I had to cover it up with more gesso!!!  Thank goodness for gesso. 

I glued all the pieces down. 

Waiting for it to dry.  Now for the placement of words. What words????  I am thinking strongly of using "The Missive".  Have to do a little research to see if a missive would have been sent during this period.  Or would something else work better.  Now that I look at this the bird in the middle should be higher... Hmmmmm.  The letter the bird is carrying doesn't show up... need to do something about that.  Yikes , the bird is already glued down. 

I plan to finish this on Sunday sometime... stop back by to see the final outcome.

HERE is the Final outcome. 

WIND TURBINES

Memorial Day weekend we drove over to Ritzville, WA from Western Washinginton.  

The wind turbines were an impressive site.  

The blades of all the turbines I could see were all turning in the wind!

 You can see how big they are next to the cars on the highway.

There are 149 large wind turbines on the crest of Wild Horse Mountain, they generate enough electricity to supply 55,000 households!

• The turbines stand 351 feet tall from base to the tip of a vertical blade.
• Each turbine blade is 129 feet long, 1.6 feet wide at the tip and 11.6 feet wide at the rotors center and weighs over 7 tons!
• The blade rotates clockwise at 15.5 MPH
• Full power occurs at wind speed of 31 MPH, they can generate power with winds as low as 9 MPH
• The blades automatically shut down when winds exceed 56 MPH
• The blades will tilt and pitch to take advantage of the wind and can rotate 360 degrees to track the winds direction. 

Visit HERE the Puget Sound Energy site and take a tour inside of one of these amazing structures.

The last four photos were taken of the display at a rest stop 

where one can view these amazing structures!

Fathers Day Card

This is one of my favorite stamps to use on Father's Day Cards from Stampendous - Portland Head Lighthouse.  The coloring is done with chalk. 

Flowers from my Garden!

Here are a few of the flowers growing in my garden. 

Our weather has been strange this year.

My rhododendrons bloomed really late, usually they are in full bloom on Mother's Day.

 

 Look at the bee in the photo above and below,

Do you have any idea what the orange pouches are on each side? 

Claudine Hellmuth: Composition for Collage Class

Over at Big Picture Classes I am taking “Composition for Collage” taught by Claudine Hellmuth.  There is still time to sign up.  Class started on June 2nd... I know you may think you are behind... it’s not that hard, so you could catch up.  Sign up closes June 8th!

I will be posting pictures on my blog as we do our projects.  I haven't started my first assignment, I hope to finish it this evening.  Join us if you think you might enjoy learning more about composition!!!

Postcard Friendship Friday - LOG HOME

CLICK ON PHOTO TO ENLARGE

This is a reproduction of a Northern Pacific postcard circa 1915.  Bottom reads: "Two natives of Washington ad bear den and dwelling in a Washington saw log." 


I am not sure I would want a bear for my next door neighbor!!!!

To see more postcards visit Best Hearts are Crunchy!

Random Hearts - Angels

This week I bring you hearts from a home in Ritzville, WA.

We were visiting and I started noticing all the Hearts among the angels.

Our hostess was most gracious and allowed me to photograph her angels!

To see more Random Hearts visit HERE!

New Nails with a Vintage Look

Last week I picked up a box of nails at the hardware store!

I want to use them in a vintage 3D collage.

THEY ARE TOO NEW!!!!

I heard about giving metals a patina using bleach 

so I experimented with 1 part bleach to parts water.  

It was doing something in the jar.

 

I also hear Coke can do the job 

so I put a few in a jar with Coke 

Here are my results: 

Overnight in bleach

 Overnight in Coke

 I am really liking the ones that were in the Coke...

let me know what you think!!!