Projects update and Nibblefest for May

I started carving an image of a vintage ink brayer on a woodblock when I was struck down by a nasty infection.  This is as far as I got but now that my energy is starting to come back and I've finished posting my entries for May Nibblefest Art Contest, I can pick this back up and finish it and maybe even print some proofs before month's end...

May 2015 Nibblefest Entries

Theme: Freak Show

I've decided to try and tie my nibblefest entries to tarot cards that fit within the theme.  I will try to do two ACEOs and one large painting using the substrates that I made by laminating layers packing.

  

Strength: an original ACEO created using Inktense watercolor pencils and sharpie markers (right). It's inspired by a vintage circus poster and the major arcana tarot card Strength. Click the following link to go to the ebay listing: 

 http://www.ebay.com/itm/231568592431?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649

 

The Eight of Swords original ACEO created using Inktense watercolor pencils and sharpie markers (right). It's inspired by the tarot card and a vintage circus photograph. Click the following link to go to the ebay auction listing:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/231568589429?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649

 

The Magician is an original 7.5" x 10.5" acrylic painting on upcycled food packaging (right). It's inspired by a vintage circus poster and the Major Arcana tarot card the Magician and the Aces... Click the following link to go to the ebay auction listing:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/231568572469?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649

April Nibblefest Entries; theme was Space, Planets, Stars

 

Image on the left is The Star ACEO (2.5" x 3.5") miniature acrylic painting on 4 layers of re-purposed food packaging laminated and sealed with gesso.  The image on the right is the traditional tarot card that inspired it.

 

 Image on the left is The Moon ACEO (2.5" x 3.5") miniature acrylic painting on 4 layers of re-purposed food packaging laminated and sealed with gesso.  The image on the right is the traditional tarot card that inspired it.

 

Image on the left is The Sun 7.5" x 10" acrylic painting on 4 layers of re-purposed food packaging laminated and sealed with gesso.  The image on the right is the traditional tarot card that inspired it.

Upcycling Cereal Boxes and Other Food Packaging

One of my projects was to trim various food packages that I've been saving laminate 3-4 layers of same sized pieces together with gesso.  I did this to create illustration board like substrates for small acrylic paintings. Tea boxes I trimmed to ACEO size (2.5" x 3.5") then laminated three layers thick. Cereal boxes I laminated three thick. Acrylic paint, gesso and medium neutral the ph of papers they're applied to; making archival substrates of cheap materials! 

March Nibblefest Flowers

March Nibblefest Art Contest Entries

This month's theme for Nibblefest Art Contest is Flowers I was not inspired at first but over the weekend I was cleaning up and decided to toss out my Valentine bouquet but Lo...there was one hydrangea bloom that was still going strong so I put it into my depression glass hand me down bud vase and it just looked so awesome -- that big giant puff of pink -- that I decided to draw it for Nibblefest.

 

The Palest Pink Puff  original photo and original mixed media artwork

Well the cleaning out of the vase of spent Valentine flowers was to accommodate my Ostara bouquet.  

 

Peachy Sun original photo and original mixed media artwork.

And I figured since I was on a roll making the Pink Puff that I may as well keep going and make some more art inspired by the new bouquet.

 

Red Violet Sunshine original photo and original mixed media artwork

Nibblefest Art Contest, is a themed art contest beginning on the 20th of each month and runs through the 27th.  Please be sure to search for NFAC in ebay to see a whole lot of awesome artworks, by a large variety of great artists. Each artwork has a listing price starting at just 99 cents!

Nibblefest Art Contest Theme Books

This month's Nibblefest Art Contest theme is Books.  I've listed 3 items... some of my hand made one page wonder books.

   
A Little Book of Zen, the catalog for one of my exhibits of artworks created by the universe... book is made from one sheet of folded fine art paper that was giclee printed using epson fine art inks.

 
Flocked Butterflies, a set of 3 little sketch books. Insert made from single sheets of accordion folded fine art paper.

Flocked Flourishes, a set of 3 little sketch books. Insert made from one sheet of folded fine art paper.



All of these books are part of the monthly Nibblefest challenge on ebay.  In this theme based contest artists list up to three artworks (at least one of which must be an original) with a starting bid of 99 cents.  You can see lots and lots of great artworks by searching "NFAC" on ebay.  You're sure to see something you love and can afford!!!

TIME Some Nibblefest ACEOs

I created a tiny print for this month's Nibblefest Art Challenge.  Nibblefest is a monthly eBay art challenge with a new theme each month.  The challenge is to create 1 to 3 works within the theme and list them on eBay with a starting bid of 99 cents.  The artists to get the most bidders (biddiers not bids) to battle over one of their artworks wins the challenge.

this is a little scrap of battleship linoleum i carved to make the open edition of ACEO size prints on various scraps of printmaking papers.

This was my setup while printing the ACEOs

a digitally watermarked version on a scrap of Rives BFK light. The text in the book is not in the original.  I put it in the scan.  I actually left the book pages blank so that I could personalize each print as I see fit...

blue time doesn't have any legible text in the book pages.  I did draw a bug on the left page when I colored the print using a new art product. To see the image without the digital watermark at the eBay listing click the following link:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/231237516817

I drew an orchid in the left page of Green Time. I really really really love the Inktense water soluble color pencils I used to color these little Nibblefests. You can see what this looks like without digital watermarks at it's eBay listing:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/231237519353

I drew some leaves on the left page of the book in Violet Time.  The Inktense color pencils are highly pigmented and brighter than standard water color pencils yet they are still translucent and can be layered and used with watercolor paints. This one is listed without the digital watermarks on eBay:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/231237518318

A lot of really great artists participate in the Nibblefest eBay Art Challenge.  At least on of three listing by each artist must be an original artwork so it's a great opportunity to collect original fine art at an affordable price!  Just search NFAC on eBay between the 20th and the 27th of each month to see the theme and artworks for that month.

Nibblefest Teasers...

I've listed a few digital reproductions today as teasers for the beginning of tomorrow's "NibbleFest Art Contest."  The auction for the teasers start now...

Red Dress

can be bid on at:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/230966588286?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649

This is a digital reproduction of a small watercolor I did for Nibblefest Art Contest.  “Red Dress” was inspired by a photograph taken by a friend who gave me permission to reproduce it as an artwork.

Sierra Nevada Fall 2011

can be bid on at:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/230966589471?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649

This is a digital reproduction of a small watercolor I did for Nibblefest Art Contest.  “Sierra Nevada Fall 2011" is inspired by a photograph I took while on a roadtrip with Hubby to see beautiful fall colors in the mountains.

Little Tree Stands Against Forces

Can be bid on at:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/230966587047?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649

This is a digital reproduction of a small drawing I did from memory upon returning from an Easter dinner visit with in-laws.  It was a stormy day of driving in the mountains to reach our destination.  During our trip I spied a tiny tree holding its own against a sudden rush of water in a storm drain.  Though it was but a quick glance I was inspired by that little tree's forbearance and was compelled to draw what I could remember.

The watermark "Phare-Camp Fine Art" doesn't actually appear in any of the artworks.  These digital printouts are ACEO sized, about ACEOs Wikipedia says:

“Artist trading cards (or ATCs) are miniature works of art about the same size as modern trading cards baseball cards, or 2-1⁄2 by 3-1⁄2 inches (64 mm × 89 mm), small enough to fit inside standard card-collector pockets, sleeves or sheets. The ATC movement developed out of the mail art movement and has its origins in Switzerland. Cards are produced in various media, including dry media (pencils, pens, markers, etc.), wet media (watercolor, acrylic paints, etc.), paper media (in the form of collage, papercuts, found objects, etc.) or even metals or cloth. The cards are usually traded or exchanged. When sold, they are usually referred to as art card editions and originals (ACEOs)."

This week, beginning Saturday April 20th, you can see more tree inspired works of art created by me and by other great artists as entries in the Nibblefest Art Contest, a themed art contest beginning on the 20th of each month.  Please be sure to search for NFAC to see many great entries in ebay; each available for auction purchase starting at just $0.99!

Nibblefest Art Theme for March "Nursery Rhymes"

"Little Miss Muffet" ACEO printout of a digital collage preliminary sketch used to map out an ACEO paper collage of the same title.  Available at ebay until 3/27/13.

Little Miss Muffet - Original Digital Collage ACEO - March NFAC

 I like to participate in art challenges.  Themed challenges keep my art mind stimulated by challenging it to conceptualize.  

"Little Miss Muffet" an original ACEO mixed media collage created for the monthly Nibblefest challenge.

Available at ebay until 3/27/13:

Little Miss Muffet Original Mixed Media Collage ACEO for March NFAC

One of the themed challenges I regularly participate in is the monthly Nibblefest challenge; a collection of artists who put the themed artworks created for the challenge on ebay for auction with a starting bid of just 99 cents.  This month's theme is Nursery Rhymes.

 Front cover of "Mother Goose" a tiny 32 page book of illustrated nursery rhymes made from one sheet of 8.5x11" jet printed bond paper.  Available on ebay until 3/27/13

Mother Goose - A Teeny Tiny Book of Nursery Rhymes - March NFAC by Phare-Camp

For this month's challenge I did a digital collage then created a mixed media paper collage based on the digital composition.  Both the digital and paper collages are posted in ebay for the Nibblefest challenge.  But I also have the digital files of a little "one page wonder" book I created of nursery rhymes.  Which of course fits right in with the challenge.

 Inside "Mother Goose before its been folded cut and assembled into an itty bitty 1.5" x 2.25" book of nursery rhymes.

Mother Goose - A Teeny Tiny Book of Nursery Rhymes - March NFAC by Phare-Camp

 Fun With Color - Tiny 16 page Handmade Book by Phare-Camp

Available at ebay until 3/28/13.

I also included a few more works of art for auction with opening bid of 99 cents on ebay only during the Nibblefest  challenge.

Inside "Fun With Color" a digitally illustrated Book of color theory optical illusions inkjet printed onto onesheet of 8.5 x 11" paper, before it was folded cut and assembled into a tiny 2.75 x 2.75" book.

Tea Party - Digital Collage ACEO - by Phare-Camp 

available at ebay until 3/29/13

This is an original digital collage I developed as a preliminary sketch for an original woodcut print. The 2.5" x 3.5"size format is that of ACEO, or Artist Cards Editions and Originals. 

ACEOs are miniature works of art.  Wikipedia describes them as:

"An offshoot of artist trading cards are Art Cards, Editions and Originals (ACEOs), whichoriginated when some artists began to create cards to sell, in addition totrading among themselves. Many ACEOs are sold on internet auction sites, suchas eBay. As the term suggests, ACEOs may be small original works of art, oreditions of small prints."

Come Sail Away - Original Collage ACEO by Phare-Camp

Available at ebay until 3/28/13.

2.5 x 3.5 inch ACEO collage made using decorative and handmade papers. It was inspired by an IllustrationFriday.com challenge of "Sail." Signed and dated on the back. Sent inside an archival clear acetate art sleeve.

To see lots more artwork by lots more artists with opening bids of just 99 cents you can go to ebay and do a search of "NFAC" or you can just click the link below...

NibbleFest Art Contest:  http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=NFAC&_armrs=1&_from=R9&_ipg=&_dct=1&_rdc=1&_trksid=m194&ssPageName=STRK:MEFSRCHX:SRCH

Nibblefest Art Contest: Mushrooms

Amanita 1, image: 4x4"  paper: 8x8"

As promised here are images of the digital illustrations I created for the Nibblefest Art Contest ebay challenge.

Amanita 2, image: 4x4"  paper: 8x8"

You can scroll through an ebay search for NFAC to see more works by other artists based on the December theme of "Mushrooms"

Amanita 3, image: 4x4"  paper: 8x8"

These works are inspired by the Nibblefest theme and by the warholizing project I did for my son.