You may remember the POD project.  That's when Lisa gives be a picture that looks like this:

And I turn it into something that looks like this:

I know we like to analyse thing to the endth degree,  but sometimes, a fruit is just a fruit!

Today I got to visit Mrs. Milner's AP Graphics class in Dallas Texas via Skype!  It truly is becoming a small world.    We had a few technical difficulties, but I think it's because Skype is a relatively new technology.  I hate to admit that I remember dot matrix printers and VCR's that cost $1000.00!  It's very exciting to think that in the near future we can talk face to face with people all over the world.   Today I felt like I was in the early days of a whole new way of doing things.  It reminded me of the first telephones.  It's hard for us to imagine what an impact telephones have had on the world.  My grandmother has a photo album full of photographs of people she knew talking on their new telephones!  It was such a novelty!
I hope Mrs. Milner's class learned a few techniques today.  I had great fun in spite of the glitches!  And now that I have a webcam,  I'm hoping to make some "how to" videos of the art techniques I use.  It looks fairly easy to do!
So Thank-you to Mrs. Milner!!  It looked like you had a great group of students.  I'm sure they'll make some great altered books!

It's been a really busy week.  I can't believe I haven't been here since last Illustration Friday!  I have lots of projects on the go and hopefully I'll be able to share them soon. 

I couldn't resist taking time out to do this little ACEO.  As so as I heard the word "racing" I thought of it.  Where else do you race, except after the ice cream truck!  OK, I'll admit, I never grew up.

This month the Melange Team on Etsy and Illustration Friday had the same word as a challenge!  At first I thought it would be great because I had a ghost girl collage that would be perfect for the word.  I entered it for the Melange challenge but alas, I had already entered for a previous Illustration Friday.  So I've done another little ghost girl for IF.    It's not really ectoplasm that she's made of, it's gesso; that most versatile paint product.

Every now and then, when I'm clicking around on the internet,  I come across an artist who's work makes my jaw drop.   I have recently been using black ink on altered book pages.  It is a very cool technique.  Will Ashford uses this technique and takes it to a whole new level.  All of a sudden the possibilities seem endless.

In his artist's statement he says,"Like an archeologist I hunt for the words that speak to me with new meaning. Intuitively, one word at a time, they turn into a kind of haiku or philosophical poetry that I can call my own."  I love the image of the archeologist digging for words and meaning.  I had much fun with the words in my last altered book, "The Fundamentals of Applied Probability Theory".  Treasure hunting for words is kind of addictive.  I wouldn't want to reveal exactly how many books have been speaking to me at garage sales and recycling depots.   Let's just say that I'm going to be working on altered books for a long time. 

Click on the Artist's Statement link above the enjoy some of Will Ashford's art.  There are even slide shows!  So grab your beverage, sit back and enjoy!

Poor Catherine Howard, the fifth wife of Henry VIII.  She married him when she was just 19 and he was thirty years older.  Young and pretty, naive in the ways of the court, she had little chance of survival.  She was beheaded on February 13th 1542 at the Tower of London and is said to haunt it to this day.

Creating a "Spooky" mixed media piece is the challenge for the Melange Team this month and so here is my spooky image of the ghost of Catherine Howard.  You can see more wonderful and spooky art at the Melange Team Blog!

I made this a while ago but it popped into my head imediately when I saw the word this week.  I remember it as having cars too.  However, it was the original drawing that had cars, and even a boat!

I've opened a new Art Fire store just for watercolor!  It's also called CranberryCloud. I'm very excited about all the new features I get to play with in my new store.  I've designed a new banner and  here is my new avatar. 

This store will feature my original watercolors and my Etsy shop will have mixed media and illustration and prints .  I felt I wanted to separate the two because they are such different processes.

Right now I've got three watercolors in the store, but just wait!  I've got lots more to upload.  I hope to be adding some handpainted cards soon too, so stay tuned!

Here's my little painting and collaged Illustration Friday ACEO.  I like doing art cards for Illustration Friday because they're small and the next time there's a trading card swap I'll actually have some ready!