There are several crackle products available and art and craft stores. The one I use is by Plaid.

The first step is to paint your page.  You will need two colors for the crackle to show up.  The bottom coat is what will show up through the cracks of the top color.  I painted the first coat black.  I am not precise or patient with anything I do, so I used a heat gun to hurry up the drying process.

When the first coat is completely dry, apply a coat of the crackle medium with a brush.  Put it on fairly thickly.  If you want neat, uniform cracks, apply it evenly. I don’t because I like it to look more natural.  Again, I use a heat gun to hurry up the process.   Dry it until it is tacky, but not completely dry.

When it just feels sticky to the touch, but isn’t wet, apply your second coat of paint.  You can dry this coat with a heat gun, too.

As you dry, you will see the cracks begin to form.

Close up of the cracks

You can use this as a background for gluing paper items, painting or writing.  Keep in mind that the surface is not smooth when you write, though.  You’ll need a pretty substantial marker.

On Tues, July 1st two of my classes will be starting up again.   You can sign up here or click the buy now button on this page.

Happy Feet

This class is so fun!!  It’s only three weeks long, but you will have a great time learning to paint your own colorful designs on any shoes.  You will learn to prepare the shoes, what types of paint to use, and ideas for designs you can create.  In the three weekly lessons I will take you step by step through painting your shoes. After the class, you will be able to paint leather, canvas or plastic shoes.

The classes are presented in a special group on my Ning site.  You will be invited to the group upon registration.  In the group all members will interact and be able to ask questions and receive encouragement throughout the class.  If you want, you can  share your process while taking the class.

The next class begins on July 1st.

$15.00

Creative Ways to Pray for Those You Love

This class has been a favorite of many for 3 or 4 years.  It includes 30 daily email lessons.  There is no group for this class because it is a very personal topic.  You can reflect on the lessons in the quiet of your own home.

The lessons are delivered by email to your inbox daily for 30 days.

The next class begins on July 1st.

“I’m getting caught up on my Creative Ways to Pray and I’m so excited.
This course is as much about creativity as it is about prayer.  While
am I loving feeling a new sense of empowerment in learning how I can
send good energy and focused, gentle thoughts to those I love, I am
also feeling the effects of new creative impulses in my day to day life.
In other words, I’m not only feeling closer to my loved ones, but
I’m feeling closer to myself. The imagination and research that
you have put into this course is inspiring and invigorating.  Every
lesson hits me deep in my body, where my soul connects to Spirit
with the greatest energy.   This course is a true gift.”

Marney Makridakis
Artella.com-Founder/Editor

$25.00

Write about your pet peeves.  What things really bother you?  Are your pet peeves irrational?  I know that some of mine are.  I can’t stand hinting around.  If someone wants something from me, they’d better ask right out.  If someone hints at something I act as if I have no idea what they are talking about.  It’s not something I’m proud of, but so far I haven’t been able to change that thing about myself.

Today’s free download is a couple of digital collage sheets.  These are just like regular collage sheets – ‘cept better!

They are high resolution so you can print them out as is and they will be high quality.  Or you can open them in your image editing software and change the sizes or colors.  If you do print them, you can print on fabric, transparencies, white paper, colored paper or whatever you like.

The images below are links to the full size image.  Click on the images below and then right click on the full size image to save it to your computer.

I have just updated all the classes on a page, with new descriptions, and new starting dates.  All my classes will be offered at various dates in July, so take this opportunity to have some summer fun.  You’ll learn some things and meet some other artists in the online class groups.

Schedule of Classes:

Happy Feet begins July 1st

Creative Ways to Pray for Those You Love begins July 1st

Fun Art Journaling begins July 9th

Fun Art Journaling Continued begins July 9th

Happy Feet begins July 1st

Waking Up to the Real You begins July 15th

Journaling Prompt Cards begins July 15th

Find Your Personal Symbology begins July 22nd

For detailed information on each class, including price, go to the Classes page.

These fonts were made by a man named Klein.  He offers his fonts for free for personal as well as commercial use.  He asks if you use them to make money that you make a donation to a charity.  In the image above I have typed the lower case alphabet of each font.

They are ttf fonts.  They work on windows, but I don’t know if they work on Macs or not.

Download the files by right clicking the links below and save the files (for Windows users) in C:\Windows\Fonts

Angelinos.ttf
Tribal M-K.ttf
TypoBackgrounds.ttf

I am working on a new ebook and I’m excited about it.  It is 30 days of art journaling prompts.  The books I’ve done in the past I’ve created as a pdf document and hosted them on my server.  But I’m looking in to other options.  Have any of you used Lulu?  Or any other services?  I’d greatly appreciate any info you could share with me.

Wide Open – Inspiration and Techniques for Art Journaling on the Edge by Randi Feuerhelm-Watts.

It is a book and includes a set of cards.  The book can be used as a journal.  Each page has a background done by the author.  Some of the pages include inspiration and encouragement.

There are 50 cards.  each one has art on one side and instructions or prompts for the art, on the back side.   I’m not sure how to explain this set of cards.  They are very inspirational.  She has lots of unique ideas for journal pages.  She gives helpful advice for self-reflection.  Here is an example of one card:

On the back of this card, in part, it says:

“PHOTO STORIES

For some reason we prefer to keep writing and phots in their own boxes.  After all, a photo is supposed to speak for itself, right?

When you look at a photo, all you know is what you see.  Whether the viewers know you or not, it is up to them to figure out your story.  By adding text or dialogue directly to your photo, you will create a history of the subject.  In our modern time of keyboards and delete buttons, we have long since lost the art of the handwritten word.  Adding a handwritten connection gives the onlooker more to work with – more intimacy.”

I found this set of cards very inspiring.  Every card has things I have used or will use in my art journal.  I highly recommend this book.

I want to share a really great blog with you.  It’s called Art Alchemist by my friend, Kristina.  Her background is in research science plus she’s an artist.  On her blog she does these incredibly in-depth experiements and reports all the details.  But, the cool thing is that her experiments are on art techniques!   She’s done several on various types of transfers.  And she is also working on making her own Twinkling H2O’s.  You are going to love the information she shares!

The company description of these pens says,:

These slim, triangular-barrel pens are ergonomically designed for comfortable drawing and writing. Super fine 0.3 mm porous points are protected from damage by a metal-clad tip.

Staedtler’s acid-free, non-permanent, “dry safe” ink won’t dry out even if the pen is left uncapped for several days. The innovatively designed case forms a stand-up display and keeps pens organized.

I have the set of 20 pictured above.  I have had them a few years and they are still working great!   The tips are very fine points and are sturdy.  They don’t break down like some fine point pens do.

I use them mostly for fine coloring on intricate drawings.  They are not adequate for coloring in large areas.

Pros:

Long lasting
Don’t dry out
Nib doesn’t bend or “smush”
Great color selection
Can be purchased in individual colors

Cons:

Not good for coloring large areas

These can be purchased at DickBlick.com.  The 20 set is $15.49.  Individual colors are $.89.