TECHNIQUES FOR JOURNALS, PAPER DOLLS, ART CARDS AND ASSEMBLAGES L T E R E D RTCIRCU§~ TECHNIQUES FOR JOURNALS, PAPER DOLLS, ART CARDS, AND ASSEMBLAGES o <II III P m < m '" c: r- 0 -< s: » ~ '" 0 '" :::u ~ (") :J: C A :::u '" m -< -< -< '" (f) LISA KETTELL © 2009 by Quarry Books All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission of the copyright owners. All images in this book have been reproduced with the knowledge and prior consent of the artists concerned, and no responsibility is accepted by the producer, publisher, or printer for any infringement of copy- right or otherwise, arising from the contents of this publication. Every effort has been made to ensure that credits accurately comply with information supplied. We apologize for any inaccuracies that may have occurred and will resolve inaccurate or missing information in a subsequent reprinting of the book. First published in the United States of America by Quarry Books, a member of Quayside Publishing Group 100 Cummings Center Suite 406-L Beverly, Massachusetts 01915-6101 Telephone: (978) 282-9590 Fax: (978) 283-2742 www.quarrybooks.com Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Kettell, Lisa. Altered Art Circus! : altering techniques, art cards, and other magical projects I Lisa Kettell. p.cm. ISBN 978-1-59253-487-6 1. Handicraft. 2. Fancy work. I. Title. TT857.K472009 745.5--dc22 2008022606 CIP Design: bradhamdesign.com Photography by Lexi Boeger with the exception of pages 111- 128; some background and accent images from www.istockphoto.com. Technical Edit: Marla Stefanelli Printed in Singapore ) ./ c ONTENT § CHAPTER DISCOVERED ARTIFACTS I9 INTRODUCTION 8 Alistair's Closet of Mystery 20 The Book of Secrets 24 Jl Pocket Posies 28 Vintage-Style Paper Dolls 32 GETTING STARTED The Princess and the Pea Paper Doll Assemblage I I 34 Artistic Influences Marie Antoinette Soiree 12 8 3 Tools and Supplies Fairyt ale Pageant Crown 13 42 Basic Techniques, Tips, and Tricks The Traveling Bumbelinas IS 46 ) Carnival Theatres 50 CHAPTER ART CARDS, POCKETS, AND SPELLBINDING BOOKS 69 Circusology Art-Card Pocketbook CH APTER 70 Creating an Art-Card THE MAGICAL 74 GALLERY: The Fairy Opera ARTWORK AND Shadow-Box Card INSPIRATION FROM 6 7 CONTRIBUTING CH APTER Alice's Wonderland ARTISTS Art-Card Booklet 100 8 7 CAPTURED JAR FAIRIES, Miss Spellbinder's SPECIMENS, Magic Cookbook - 80 AND WANDS Gallery of Shared Images 57 Trixie-the-Pixie's Journal 111 Captured Cupcake-Princess 84 Suppliers of Goods Wands and Wand Jar 124 58 About the Author Captured Cupcake-Princess 126 61 Acknowledgments Specimen Cozy and the Fiji 127 Mermaid Jar Fairy CHAPTER 62 Crystal-Ball Wands RECYCLED 66 HARDWARE 87 Rusty-Doll Effigy 88 Carnival Toys 92 Doll of Eclectic Origin 6 9 The Secret Lantern 8 9 o N T R D I 0VER SINCE COULD HOLD A CRAYON I HAVE CREATED A FANTASY WORLD. Inspiration came from savoring every last detail from fairy tales and short stories such as Peter Pan and Alice in Wbnderland. On Sundays, my grandfather would take me to his parent's house for crumb cake and breakfast goodies. My great-aunts and -uncles would sit at the table and talk about the good old days as I watched my great grand father walk around the property as ifhe were hunting for treasure. Because he owned a salvage yard, exploring was second nature to him-a trait that was passed on to me. (Coincidentally, we share the same birth date.) As time passed, my passion expanded to illustration. I tried to get my hands on every comic or picture book I could find and began teaching myself how to draw the characters. Both my grandmother and uncle are illustrators and have their own style, but I was struggling to find mine. A big question in my mind was: How do you pick a specific style or art form when you like everything you see? I've come to the conclusion that you don't pick. You explore inspiration from all art forms, and eventually you'll discover your niche. As a self-taught artist, I am always looking for ways to challenge my creativity, which has led me to explore the world of digital illustration and altered design. I have also been quite inspired by the History Channel, another big influence on my work. In addition, research on the Internet has led me to information, inspiration, creative blogs, and art groups where I have made many friends. I created The Faerie Zine, a publication that is filled with amazing works of art, project ideas, samples, collage sheets, stories, interesting facts, and my own art and from that sprang this book. 8 cy1lLTERElD A RT C liRCUS! u c o T N My goal is to bring altered art to a new level by combining novel techniques, materials, and projects. You will find art recipes made from household items, garden and hardware supplies, and children's art-and-craft materials. You will integrate unique ephemera into exciting two- and three-dimensional projects. Don't be afraid to experiment. This book is about playtime for grown-ups. We all have our daily commitments and schedules, which can cause chaos or stress in our lives. When we finally do find the time for art, we can suffer a creative block or loss of inspiration, making it very challenging to create a new piece and figure out what techniques to apply. This is when inspiration is a key. This is the time to visit the Altered Art Circus! To get there you will need a map and a key, which can be found in the following pages. Escape into fantasy-daydream of chocolate fountains or flying cupcakes, wear a pixie tiara, visit the fairy opera, or step inside an apothecary shop. Take these artifacts and embark on your own journey-you may never want to come back. I want to bring you-the reader, the daydreamer, the explorer, the artist-to a place you have never been before-a place where you can unleash your creative muse and explore hidden worlds. I hope to lead you down new artistic paths and illuminate your life. Whether your creative time is spent treasure hunting for new ideas and supplies in your home, at the antique market, or in a bookstore, remember one thing-after reading this book, you can journey fearlessly into your own imagination filled with magical follies and pure delight. - LISA KETTELL 9