Mini Workshop: Putting it all Together-Assembling Digitally Printed Surfaces

My new Mini Workshop is ready and on-line.  This month's free to members workshop is
"Putting it all Together: Assembling Digitally Printed Surfaces.  This workshop follows the construction of a variety of surfaces being assembled.      Introduction follows:

The workbook for the workshop is 15 pages with pictures throughout to show what is created on each composition.  KathyAnne Art members be sure to log in so you will get the workshop at no cost.
Free to KathyAnne Art members .  The workshop is $15.00 to non members.

Non- members go to KathyAnne Art  or

Mini-Workshop Enhance Surfaces Before Printing

This month's mini workshop free for members is "Enhance Surfaces Before Printing".  Developing infinite ways to create interesting surfaces to print or overprint is one of my favorite things.  There is nothing more exciting than watching an incredible print emerge from your printer.  Well maybe there are lots of things more exciting than watching a printer print, but to me it's always amazing.  Seeing the colors, textures, patterns etc as the print appears.

The inspiration for this months mini -workshop came from working with skins and thinking, why don't I add elements to other surfaces, not just handmade skins.  Since I have already done a little of this before, I created some examples of the process.  It's fairly simple and produces great results.

Reprinted here is the introduction from the workshops.  As usual this workshop is a benefit of KathyAnne Art membership  -  free to members.  Make sure you sign in as a member, put the workshop in your cart and then price will show as zero.

For non members the workshop is $12.00.

Current Workshops on Kathyanne Art

Starting the year out with a little review. Here is a list of the online workshops available on KathyAnne Art.

In 2009, I added a benefit for KathyAnne Art Members: a mini workshop each month that is free to members.  There is a charge for non-members.  You will see these mini workshops below.

When members sign in, then place a mini workshop in their cart, the workshop will be added to the cart for no charge.  Make sure as a member you sign in to take advantage of the free monthly mini workshops for members.

Full workshops are 20% off to members and full price for non members.  These online workshops come with a pdf of written information and a video that is accessible with a password that is included on the first page of the pdf.  Go to the tutorial section on the KathyAnne Art site to sign up for any of these workshops.

On Line Workshops with PDF Workbooks and Videos

Getting Started with Digital Print on Uncommon Surfaces
This workshop has a 16 page pdf and a 43 minute video.  If you want to learn how to digitally print on fabrics and other specialty surfaces, this workshop is for you.  As questions come up while you experiment with the process, you can contact me with inquiries at any time.

For a complete list of what this workshop contains,  you can see this blog post on my KathyAnne Art Blog

Journals with Digital Elements
This workshop explores using digital elements in journals and art books.  Several types of journals are demonstrated.  To see the information on this workshop, visit this post on this Inside KathyAnne Art Blog Post.

Mini Monthly Workshops, free to members


Mini Workshop: Garbage Journals
These journals consist of leftovers, collected papers, maps, fabrics etc.  Learn about these fun journals on this blog post.

Mini Workshop: Creating a Background and Frame from an Image
Created for both Photoshop and Photoshop Elements, this mini workshop gives ideas on creating backgrounds and shows ways to use the techniques, complete info here.

Mini Workshop: Dying Watercolor Paper
This mini workshop shows how I dye my watercolor paper for journals and watercolor paper I overprint for my artwork.  A how to with pictures of each step makes up the pdf for this mini workshop.

Art in Common

Art in Common is a private social network available to the members of KathyAnne Art.  Each new member will receive an invitation to Art in Common that will allow them to access the site.

The site contains:

*A forum for members to ask questions and start discussions.

*A blog for any of the members to use or post.

*Tutorials that are easily accessed which currently include:
Enlarging an Image to Print
Amate Process to make Paper from Kozo
Beginning Text using Photoshop Elements Part 1 & 2
Overprinting a Design
Creating Textures in Photoshop Elements
Photoshop Shortcuts
Stripe from an Image in Photoshop
Combining Photoshop Layers
with more to come

*Members can watch the videos posted and post their own.

*Members can post events they are involved in or want to publicize.

* Members can post photos of their work.

*Members can customize their pages.

*Members can chat.

The above images were created from the combining layers tutorial for Photoshop.

Creating a Background and Frame from an Image

One of the benefits for membership in KathyAnne Art are the free mini workshops that are announced in the enews-letter every month.  This month the workshop is "Creating a Background and Frame from an Image".  Created for both Photoshop and Photoshop Elements, this workshop gives ideas on creating backgrounds and shows how the techniques explained can be used in other ways.

Members, sign in to download the mini workshop for free KathyAnne Art site.
Non members can purchase the workshop for $9.95  

Any questions? Contact Kathyanne

Carol Wiebe: Artist Profile

Carol Wiebe is my artist profile this month.   I met Carol when she commented about a post on my KathyAnneArt blog.  Since then, Carol has enriched my life in many ways and has become a special friend of mine.

Carol's blog Silverspring Studio should be on everyone's "blog to visit often" list.  Unlike myself, Carol writes consistently, sometimes daily, but
certainly every few days and her content is interesting and varied.  I was inspired to my beverage can installation after a blog post Carol did which included a video "Margaret Wertheim: The beautiful math of coral (and crochet)". This video this video is an inspiring TED talk and describes an incredible crocheted installation project.  After viewing the video, I thought- wow I could do a forest surfaces installation of digitally printed recycled beverage cans.
Needless to say Silverspring Studio is not to be missed.

In Carol's own words:

I make art quilts, “Cracked Paper Quilts” to be exact, and I have found that this medium suits me perfectly.  I was already adding paper to my art quilts but after taking a workshop with artist Fran Skiles, I suddenly was able to take the leap into making my total quilt top out of paper.  I became obsessed with all that I could do with this humble material. I am passionate enough to devote every possible moment I can to creating art quilts, as well as preparing the materials I need or studying art books and attending workshops to increase my skills".

                    Dress       10" x 15.5"                                          Nest      31.5" x 25"

I am inspired by everything around me. I use my camera, pens and brushes to record what draws my eye, mind, and heart.  Then comes the computer stage, which I have to be careful to curtail or it dominates my time. It is just so much fun to turn my gathered images, words, and information into what I call design papers, the “fabric” of my paper art quilts.

A quilt can take anywhere from a week to a month (or a lifetime) to make. I incorporate all kinds of handmade elements, so I may have to carve some stamps, make stencils, create design papers in a myriad of ways. Then there is all the stitching, painting, stamping, collage. I may decide I want some paper beads added, or a clay inclusion or two. These have to be designed and created. I may be inspired to write a poem about what the piece is teaching me. As you can see, this process can become quite involved".

Be sure to visit Carol's blog and also see her videos of her process on Vimeo-

Cracked Paper Quilts 1: Sewing the Paper Top

Cracked Paper Quilts 2: Stitching the Paper Sandwich

Cracked Paper Quilts 3: Revealing the Stitched Base and Adding the Cracks

Or if you are a KathyAnne Art member, you can enjoy Carol's videos on Art in Common.

Playing with Images

This will give a cursory look at what can be done to one of the images on the Kathyanne Art site.  It's a before and after.  I got involved in changing this image to something else and didn't write the steps down, so in this situation, it will be food for thought instead of a straight how to.  I used Photoshop to manipulate the image.  Journalpage 127 is the image I started with.

This image is meant to be a journal page that can be printed and written on.  I wanted to see what changes I could make and add a quote.  Here is where it ended up.

I turned the image clockwise using the transform tool.
Rasterized the type and filled it with a pattern I made from the print used in the geometric design.
Type was stroked and embossed.
Using the paint bucket tool, I filled the background with a new color, chosen also from the print in the geometric design.
Once the design was done, the background (which is everything but the type) was textured with one of the patterns in the fill box.

This image will be posted to my kathyannewhite blog on November 28th. Everyday that blog has a new post containing a positive aspect.