The wind rustles around the house and chases grey clouds through the air.
The sun struggles to get visible and will probably loose the battle with the
rain later today… Autumn has set in.
I’m full of energy and have a lot of plans – both big and small – which will
unfold this coming season. One of the smaller plans was, to bind a book
with the blackboard covers that Phinner send me some time ago. (Thanks
sweetie!) I stood in doubt about the shape though… the blackboard covers
were square (6 x 6 inch) and I somehow have difficulties working on a square
surface lately. I thought about cutting it to a rectangular shape but then
again: it would be a shame to make it smaller…
…last weekend I found the solution to this ‘pr0blem’.
It shot through my mind that there’s one thing that really NEEDS a square
page to work on: grids! I’ve seen a lot of grids popping up on blogs in the
last weeks (Julie, Annemarie) and while thinking about it, I got more and
more excited. A little book filled with grids would be lovely to work in ‘on
the sideline’. No ‘heavy’ journaling, no deep feelings or raw themes…
just plain, simple grids to fill in, to keep my hands busy on a rainy day!
I started binding the small book right away!
Here’s the cover.
(Note: You can click on any image in this post to enlarge)
("Grids-journal": 15 x 15 cm - 6 x 6 inch)
I used long pieces of ribbon for the binding, so that I could use the extended
parts to turn into a grid on the front cover. The lemon-green chipboard alpha’s
have been in my stash forever… they really shine against the blackboard!
I already knew what I wanted to do on the first page: letters!
I’m a letter-junk. Drawing letters, writing, reading… I can get exited just
from seeing a nice font. I brushed watercolour paint on the page to give it
some colour, sketched my first grid and draw an alphabet.
I didn’t use an existing font, I didn’t think to hard about it…
I just sat at the table and sketched a letter in each square with a soft pencil.
After the sketching, I traced the shapes with my dip pen and Indian ink.
It felt a bit like zentangling: meditative!
So here it is: my self made alphabet!
Grid: Alphabet
Later I thought that these letters should be fun to carve stamps from too.
I might even do that sometime!
I couldn’t get enough of playing with my grids so after I finished the alphabet,
I drew another grid. This time, I choose to fill it with faces. I had a fun time
flipping through my old magazines, cutting out small faces and ‘puzzling’ them
into a nice mosaic.
Grid: Faces
More ideas swirl through my brain now.
I hope I bound enough pages into this book to make all those grids that I
can think of. (Oh what the heck! If there aren’t enough pages in this book,
I can always make a second ‘grid-journal’.)
By the way: I think filling grids this way will also be a fun thing to do for
the ones who lost their mojo. It’s a structured technique, it doesn’t require
much thinking, you keep your hands busy and still you play with colours
and shapes… try it!
You all know this: each weekend I finish my ‘weekly page’.
This weekend was no different, here it is
The Chronicles of Marit 2011 – Week 35
(30 x 21 cm - 11.8 x 8.3 inch)
I somehow got tired of making collages like this one for a while.
It’s been Months I think. But last week, a collage-lady appeared on this page.
Oh, OK. She can stay.
The sewed squares (what IS it with squares and me today?!) are made by Rosie.
Thanks dear, they look wonderful on this page!!!
Last but not least: I have been chosen to be in the Altered Page’s
“Style File” this week.
Some of you might know/visit Seth and his blog The Altered Page already
(if not: pay his blog a visit, it’s worthwhile!) Style File is the 5th edition of
The Pulse — The State of the Art — a survey in words and pictures of the
online artist community.
“The Pulse is a collaborative project that aims to introduce you to new
artists, help you get to know familiar faces even more, and allow you
access into the creative hearts and minds of a very talented crew of
individuals. More than 130 artists have answered a series of questions
which make up The Pulse. Their responses will be presented in a series
of online posts which will run every Sunday.”
When I look outside, more grey clouds seem to appear.
I think I will turn on the lights in the living room and spend the rest
of the day at the big dining table, creating.
Have a wonderful week dear ones, stay warm!
Wow! Je Grid-journal is helemaal gaaf! Wat een goed idee! Gelukkig heb ik niet zoveel leuke ideeën op mijn lijstje meer staan…zucht..Ach, deze kan er ook nog wel bij! Beide pagina’s zijn helemaal leuk!
These pages are gorgeous Marit!! Loveeeeeeeee the grid idea!!! :):):):):):):):):):):)
Love your journal page. Always so much to look at visually! I’m loving all things grid these days too…kind of like constrained creativity eh?
the grid journal…brilliant idea!
Lovin’ the grid idea too. Might want to try and do this on some of my upcoming projects. Thanks for the inspiration 🙂
How cool! 🙂
grids are an art fundamental!!! constrained? not at all!!! I love the “theme” on your faces page! ooh, and I think you should do some of your zentangling (didn’t Julie Balzer do a grid page like that?)
I’m glad you found something to do with the square bookboards!
have a good week Marit!!! even if the days are gloomy, I’m sure you can find some light to brighten the grey : .)
It’s always so refreshing to read about your creative journeys! Your work is amazing, and I LOVE your number grids!
Ik hou van grids!
Eigenlijk heel gemakkelijk maar iedere keer weer een ander leuk resultaat.
Ze zien er super uit Marit!!
I love reading your posts – sometimes there are so many diverse things that you include! You are a font-junkIE, love!! I agree, the fabric inchies look cool on your page – I am truly flattered that you put them in your art journal!
LOVE the grids – something I also would like to feature in my artwork!
Have a great week! =) xoxoxo
You will not believe what this month’s theme is for my grids!!! The alphabet! So as I am scanning down your post what should my wondering see, but the alphabet. I love when our minds meld.
The faces your chose for your face grid are great, too. I really need to go to a book sale and find some magazines. I have NONE!
The grids have been my saving grace. I now don’t have to rely on them, but they are nice to see each day.
Marit, for you it’s squares and grids — for me, circles seem to be appearing in my life lately!!! I’s so nice to be back to my regular routine now that the summer is over. I’ve really missed popping in to see what you’ve been up to. You always have something to inspire me!!! Hugs, Terri xoxo
Geweldig idee… het “grid” boekje!!! De eerste bladzijden zien er ook waanzinnig leuk uit, vooral het alfabet vind ik prachtig!! Jij bent zoooo goed met het tekenen van allerlei soorten letters!!
Ook je week journaal ziet er helemaal TOP uit!! En de stoffen inchies van Rosie passen er perfect bij!!
Goed idee om de vierkantjes te gebruiken (heb op het moment wel wat inspiratie nodig zeg, wat een drama) En wat heb je er weer een prachtig boekje van gemaakt!!!! Enne wel een beetje jammer van die herfst, zo zit je in je hempje te bbqen en 2 dagen later moeten je laarzen weer uit de kast, raar landje toch!!??
Loving the wonderful faces in your grid page and Rosie is a doll to share those lovely fabric inchies with you!
At first I thought you were going to say you carved your alphabet grid letters…then I read that you probably WILL do so…I can see you now!
We have had 3 very rainy days with flooding in some areas…many more inches of rain than we got for Hurricane Irene … we live on a little hill so all is well … I took photos of a squirrel that rested on our open back porch as short shelter from the rain 🙂
your posts are such fun and your creativity is boundless…you ROCK Missy!
oxo
p.s. last but not least BIG Congrats on being in Seth’s Style File…very cool!!!
Wat een leuk idee, een grid journal. Het alfabet is geweldig. Dat zullen mooie stempels worden, moet je doen!!! Ook je weekjournal is weer leuk, de stoffen vierkantjes passen er mooi bij. En ach, het weer…. ik hou wel van de herfst.