Everyone is an Artist
Once I started calling myself as an artist, it’s interesting how many people have shared with me that they have no talent for art.
I beg to differ.
While art to some may be the ability to create 3D renderings of what the eye sees, I believe that art=creativity and that it doesn’t have to come at the end of a paintbrush. It can come in the kitchen when looking in the fridge and cupboards to see what you can “whip up” for dinner. It can come when planting a garden and deciding which plants should go where. Putting together a slide show presentation for the boardroom is most certainly creative as is juggling your schedule to get all of your errands completed this week.
I just wanted to make sure you received the credit you deserved. :o)
Friday Link Share
Notebook Papers at Pens and Paper
Going the long way, via technology at Make Every Day a Good Mail Day
Help us Design a Planner for you! at Quo Vadis Blog
Better Googling at Read, Write, Think, Edit
Uni-ball Woodnote .38 mm Orange Review at The Pen Addict
Indiana Diarists at Notebook Stories
Rhodia on the Road at Ontheroad
Fiction Writing Exercises for Exploring and Developing Theme at Writing Forward
Wish List at Dave’s Mechanical Pencils
‘Tis the Season to Simplify at Inkophile
Artistic Dollar Redesign is Beautiful, Simple & Practical at Web Urbanist
Staples 16-Sheet High Speed Cross-Cut Shredder – Giveaway Week Item #4 at OfficeSupplyGeek
December Carnival of Pen, Paper and Pencil at Pocket Blonde
Interested in a 2012 Rhodia Journal Swap?
I am currently participating in two different sketchbook exchange projects and it got me to thinking about starting a similar “journal swap” project. 12 people, each provided a large dotWebbie, would fill a specified amount of pages in the journal then mail it to the next person on the list. A theme would be chosen for the project and the participants could fill their pages however they choose – random thoughts, poems, art, collage… Along the way, the participants will scan/snap/upload project photos to a group Tumblr blog for all to see. After each book has cycled through the hands of all the participants, the book you started is returned to you – now filled with all kind of interesting stuff!
Is this something you might be interested in participating in?
I will post the specifics for participation after the new year.
Art Journaling on Tumblr
One of my favorite blogs is Art Journaling – a photo blog on Tumblr. I can scroll through the images forever & ever… so much inspiration, so much feeling of connectedness through all the different peoples art expressions. When I started to journal, I’d occasionally draw in my books but now I do it a lot more- to the point of dedicating whole journals to the cause. I especially have fun painting and coloring the backgrounds in which to return at a later date when the creative bug bites.
Have you ever tried art journaling? If no, take a look at some of the images on this site and let me know if they leave you feeling inspired….
Want to learn more about art journaling? Check out these sites:
Art Journaling as a Creative Process
Web Planner Review from Sandra Strait of Life Imitates Doodles
Sandra Strait, author of the popular Zentangle inspired blog Life Imitates Doodles recently reviewed our new Rhodia WebPlanner.
(The WebPlanner) “has Rhodia’s signature silky smooth paper, and the overall look aims at elegance rather than flash. You’d think elegance would be difficult when some of the print is orange. However, combined with gray print, it has a surprising sophistication.”
Sandra – we just love your tangle designs in our Rhodia products! Please visit her blog for the full review – maybe even stick around and peruse her amazing tangle designs which are all accompanied with step by step patterns on how to create them.
Friday Link Share
Calm Waters by Judy Wise
Technology vs. The Pen and Paper at Good Pens
Rhodia Pencils at Pencil Talk
A Public Journal on a North Carolina Beach at Notebook Stories
Tips for Writing Better Poetry at Writing Forward
The Gift of a Creative Mother (Guest post by Cami Smith) at Feed Your Soul Art
Listen to Yourself at Pamela Stead Jones
Steve Jobs, Calligraphy Lover at South San Fransisco Patch
Another Old Papermate at My Supply Room
Bulletproof Clipboard from Think Geek at Office Supply Geek
Blast Off! 36 Retro Sci-Fi Book Covers at Web Urbanist
Lihit Lab Teffa Pen Case Review at The Pen Addict
Achieve your goals with the “Zorro Circle” at Abundance Blog
reminders at La Vie Graphite
The Difference Between Motivation and Inspiration at Whitehot Truth
The Parlour Restaurant at Travels With a Sketchbook
On Writing: Is there an app for that? at Mirth and Motivation
The Making of Listen to the Light by BLUEBRAIN from BLUEBRAIN on Vimeo.
New Tools: Koh-i-noor Woodless Colored Pencils
Our friend Gail Young recently sent me an e-mail about these Koh-i-noor woodless pencils which I have yet to try. Her thoughts?
- Soft but not smudgy.
- Blend beautifully. Continue Readering »
Art Journal Inspiration from Daisy Yellow.
Daisy Yellow blog has long been an exciting source of art inspiration for me. Tammy’s art, and the infectious way she shares it via her various projects and creative prompts makes it easy to jump right in and start creating. In the following video, Tammy demonstrates and discusses creating a two-page art journal spread in an Exacompta journal.
Pastel Chaos in the Exacompta from Tammy on Vimeo.
This second video shows Tammy flipping through a half-filled Exacompta sketchbook, and I’m sure you will quickly see one of the main reasons I am drawn to Tammy & her work.
Flip-Thru Exacompta Journal from Tammy on Vimeo.
Not familiar with the Exacompta sketch book? You can read my review on my personal blog.
Link Share Friday
New R by Rhodia tablet: my new favorite paper! at The Missive Maven
Andreus Englund at Empty Kingdom
Finger Painted Art Journal Backgrounds at Daisy Yellow
In which the University of Washington renews my faith in bookstores at Strikethru
Upside-down Fountain Pen Doodles at Speck’s Sketch Blog
Journal Writing at Nordljus
Charles Keene – Keene Fountain Pens at Fountain Pen Restoration
Inside my Art Journal: Exploring my Yellow Self at Feed Your Soul Art
Notebook Pockets – Do you use them? at A Penchant for Paper
Art Student Hand-Illuminates, Binds a Copy of Tolkien’s Silmarillion at Make: Technology on your own time
Don’t forget about our Rhodia Drive group on Flickr!
Image at top by Sophie.
Exact Change Please….
We recently received this comment on Rhodia availability:
“Your company needs vending machines that can dispense your products! Place them outside of art supply stores and near art schools, with a few placed in areas (like mine) that lack adequate art supply retail outlets. Continue Readering »
A Long Way to Rhodia
Josh Woolas sent us this Rhodia cover doodle which immediately reminded me of the 1975 song, It’s a Long Way to the Top (If you want to Rock & Roll) by the Australian rock band AC/DC. I’ve added Josh’s image to our Cover Doodles photo page and if you’d like your photo to be added to the gallery, send to: stephanie@rhodiadrive.com.
Link Share Friday!
10 Science Fiction Books that Changed the Course of History at i09
Consolidation at Unposted
dotWebbie Review at A Penchant for Paper
vessels at Le Vie Graphite
Pen Collectors of America at Whatever
Scenes from Tibet at Flickr Blog
Rhodia Bloc No. 120 Rainbow Notepad at Pocket Blonde
The New and Improved Monthly Giveaway at Office Supply Geek
Week in the Life ~ Sunday at Nordljus
Exacompta Sketchbook Review at The Well Appointed Desk
Farewell Exacompts Sketchbook 1 at Ontheroad
Fun Making Pocket Shrines at Art Full Musings
August Carnival of Pen, Pencil and Paper is Here! At Peaceable Writer
Original Art above “Spin” by Stephanie Smith, your Rhodia Driver. All Rights Reserved.
Ever try watercolor paints? Here’s a few tips to get you started.
When I was first wanting to try watercolors, I somewhat skipped over the student grade paints which are more binder than pigment, and bought the artist grade paints I read would work best in the long run. Since the artist grade paints are higher quality, (more pigment than binder which means better coverage, better mixing) I think they are easier for a beginner to use- but they will cost more. I believe there are quite a few people who have tried then given up on watercolor paints because they didn’t seem to act as expected – and that’s likely due to the paints being used – not due to operator error. Continue Readering »
Share with a friend?
Yesterday I gave a few Exaclair products to a new artist friend whose work I’d been admiring for a while. He ran his fingers over the smooth surface of the Clairefontaine Triomphe paper, and exhibited his appreciation for its quality.When I handed him a large orange Webbie, I asked him if it was something he could use and his eyes lit up as he exclaimed, “Yes! I pay good money for products like that!” For years I have been communicating via the web with people who appreciate the quality of paper they use for writing and art creation, but to see someone in person be as happy over paper as I am? Joy! Sterling Witt is an amazing artist /musician who promised to send me pictures of what he creates using the paper and inks I gave him. In the meantime, check out his website here.
Who will you share some Rhodia with?
Comfortable Shoes reviews the Graf-it
Have you tried the Clairefontaine Graf-it pads yet? Leslie from the art journaling blog Comfortable Shoes did – and she loved the paper! “I have to say that this paper is amazing. Though it’s only 90g (41lb) it’s super sturdy and accepts a lot of media without issues. It takes some serious effort to get stuff to soak through. When I say stuff I mean ALL the stuff I’ve tossed at it.” (See picture above.)
Leslie did not however, love the staple bound pad with it’s perforated pages and even went as far as to suggest that this paper would be warmly welcomed in a bound version – like the Webbie. (Hmmmm, SketchWebbie? I wonder…) You can read Lesli’s full review of the Graf-it pads here.
