The 'New' New Paddle

Aloha everyone!

I got a new paddle a while ago. The only problem: almost everyone in my club got the exact same one.

The new paddle. 

I knew that I needed to do something to my paddle to make it easier to spot and identify. But what? My sister helped me come up with a brilliant idea: make a sticker.

I bought some permanent waterproof vinyl and transfer tape, and I was ready to go. 

I knew I wanted a design with a Polynesian-vibe. Something that had to do with paddling or the island. I began sketching ideas and found that I kept coming back to two elements: the sun and taro leaves. My design represents both.

After I had my design, I cut it out of vinyl.

This was my first time using vinyl!

A little transfer tape, some delicate placement, and a lot of rubbing later... I have a 'new' new paddle!

Decoupage- The Start of Something New!

Wow! So much has been happening recently and it is INSANE! For those of you in the area, dont forget to check out my artwork in the Along the Rivers Edge exhibit at the Thousand Islands Arts Center on the 30th, not to mention all the other works by talented artists. Cant make it? Dont worry, I will definitely be posting pictures of the show!

So a quick update on my life. I recently handed in my two weeks notice at the bakery. It was a sad and hard decision to make, but I think I made the right choice. I will miss everyone at the bakery dearly, but I know that we will keep in touch and see each other again.

One of the driving forces behind my decision was my art. I really want to buckle down and get my portfolio together. I also want to work on marketing my work and selling it around town. I have had so many people ask me for commissions, but with the job, I had no time. Many projects had to get pushed aside, deadlines passed, and I regretted not being able to get things done. Now I plan on spending some real quality time on my art!

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I have had so many ideas running through my head recently. Im not going to spoil everything by telling you what they are, but I will tell you that I have started to explore the wonderful world of decoupage. What fun! Here is a picture of my tester.

 I covered a little wooden plaque with scraps of paper (yes, I save a LOT of the paper I cut! I knew it would come in handy). Then I designed and cut out a moth, glued it to the plaque, and coated, coated, COATED it with decoupage medium. I think it turned out quite well. Im excited to do some more exploring with this craft.

The Hows and Whys of Paper Cutting

My first paper cut was for my friend, Sara. It was a cut of the Mad Hatter from 'Alice in Wonderland'. I realized after making it that I really love the process of paper cutting. It's one of the most satisfying forms of art because you can see how fast you are progressing. I have a hard time sticking to a piece if it takes me  weeks to complete. With paper cutting, your work evolves quickly (I have designed and made a paper cut in half an hour). And how cool is it that you start with a whole sheet of paper, cut away at it, and come out with a work of art? Its so simple!
Yes, it can be time consuming. It can also cause blisters (my sister guessed what her Christmas present was going to be because of the blisters on my fingers). You get frustrated when your knife slips, or you finish a piece only to then realize that you cut out an important part. But what art form doesnt have its frustrations?

Some of you have asked how I make my paper cuts, so I thought I would make this little illustrated guide on my process. I'm sure other paper cutters have different techniques, but this is the one that seems to work the best for me!

Pressing onwards...

Step 1: The Design

First I come up with my design. I drew this bullhead catfish on a piece of tracing paper and scanned it into my computer. It is important to constantly be thinking of your drawing as a paper cut as you work. What I mean by this is that a line drawn out in space, not connected to any other lines, will not work with paper cutting. Every line must be connected with another. 

Then I mess with it a bit in Photoshop until it is dark enough to easily see. I decided to make a repeating fish pattern based off of my drawing.

Step 2: Assembly

Next, I print out my design to the desired size. This one was fairly large, so I had to tile the image when printing it. Then I cut and taped sheets together so that it looked correct and lightly taped it to the sheet of paper to be cut. 

Step 3: Cutting

Then it's simple. Using an Exacto knife and a self-healing cutting mat, I start to cut out the design.

Yes, I look awful in this picture.

I like to hold the piece up as I work to see how it's progressing. Holding it in front of the light or against a white wall works well. 

The front...

and the back.

And that's it! Now go off and create paper cuts of your own. But make sure you send me a picture. I want to see what you come up with!

P.S. I just finished this fish cut. Expect a new blog post soon!

Got Milk? Got Inspiration?

Hey everyone! I just wanted to drop a quick note letting you know that because I am in the middle of my next paper project (the biggest one yet!!), and I am back at work, I haven't been able to put up any new posts. I am working on getting together a section on my blog explaining my process, the materials I use, etc., which a couple of you have asked for. So not to worry, I haven't forgotten!

Also, I need some help from you!

I work at a Swiss bakery, and I have been given the 'ok' to sell my work there (!). I am currently brainstorming for possible papercut ideas along a German/Swiss theme. Now your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to help me come up with some ideas! Anything and everything is welcome! Be my muses and help me get my creative juices flowing!

And something having nothing to do with paper cutting, a picture of me with my parent's new dog, Mischa.

P.S. I also added my e-mail address to the side bar on the right, in case you wanted to e-mail me your ideas rather than leave them as a comment. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>