Sept to Patty - issues with the ocean, part 2

The baby animal stamps have been around for a while. They have so many fun details. I took the flowers off a different stamp. I also layered the markers. There are 6 or 7 envelopes with this style of lettering which is a loose version of Neuland. I highly recommend Neuland for people who want to learn how to letter. All you need are chunky markers. An actual chisel tip is ideal - but you can get a pretty chunky style of lettering with a brush marker. I think I started with some broad tip alcohol markers and wrote rally fast to minimize the bleeding. Then layered with a brush marker. 

***

I hope I don't lose ocean-loving readers over my bold statements about not being fond of oceans. Yesterday's post reminded me of a friend, a native of Duluth which is on Lake Superior. We were talking about the love of lakes and rivers. She loved Lake Superior and thought that rivers were ominous because they are so dangerous. Rivers can (and do) sweep people away. She preferred the "safety" of her lake where you just bobbed around. 

Yeah, right. If you fall in Lake Superior out in the middle, you'll die of hypothermia within minutes. Details at this LINK if you don't believe me Not to mention the storms where that lake literally pitches rocks onto people's homes. 

Having lived on the Mississippi River during my childhood, I have a fondness for that river. I even like the rivers that fork here in Des Moines. Having been to Lake Tahoe, I'd have to say that it's my favorite body of water.

Shout out to Niagara Falls. If you want water that puts on a good show - you can't beat the fun of standing right next to the railing, watching the big plume of spray that bounces up in the air - and then the wind suddenly shifts - and drenches all the novice sightseers - who scream and run. Seasoned visitors have brought a hooded raincoat and maybe an umbrella as well. 

The boat trips that take you out to see the falls up close and person are also worthwhile if you enjoy being a couple inches from death. 

Sept to Lisa - issues with the ocean, part 1

 

I found one last envelope that is printed with a crumpled pattern. I also have a couple sheets of paper to fold into envelopes. Tomorrow I will start the Sept envelopes that I sent out. They turned out better than I was expecting since I didn't have a plan. I did have the good sense to start with the baby animal stamps that have wonderful design elements to use. This one is super easy. I just took the wave pattern that is made out of dots - or portions of dots AKA scallops. It seems like a good envelope to pair with my add-on topic.

***

I fall into that last category. I can't stand sand. Also the smell of salt water seems a little *off* to me. And I can even add something to the list. I do not like the noise. Many people love the sound of the ocean. I just want it to stop. And don't get me started on *water features* in yards. The only water sound I can stand is the very soft lapping that you sometimes hear when you are on a dock at a lake, ideally in a pine forest. 

The answer to my question regarding people who do not care for any form of water - rivers, lakes, oceans, seas - went directly to phobias:

Specific Phobias of Water

Thalassophobia: A persistent fear of the ocean, the sea, or deep, open water.
Limnophobia: A specific fear of lakes.
Potamophobia: A fear of rivers, streams, or running water.
Aquaphobia: A general fear of water itself.

Common Reasons People Dislike Water

People who do not have a clinical phobia may still dislike water for practical or sensory reasons:

Fear of Drowning: Worry about deep water, strong currents, or unexpected drop-offs.
The Unknown: Dislike of murky water where they cannot see the bottom or what is swimming beneath them.
Animals and Insects: Fear of sharks and jellyfish in the ocean, or biting insects like mosquitoes near lakes and rivers.
Sensory Dislike: Discomfort with sticky humidity, wet sand, muddy lake bottoms, or the smell of seaweed and salt.

July from Leslie - 3 more days to fill up

 

Leslie used the Marie to create the waves. It's very subtle and very nice. Her pretty card says: The sea is a wilderness of wonder. I wonder if Leslie is fond of the sea. I'm always curious about people from the midwest who are fond of seas and oceans. The midwest has only lakes and rivers. For me, the seas and oceans are way too dangerous. Even the Great Lakes are too dangerous for me. I love rivers and lakes. I wonder if there are any desert dwelling people who do not care for anything more than an oasis or watering hole. Do we think I'll find an answer? <pause> The answer is long enough that I can use it to fill tomorrow's post.

*** 

There will be three more days of drivel before I get back to my design tips for Liz. It's Aug 29th and I need to start my envelopes for the Sept exchange. My idea is to go through my pin board of *Words* and put a quote on each envelope. Then I went to Pinterest and noticed that Search box at the top, I wondered what would happen if I did a search for *Jean Wilson envelopes*. It surprised me that I had never thought of doing that. It was a lot of fun to see all kinds of artwork and envelopes that I had completely forgotten about. There are some things mixed in that have nothing to do with me. 

This is one of my favorite little drawings done by myself. I do not recall if it came out of my head or if I appropriated it. I'll do a Google image search and see if I find anything. <pause> Nope. There are lots of whimsical drawings with similar lettering but I didn't see anything that was even close.

I think I can find the source of that quote.

I think it was attributed to a mailman in a middle eastern country.

July from Amy and JeanR - Digression: the origin of cookies

 

Fourth of July themed envelopes from Amy above and JeanR below. Jean always includes cards. She is a prolific maker and mailer of cards. We still haven't gotten together for our annual visit when she's in Iowa for the summer. Hopefully we can make it happen soon. Maybe we can plan an outing and file a report on the blog.

***

As I researched the origin of scissors, it reminded me that I had been wondering who invented cookies. I did not save the source for the following information. Information is so ephemeral these days. 

Cookies were originally invented as small cakes used to test oven temperatures. Their history dates back to the 7th century in Persia, where sugar was cultivated and used in baking. This practice spread to Europe through various cultural exchanges, including the Muslim conquest of Spain.

The term "cookie" became popular in American English by the 18th century. In many English-speaking countries, cookies are often referred to as "biscuits," particularly when they are crisp.

Cookies have evolved significantly since their inception, leading to a wide variety of recipes and styles enjoyed around the world today.

July from Patty - Digression: scissors

 

There were lots of flower designs on the July envelopes that arrived. These yellow flowers on gray from Patty are very nice. They are a perfect example of my tip about adding black and white. These flowers would be dull, bland and boring without the black and white. I'm also liking the juxtaposition of martial arts and flowers. She pulled in some *action lines* to make my name literally bounce. She used *repetition* with the action lines and leaves. Love it. Stealworthy. Because I met Patty through my classes at the museum, it's not surprising that she picked up some of the tips that I've been talking about.

***

Digression about scissors. 

It's a rainy Saturday and I am on my coffee break. Here's another one of those videos about how something is made. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PwTdIn75nzA

And because I know some of us are wondering who invented scissors.... here you go:

Origins of Scissors

Early Development

• Scissors were first developed by the Mesopotamians nearly 4,000 years ago.
• These early scissors consisted of two blades connected by a thin strip of softer metal, allowing users to squeeze them together for cutting.

Advancements by Ancient Civilizations

• Around 1500 BC, the Ancient Egyptians used a similar design, known as spring scissors, which featured two bronze blades connected at the handles.
• The Romans improved the design around 100 AD by introducing the pivot mechanism, which is the basis for modern scissors.

Modern Manufacturing

• The mass production of scissors began in 1761 when Robert Hinchliffe in England started using cast steel to manufacture them, leading to the scissors we commonly use today.

While the exact inventor of scissors is not known, their evolution involved contributions from various ancient civilizations, particularly the Mesopotamians and Romans.

July from Mary - Digression: castles

 

Mary still has some of those Garden of Love stamps. I wish they would reissue them. Her drawing is lovely with the stamp. I wonder what stamp was reissued at the big stamp convention. It seems like we voted last year. Maybe I can find out. <pause>

https://www.stampsforever.com/vote

Mr. Rogers - and there is a nice 2:36 minute video at that link.

***

If you read Morning Brew you might have seen the link to a listing of a castle in each of the 50 states in case you enjoy visiting castles. Some states have more than one castle. I have been to the one in Minnesota. It's in Duluth and if you are ever up that way, it's worth a visit.

https://www.familyhandyman.com/list/castles-in-every-state/?utm_campaign=mb&utm_source=morning_brew&utm_medium=newsletter

I clicked on the one for Montana and wish I had known about it a few years ago when I passed through White Sulfur Springs and had no idea they had a castle. [That trip that seemed like it was just a few years ago was in 1993]

Then there is Iowa - yikes - it's a whole town, Ida Grove, with a bunch of kooky buildings with castle-esque features.  I won't even provide a link. There is a much better castle within walking distance of my house. I'll link to that. Technically, it is a manor house - but that's close enough to a castle. It was built by a family who had done very well in the cosmetics industry. My father-in-law had some wonderful childhood  stories about playing in the house with the boys who grew up there.

https://salisburyhouse.org

I couldn't find many photos at the website. There are more if you Google images - Salisbury House Des Moines.

July from Janet - digression: house projects

 

This is pure Janet. She's good at vine-y swirls or swirly vines. I like how hard it is to find a J in the the swirl of vines. There are several options. I wonder if it would work to design a big swirl that was just a layered swirl and use it for any first letter of any first name. Maybe nobody would notice that it was an abstraction. Or maybe I should just layer all the letters. I'd only need to do the letters on the exchange list. A-G-I-J-K-L-M-N-P-S-T are the usual names.

***

I am not writing this because I think it is interesting. I am writing it to explain why my blog posts go through phases of being less than inspired. At least you don't have to listen to me talk about how I broke my hip or have cancer or had a stroke or any of the twenty-two things on my list of things my contemporaries are facing these days.

Instead of me falling apart, my son bought a house that is 104 years old and several things are falling apart. While he is at work, I manage all the coming and going of workmen. I'm there for all the estimating and inspecting. I take my laptop and work on the blog while people are pounding.

We started with adding a bathroom, new HVAC and new siding. Then the dominos started to fall. Rusted out sewer line, a sagging roof pushing one wall out of alinement, roof repair causing cracks in the plaster that are 6-inches wide and run the length of the entire room and halfway down the wall, dangerous knob and tube wiring and significant foundation issues. It's all fixable - but, it takes energy for me to keep track of all the workmen who are coming and going - and getting things done in the right order. 

In many ways, it's better to just deal with everything all at once with an old house. August was super busy - Sept will be quiet so I can go back to attacking weeds. Maybe my Sept envelopes will be gorgeous - fall is such a pretty time of year.

July from Juliana - Musing about teaching - part 2

 

I wonder where Juliana finds her fonts? I wonder if she knows immediately that she has spotted one that I will love? I love this one. Maybe she designed it herself? I wonder if she reads the blog and will respond. I wonder if she used straight edges and templates. I wonder if I could figure out how to do this. The part that makes it so cool is the *clumping* at the intersections. Clumping isn't the right word. What's the right word? It's more like bleeding. But it only bleeds on one side.

***

I never planned on teaching. I had many teachers that I loved and a few that were not to my liking. I ended up teaching because the museum in my back yard needed a substitute teacher and then the calligraphy teacher *retired* from teaching to home school her kids. I had spent about 3 years taking all the classes that she taught and she had studied with all the rock stars in calligraphy so she was a really good instructor. 

I knew that I was nowhere near her (Cheryl Adams) skill level but I also knew that I brought some skills to the table that were a little different than her offerings. It turned out to be a wonderful era for me and as many teachers say, you learn as much from your students as they learn from you. I feel like I have already written all of this - and maybe I have - but you're going to have to suffer through it. The alternative would be listening to me talk about this:

Or this:

July from Irene --- Musing about teaching, part 1

 

Irene's wedge brush flowers and wavy vines are so pretty. My broken record comment is coming up - about how I hope to spend some time with my wedge brushes. I should just try those vines. They seem very beginner friendly. Inside the envelope is a fun quote, beautifully embossed.

My two-cents about how much intelligence you need - not an abundance - just enough that you make time to exercise your creative inclinations. So, if you think you aren't very intelligent, don't worry - I guarantee you are intelligent enough to tap into your creativity.

***

There was a break in post writing after I posted tip No. 8 and surely I have more than eight tips. Before I get into more tips I'm going to muse about how complicated it is to offer tips. I already mentioned how people can be disinterested in suggestions. Sometimes they are even offended. As I have said, that's the hardest part of teaching.

People show up for a class. They also bring their entire lifespan of experiences with making things and finding out what people think of their work. They might even be so self-critical that they can't see the parts of their work that is *working.* With kids, it's not appropriate to critique. They don't need a critical eye. The critical eye will evolve all on its own as the kid can see that what they had imagined is not what appears on the paper. 

It's very hit or miss with helping those older kids whose critical eye is evolving to understand the steps one takes to actually draw a likeness. So many kids as well as adults have horror stories about *terrible* art teachers who said mean things and *ruined* the experience for them. 

Then there are the people who really enjoyed collecting The Rules from the types of instructors who handed out The Rules that had been handed to them at some point. And most people are familiar with Breaking the Rules and all the sub-sets of how to break rules and here's where I decide that it might be impossible to teach art..... and yet.....

From Grace - who's to say which is better

 

Grace is skilled at both pointed nib calligraphy as well as broad edge. This is italic. It's one of the standards that a lot of people think is easy because it looks like the kind of printing that we learned in elementary school with serifs. How hard can that be. 

Don't get me started. It's one of those raging debates and I'm too old to get into it. On top of that, if I posted the work of Sheila Waters next to someone who bought a calligraphy marker and followed a rudimentary exemplar - some people would think they were *the same.* The subtle nuances are not visible to some people. To other people, they are glaring. 

I'm trying to think of something to compare it to - maybe in the world of food - we could think of something to compare - but it would be hard. I may prefer a home made chocolate chip cookie to Chips Ahoy. But, if a person grew up with only Chips Ahoy and that was their favorite cookie - they might prefer it to home made. 

The only thing I can think of where we might get close to 100% agreement would be a fish that you caught. cooked  and ate right on the shore. I can't picture anyone saying that a frozen filet or even something that had been on ice for a day or two, never frozen, was better than a shore lunch. Now I'm hungry for a shore lunch. I wonder if there are any in Chicago.

<pause> Bingo. There is a place 2.7 miles from where my grandkids live. I could walk. I'll have to find out where they source their fish. 

Mia to Lisa - Liz's tips - No. 8 - Steal and Conceal (part 2)

 

Mia's design incorporates the watery feel of the stamp. I like the way she outlined the lower case lettering. 

A couple horizontal lines across an envelope is a good starting point. I've been thinking that *2 horizontal lines* would be a good idea to toss out if I decided to do that thing where I toss out an optional idea for the exchange. I'm writing this on Aug 26 so I have a few days to decide if I'm going to do that. 

***

The phrase *steal and conceal* has been around for a while. Do not Google it as I just did because there were all kinds of things that have nothing to do with art. I hope I don't get myself in trouble for using the phrase. I first heard it from Peter Thornton, one of my very favorite calligraphy instructors. His classes always included some thoughts on where we get our ideas. We get them from everywhere.

The world is full of ideas. We can find them in nature, in ancient books, on the grocery shelves. on calendars, in cookbooks, on fabric, on stamps - the list is endless. If we love a Mary Engelbreit design, we can use her work as inspiration. She has a lot of checkerboards in her designs. She doesn't own checkerboards. If you follow her on IG sometimes she'll post something that inspired her. If you click on the people that she follows you'll see all kinds of work that is in a similar vein - whimsical, cottage-y, bright, cheerful, etc. 

There are two ways to go with steal and conceal - you can try for a very exact copy - or you can look at something to get the general drift and then do your own version from memory. Doing something from memory will probably be enough to conceal your source. Or, you can choose ways to specifically alter what your inspiration piece looks like. If it's bold and colorful with hard edges, you can switch to pastels and softer edges.

When I am stealing an idea, I usually go for fast and sloppy as my way to conceal where the idea came from. Then when I see that it is too sloppy I might go back and tighten it up - without looking at the original - and I might end up with something I like that is two steps removed from the original.

Do I need to reinforce the part where we only steal ideas for fun and we never sell our stolen designs?

Liz and Jean to Lisa - Liz's tips - No. 7 - steal and conceal (part one)

 

Liz sent this postcard to Lisa - and Lisa liked it a lot - she liked all of her mail. Nicky and I had some exchanged emailing about postcards and I was pretty sure I was going to try doing some postcards but it hasn't happened yet..... then a postcard arrived - from Nicky and it's really nice. Stay tuned.

This is the envelope from me with my penmanship that Lisa did not recognize. I feel like I already ran this one - but I couldn't find it when I scrolled back. I still have a few of those stamps - soooo.... maybe I can figure out a better way to make the letters look like candles.

***

Making an exact copy, to the best of your ability, is a completely legitimate way to study and learn. It's work. When I was first learning calligraphy I did a lot of tracing. Some of the very best calligraphy  teachers agreed that tracing has its place.  Ideally, you will get to the point where your eye can guide your hand in the precise direction to replicate the style of lettering - but if you can't get the feel of the style you are working on - trace until you get the feel - and the muscle memory. Then switch back to just using your eyes - and hand/eye coordination.

It would be fine to trace anything. Obviously you wouldn't do it on something that you planned to sell as your original artwork - but you are free to trace and replicate anything that you feel like making. There are people out there who are putting their designs out for free - for people who need ideas.

I don't have time right now to find them. Maybe some of you will leave comments with your favorite places to get ideas. Also - snap photos of things you see when you are out and about that look like ideas that would work on an envelope.

It is my understanding that if an artist is allowed to make a replica of an original work of art in a museum, they may not make it the same size as the original. At one time, I heard that it needed to be a 75% reduction but I have no idea if that was or still is true. If anyone wants to do some research and submit the information I will put it in a future post. 

Contributions from readers is encouraged. It might even be rewarded. I could send people one of those old-school gold stars. Remember back in the 1900s when we bought into the concept of earning sticky stars. What a scam. 

Irene to Lisa - Liz's tips - No. 6 - pondering the elements

There will be some August exchange envelopes addressed to my friend Lisa who lives in Des Moines. I put her name on the lists and gave people the option to send to either of us. Some people sent to both of us which was very nice of them. I've done this for a few other people and it's always fun to watch people open their mail. Lisa is especially delighted with mail. It just amazed her that people who didn't know her would send her some mail. I guess she wasn't connecting with the concept that it's an exchange - they sent something because they were going to get something.

At the bottom of her stack of mail (that she was opening while we were together) was the one I sent. For the return address on the back, I put her address - so there was nothing that indicated it was from me. She did not recognize my penmanship and was surprised to find it was from me. I'll post it tomorrow.

The inside of the card has a cool pop-up arrangement of flowers. I shot a video of it - but I can't get it uploaded - so here is a link to instructions. I've made one of these and it was lots of fun.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fgUDgScs2to

 ***

Tip no. 6: Look at the elements and ask questions to figure out what needs to be improved is a great tip but when you are doing this on your own you might not know what's wrong. This is where it's helpful to take a class or watch YouTube videos or email me with a question. It's also fun to find a local buddy who shares your interest in making things. For many years I would ask my mom to look at projects I was working on and she had no background in art. Her *un(art)educated* eye was still an eye that had been seeing things for many years - and deciding for herself what she liked and didn't like. She could make comments about things that looked a little off to her. I think I generally accepted her opinion as valid and did something. For me, a difficult part of teaching was when I gave feedback and students would instantly defend what they had done - taking my advice to consider something as an insult. 

There are no set rules about how to make the colors work together or what kind of spacing is going to look best. It's all very subjective. I can look at things and tell you what I'd do - but that might not be right for you. Liz likes to pack a lot of stuff onto her envelopes and she loves bright colors. I've had fun channeling Liz's aesthetic - but it's not something that just rolls off the tips of my markers. 

I do better when I flip through Pinterest and look for examples of exuberant designs for idea. That wall on my optical shop is a good example of something that looks Liz-ish that would give me some good ideas for an envelope.

That brings us to steal and conceal.

Aug from Jean - Liz's tips - No. 5 - Observing (and questioning) your elements

 

I wish I had time to reshoot the envelope - it's a muddy photo - the colors are much nicer - and look more like the paste paper card on the inside. I like that diagonal line between the names. 

The design on the card is a nice example of how all you need are lines. I'm guessing Jean did a large sheet of paste paper and then cut it down. That's a fun way to create abstract designs to use on a large quantity of items - rather than one at a time. 

***

Now that you know the elements of art - you can ask questions about each of them if you are looking at your envelope and it is not pleasing your eye.

The color might be off. You might need an accent color. You might have too many colors and need to layer some of them to tone them down. You might need to add black and/or white.

The way you arranged the lines and shapes might have created some awkward spaces that are troubling you.

The values might be out of whack. You might need to add black and/or white. I know I just said that - but it's one of your most valuable tools in fixing things that are missing something.

Form will not be an issue since there's nothing 3D on your envelope. 

Texture might be something to consider. I can think of many times when a line or shape looked a little blah and it just needed some oomph. Colored pencils are my go-to method for giving the focal point a little pizazz. 

I'm going to mention Space again. Quite often - learning to look at the space between everything is not the easiest thing to learn but if you start to understand the concept - it's a game changer. Does anyone want me to delve into Space further?

Aug from Maggie - Sept exchange sign-up - Liz's tips - No. 4 - The 7 elements of art

This one is from Maggie. MrWilson commented on it when he brought in the mail. He does not have the vocabulary to communicate what he was trying to say. I wish I had a recording of the unusual choice of words - because he was being very careful to tiptoe around the topic for which he has no vocabulary. Can anyone guess what it is? Skill level. Yes, Maggie takes classes and spends a lot of time on her calligraphy. We don't know exactly how much time - but - over the years, it has added up. She has done the work.

Ironically - Maggie enclosed a note saying she had already sent this design to me - and even knew when. Yikes. What kind of record keeping is going on in Westchester? Me thinks (or is it methinks) the lady does not have piles of random disorganized stuff like the rest of up. In case you can't tell, I've just downed the noon coffee and I'm getting silly.

***

Liz's tips - No. 4 - The seven basic elements in any piece of art. (Some lists have more than seven)

Line (including dots) - is self explanatory. 

Shape and form are the words when enclosed space. 

A shape is 2D and a form is 3D. We mostly have shapes on our envelopes. 3D items are not advised. However, a 2D shape can give the impression that it is 3D.

Color - yup - we all know about color. 

Value is lightness or darkness.

Texture can be implied or literal. 

Space - my favorite element - most of the time it's the space between the elements. You have your lines and shapes and you plop them on the envelope - but you can adjust the size of each as well as the placement. When you start moving shapes around or making the lines bolder - you influence the space between the shapes and lines. That space is technically emptiness - but it has as much impact as the the shapes and line. 

It's time to sign up for the September exchange.

Today through Sept 4th is the window to sign-up. Lists are sent on the 5th.

If you participated in the August exchange - just shoot me an email that says: SIGN ME UP - you do not need to retype your address and info.

Send your sign-up to:    PTEnvelopes-at-aol-dot-com

Let me know if it is your [Birthday] month or if you are willing to be on [2 Lists].

If you were not on an August list - or if you only sign up occasionally - or are a new exchanger - please send your information in the following format:

Jane Doe

123 Oak Street

Ames, IA 50010

janedoe@aol.com

[Birthday]  [2 Lists]  -- if those items apply

If you are new to the exchange - there are helpful details at this link:

https://pushingtheenvelopes.blogspot.com/p/rules-of-exchangement.html