what are you into

[flea]

when choosing things to sign up for and such- what do you drift towards/ what are you particularly skilled at? we all love creativity- but what type? music? writing? photography? collage? drawing? jewelry? 3d? am i forgetting something? just tell me your talents/ skills/ loves. even link to some art/ writing.

[FriedSpamOnaStik]

I love me sum collage!  Well.. I like looking at OTHER folks work!  I feel really inadequate when it comes to making some myself.
Oh yeah, I love paper arts and alterations!  
Look at the Art-e-zine website (http://www.art-e-zine.co.uk/contents.html)... it's just.. ::swooooons:: so delicious!  ;-)  Artist journals, tag art, altered books, shrines, found objects etc, etc!  So much inspiration there.
So, that sort of stuff is what I hope I will someday be skilled at. ;-)

[jaydestarr]

My main passion is writing. I love writing. I could do it all day and all night and not notice. (I've actually done this and finally had to stop because of a hunger headache.)

Other than that, I like to try new things. I'm in love with mixed media and collage art. I love playing around with computer generated art (especially photo manips in Corel). Recently I started getting into photography, and some of that will eventually make it up onto my website. I also doodle on occaision and try to draw people, but even my stick figures are completely malformed! But hey, technically Picasso's people weren't "correct," you know? http://nervousness.org/forum/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

Anyway, I'm always up for trying something new. I'll work at it until it looks nice (or at least up to my standards, and they do say you're your own worst critic).

:: sigh :: I'm rambling. Sorry...

Some of my writing and "art" is housed at my website (I'll refrain from a blatant shameless plug by omitting a direct link). I also love the art of Dave McKean (http://www.mckean-art.co.uk/) and Bill Sienkiewicz (http://www.billsienkiewicz.com). The owner of devoured.org used to have beautiful poetry and other writing up on her site, but now she's taken it down. :: sigh :: I miss it a lot. Microchaotic (http://www.microchaotic.com), Nocturna (http://www.nocturna.net), and Purifiance (http://www.purifiance.org/) all enchant me. Oh, and of course my boyfriend Geoff's site is absolutely wonderful, but he's modest and has made me promise not to link to it anymore. Hmph.

Sorry, rambling again...

:: runs away ::

[Wombat]

I enjoy writing and photography projects but have also tried my hand at drawing, decorating and collage. I don't feel ready for altering books or making ATCs yet but may also give that a go one day! I also sign up for the odd postcard exchange or to LMAOs where I can help other's complete projects like sending collage material or newspaper clippings.

I love doing tapestry/needlework but haven't found any fellow tapers yet.

[flea]

good site. i like that stuff too. collage seems to be the most relaxing of art forms because you can collect images you love and then use them to make them your own. its an art of selecting and editing- free from the burden of pure skill.

right now i'm trying to learn the art of mask making. i am way to impatient to be doing this but i have an ifinity for masks (i collect them) and i've wanted to do this for soo long.

having trouble because the paper pulp i'm using is sticking to the inside of the plaster mold i made. i coated it with nail polish to try and make a non-stick surface. i'll have to see how that works out. i'm very excited but it will take a long time to figure out what not to do and gain some patience.

[GuineaBaby]

I don't do LMAOs anymore because I've been disheartened in so many of them.

I'm also burnt out on ATCs (and I still owe about 120 of them to people...one girl I owe 90 to because I did a 10 ATCs for every zine thing).

I enjoy seeing other people's work. I like to collect drawings people put time into, not scribbles, to add to my nervousness scrapbook. I like trading for handmade books so hopefully some day I'll be able to make them (I don't have the supplies right now). I like trading collages to get ideas for my own. I trade drawings with people, but mine are more of a joke than anything. I do try, though, which makes it fun.

I love using my beadloom and making jewelry. I don't have many supplies for my jewelry making because I've just only started. Of what I have started doing, I like what I see.

flea-Would putting PAM on it help at all? I know that helps for a couple things. I don't make paper so I'm afraid I'm not much help.

[Helquin]

Mmm, good question Flea! I like trying new things (and have a house full of half-finished projects to prove it). Back in the day I did a lot of zines, and I have 3 Collection LMAOs running right now which will result in zines.

When I'm browsing through other people's LMAOs I look for projects that will stretch me just a little... something I think I can handle but don't know much about. I had a lot of fun with AHaloInReverse's mini-book LMAO, your oracle cards, and Pixelady's Tarot card project. Thanks to Moonmama, I pushed myself to do some ATCs and found that I kinda like 'em... although so far I've stuck to computer-generated images.

I like to write, but I'm finding that I'm a little too private to be comfortable with the traveling notebook LMAOs. I just finished my first one and felt kinda awkward about sharing details of my day-to-day life. I've signed up for a haiku LMAO that I think I'll like better.

In general I like Nervousness as an outlet for my creativity with paper crafts: collage, computer-manipulated images, drawings, hand-made books, paper-folding/origami, etc. I'm also gearing up to start making my own paper. When it comes to mail(ed) art, ya just can't beat paper! I dabble in decorated boxes, off-loom weaving, and other larger projects but exchanging those things by mail could get pricey.

I've been curious about altered books -- I've even downloaded some info about techniques -- but I'm still too intimidated by the concept to sign up for any LMAOs. Maybe a year from now! http://nervousness.org/forum/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif

[eenie]

my two main things are decoupage and soapmaking. i like to make notebooks too, but it takes too much time. i love soapmaking, though. i make soap, bubble bath, bath tablets, and bath salts.. everyone i know is now quite clean.http://nervousness.org/forum/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif

[queenfisher]

i like the ones where i can collage, or draw and paint. so atcs currently interests me. also journal types - where anything goes, or better with a specific theme.

i rarely write in the journals. i've participated in lmaos where i was required to write though (oh what did i know then? ;-) don't like to write - just not good in expressing myself that way.

will post links tomorrow.

;-) zzzzzzzz...

/shafina

[sistasmell]

To answer flea's question about the plaster mold sticking: what we were taught to do was paint tincture of green soap on plaster molds. We did this for all kinds of casting, so it would probably work just fine for what you're doing. It can be found in a pharmacy. You will probably have to ask- it will be behind the pharmacy counter. The smell always reminds me of sculpture class.
As to our specialties, I have always been a collage, assemblage girl. Altered books and decos are my new favorite things. I am also the master, hehe, of DIY home projects and a nutcase when it comes to knitting. I can't get enough. I made my first handmade journal yesterday and it came out great!

[FriedSpamOnaStik]

Oh, GuineaBaby, that's a hella lot of ATCs! Lol! Gosh, are they all open themed? So many to make... do you have a lot of ideas? I haven't done any opened themed ones... maybe they're easier since you can do *anything* ya want.
I just wanna know how anyone could handle that amount at once. I'm sure you'll do an awesome job on 'em.
-Kimberly

[mejaka]

This is cool... :^ )

Stuff I am or have been serious about: Art, papermaking, writing, calligraphy.

Stuff I've tried and enjoyed: ATCs (all you're doing is decorating a very small sheet, Wombat), clay and paper sculpture, handmade tiles, drawing...Well, okay, almost everything.

Stuff I haven't ventured into for real yet: altered books and altered cards.

Stuff I have my doubts about: collage (keeping track of all those bits!), serious painting.

Wish I could do watercolor--I love watercolor works.

I sign up for LMAOs as much on anthropological grounds as artistic grounds. I like projects that will allow me to see facets and glimpses of other people and to share some of myself. I like seeing collaborations, especially on unusual "surfaces" or with unusual media. I strongly restrict my own Nness play so I can keep from being overwhelmed and losing my enthusiasm.

mejaka

[cieart]

Things I can do: papermaking, collage, oil paints

Things I've attempted to do and can do better: bookmaking, hand-made postcards

Things I wanna do/learn: altering books, bookbinding, ATC, photography

[flea]

there seems to be a kind of "unknown terrotory" thing with the altered books/ ATC's- as wombat has mentioned, and helquin, majaka, and cieart. i have done a couple alter book and its a hoot! you get to deface a book. what can be better. i really dont think its any different then drawing or collaging (or whatever) onto blank paper. for some reason- though- having that text under your art makes the new art ever better. there shall be no fear of a blank canvas when the art has already been started for you.

ATC's- well- the way i view them is you have one side that is just a mini piece of art, and on the back is title, name, signature, year, and edition number. ATC's are great because they are not "serious art". one can be serious about making them- but it's not nessisary. an ATC can consist of a red dot on a white background. much like batman trading cards- ATC's are essentailly a toy to be played with.

jadestar- your computer graphic skills are pretty cool from what i've seen. looks like you can do some cool stuff with a computer.

i have a lot of respect for guineababy- after hearing you were burnt out- but you havn't dissapeared. thats a great sign. i think we all need a break- and to find our nitch here. i dont envey you with that hella ATC thing. would it be an attrocity if you sent her 90 cards that were all the same- but all numbered? like come up with one image and color copy it 90 times? he/ she will only want to keep one- but he/she could trade the rest!

eenie- have you dabbled in candle making? its so much like soap making its not funny. scents, dies, molds.... plus it makes an excellent x-mas gift. its cool when you have all these crappy 1/2 burn candles and you can melt them down to make a new one. and candles are expensive! i've found it you pour cold wax into a mold you can get some excellent texture effects you will find on 20$ candles.

queenfisher- if i havn't said it already- i really like your ATC's. did you draw the self portrait big and then shrink it- or did you draw it that small? the paper quality reminds me of lithography- not a xerox.

sistasmell- is this soap you mention called "tineture"? i would ask for it by that name? or should i ask them "hey- do you have green soap?" i think they would think me odd. thanks for the tip- by the way. the paper dust i mix up says to mix it with laundry detergent. i have. maybe where i fooked up was by adding some glue into the mix. it could be the glue that is sticking. i really have no common sense and i learn by mistake.

to mejaka and cieart- i would love some tips of paper making. i have this vision of pushing some cool paper pulp complete with onion skin and rose petals into my mask mold. i have done some paper making in collage- but that was 3 years ago so a refresher would be appreciated.

thanks to everyone for their replys.

[queenfisher]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote </td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">queenfisher- if i havn't said it already- i really like your ATC's. did you draw the self portrait big and then shrink it- or did you draw it that small? the paper quality reminds me of lithography- not a xerox.[/b][/quote]
thanks - i was kinda nervous when i sent it to you that it won't fit your theme. but i knew when i saw your lmao i thought of that particular drawing i did. but oh did i have to search for it all over the place! i made that self portrait about 10 years ago. it's A3 size, scanned and shrunk to 2.5"x3.5", then printed on drawing paper.

glad you like it.

wait - is anybody into photography? i remember some people are.

;-)

/shafina

[moon-talk]

Interesting topic! I'm usually pretty quite on the forums but here goes nothing....

Lately I'm drawn towards altered book and art doll lmao projects, but there aren't many I've come across at nervousness - or they fill up fast. I started an altered book lmao and I plan to do an art doll one next.

I also just started doing ATCs, and I have mixed feelings about them.  Not sure if I like doing them yet. I was drawn to nervousness because it didn't focus on digital art (which I got burnt out on doing) and yet I find myself often wanting/needing to make digital art ATCs.

As far as interests/loves go - I enjoy digital art (but have become sorta burnt out with it), photography and collage/assemblage in my spare time. I find that more and more I'm drawn to assemblage which I like creating with found objects and organic materials (animal bones, insects, etc.). I also write a lot of non-fic and poetry/prose bits and I write/do art in journals that I suppose sometimes could be called art journaling.

I play keyboards and used to be heavily involved in electronic/goth/rock music. Played in a few bands, etc. but now I just like to listen to music. I also used to write for & create a lot of zines but now I just like to read them. I do still write for Morbid Outlook on occasion.

on a side note I recently made my first mask for an art-e-zine art swap which was a lot of fun. I did not make it by scratch - I bought a white plastic one at an arts & crafts store and then painted, collaged and stamped it. It was fun to do, but I made many mistakes and have some half finished masks laying around to prove it. http://nervousness.org/forum/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

my work can be seen on my website at http://www.wanderingmoon.com and recent stuff can be found at http://moon.deviantart.com and I always try to upload pics of my nervousness creations to the object page.

~ moon

[littlest-bee]

I really like doing collages - I've been in the habit of collecting interesting/quirky pictures and paper since I was about 6! So far I've only tried making notecards, bookcover - flat stuff etc but I'm really keen to try something 3D. Have you ever seen those wonderful boxes by Joseph Cornell (http://www.artchive.com/artchive/C/cornell.html)?

I also love writing - I tend to prefer LMAOs where I can write about a subject.

I've just signed up for my first book-altering LMAO - I'm quite a way down the list so hopefully I can be inspired by the other contributions. I've never tried anything like this before so I'm a bit nervous.

I try and limit myself to very few LMAOs - I know that I could easily get overwhelmed! There are so many good ideas out there!

[GuineaBaby]

Yes, I would hate to disappear. If I do disappear, worry! lol There are so many wonderful people here I would hate to lose touch with. As for the ATC trades, I'm pretty far behind with mailing and making them because I dread making them anymore. I think I have about 170 more to do and I'll be all caught up (30 for one person, 50 for another, and 90 for another), thank goodness! In fact, tonight I just made 30 for a trade that someone reminded me they haven't received their end on. I hate being lazy with ATCs and it makes me look irresponsible, but I never find the umpf to do it, you know? I need someone to light a fire under my butt lol. I don't like doing them in big groupings either because I find I do the same thing over and over again, which isn't very creative and I don't like repetitive items. So far, each ATC I've done is original. I can't afford to copy them and printing them is out of the question (paper wise and whatnot). Yes, they're opened theme, luckily, because I probably wouldn't have the materials to do certain ones, but most of the time themes help me because I always have a hard time coming up with things like that. The way I handle all those ATCs is forget about it, then spend a couple hours panicking while I make thirty, then set them aside for another day. lol

I've been thinking about joining an altered book, but until i catch up with all my other exchanges, I don't want to risk keeping it for months on end. I've seen all the sites on altered books and I've seen wonderful explanations, but I don't think I'm going to fully understand what it is until I actually hold one in my hand and flip through it.

Since I don't drive, I also have a hard time getting to the post office and when I think I'm going to go, I don't and it gets puts it off for another week. I probably go once a month, if that.

I love the little handmade books people make. So far I've only received one as an RAOM and I'm in the midst of trading for a few, too. I don't think I'd ever be able to make them myself, though, because it's just not my thing. I'm trading for them so I can make little books of my poetry for people for Christmas.

Nervousness is SO going to help with Christmas gifts, too! Sui_generis and I are trading our talents, my key chains for her wonderful paintings. So far, I've only got my list partially covered, though. I want to have my "shopping" done by the time Christmas rolls around. I have no guys on my list covered, though. Does anyone have any ideas of what handmade things guys might like that I could possibly trade for for christmas gifts?

[eenie]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (flea @ Oct. 09 2002,20:53)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">eenie- have you dabbled in candle making? its so much like soap making its not funny. scents, dies, molds.... plus it makes an excellent x-mas gift. its cool when you have all these crappy 1/2 burn candles and you can melt them down to make a new one. and candles are expensive! i've found it you pour cold wax into a mold you can get some excellent texture effects you will find on 20$ candles.[/b][/quote]
not yet, but i'd definitely like to. i know that a lot of the soap scents can be used for candles too, so i'd already have half of the supplies. i'm waiting for michaels to have a sale on candle supplies before i buy any of the wax, though. as it is, everyone i know is getting soap/bubble bath for christmas, so it'd be nice to throw in candles too.

[sistasmell]

Whew! All this talk of creativity makes me want to bag on work today and make stuff. Maybe I will.
Flea- that soap is called "tincture of green soap". You can see/buy it here. (http://www.eikondevice.com/catalogue/index.cfm?catid=27&prodid=120) I don't know if we were taught to use it because the sculpture building at MassArt happened to be across the street from a hospital pharmacy, and it is a surgical soap, or if it is really the best mold release. When it is dry (and you have to let it dry before you do your casting) it does have that waxy/greasy feel of dried liquid laundry detergent. I've never had anything stick to it, so it's probably worth a try.

[Z'anne]

Hmmmm....what do I like/love to do?  I started out as a bead artist and have been "playing" with them for 10 years.  After getting tendonitis, I had to put my beads up for 9 months.  That lead to depression and then to discovery of paper arts.  Now I collage, rubber stamp, papier mache, alter books, alter cards,  journal making and play with paper as much as I can.  

It's been fun combining both the beads and the paper stuff to make really cool stuff.  Most of which you may or may not see in my art here in nervousness.  I am selling them very well at the craft shows I'm in.  

I wish I could paint/draw, though.  I've tried, and now realize my art tends to be more on the 3D side.  I'll let my kid do the really cool drawing and painting for me.

Anyone out there who is scared of altering books, don't be.  I was too.  I was intimadated by the "blankness" of those pages.  Like they say here in my neck of the woods...Just do it!  It's kickass fun!!!

[watusi!]

i really enjoyed working on the lino-print comp book, and juannes projects (nobody dolls, and mask). so i guess i like the crafty stuff. i signed up for an alter book project and thought about doing atc's then tried them out on my own and just wasn't into working on them...i might like doing them if i made prints or digital work but i was just drawing. i prefer working on a much larger surface as far as drawing goes.

right now i'm working on illustrating a childrens book. i used to draw a comic. i love making modular origami pieces, sewing, lino print making, carpentry, large scale painting, faux finish painting, etc.

[queenfisher]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote </td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">Does anyone have any ideas of what handmade things guys might like that I could possibly trade for for christmas gifts?[/b][/quote]
my guy friends seem to like the handmade journals i've made for them. each were personalised, for example made to use as travel journals and given before their big trips. find out what your friends like. another idea would be tshirts handprinted with some cool designs.

hey if you need help with the atcs and the people you're exchanging with don't mind getting cards from someone other than you, let me know. i'm going to devote next week to atcs anyway.

here is a website that i wish could be made more extensive - AAA Collections : Visual Thinking : Sketchbooks (http://archivesofamericanart.si.edu/exhibits/sketchbk/sketchbk.htm).

[GuineaBaby]

I've got no guy friends. http://nervousness.org/forum/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/sad.gif But I'd like to send something to my ex, even though I'm not speaking to him because I know he wants to still be friend. I feel that's the right thing to do. A journal would be perfect for him. What about for my grandpa, dad, uncles and I have a cousin my age, but he's into stuff I'm not into. In fact, I'm not sure what he's into. I can't tell if he's a mexican wanna be (and he's as white as you can be. His nick name used to be Powder lol) or what. He likes metallica and wears those anarchist? a in a circle things...but I know he loves to get into his country getup every once in a while, like for hte rodeo and stuff. If anyone is into that kind of black, safetypins stuff, I'd really appreciate ideas  on what to make or trade for him.

For the journal, though, how do you make handmade ones? What kind of paper do you use? Do you think it would still be special if I decorated the front of one I traded for or a storebought one? I don't have the talent to make my own journals (and Lord knows I've tried).

Nope, the people I'm trading with is just for ATCs in general, not just made by me. Any thing would be appreciated to dig me out of my ATC hole lol.

[Death_Or_Aldona]

I'm really not very good at anything yet. I'm still testing the waters. I really like ATCs, but I think I need to take a break. I'm a little burned out on them. Each batch is getting less and less inspired. I'm just starting to play around making books. It's so much fun! I pretty much stick to collage and bad doodles. I can't draw worth a #### and painting is too tricky to tackle most of the time.
I tend to sign up for lmaos that are new and interesting to me. I like to learn lots of different things in the hopes that I'll find that one thing I truely love to do.
It would be awsome to be GOOD at something for once. It sucks to suck http://nervousness.org/forum/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

[kittie_naughty]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote </td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">Does anyone have any ideas of what handmade things guys might like that I could possibly trade for for christmas gifts?[/b][/quote]

Not that I can knit or anything, cos I can't. But I have yet to meet a guy (and most of my friends are guys) who doesn't fancy a soft scarf around his neck in winter.

[eenie]

maybe my boyfriend is weird, but he really likes the soap i've made for him. it's a weird sort of guy gift, but he ends up really liking it. of course, i make him "manly" scents.:-p