Art Smorgasbord - Enjoying the Ride

I started working on the projects for this week's post with a vintage botanical theme in mind.  However, it ended up reflecting the way my week has been, which had lots of unexpected detours.  Sometimes you just have to go with the flow and enjoy the ride.

© Arnoldo L. Romero 2013

The Spring projects above were inspired by Tim Holtz - Tattered Floral Challenge.  I made the flowers by following Tim's instructions, except I varied the painting technique on the tissued grungeboard.  I also customized my fasteners differently, by using vintage buttons and twine.  Since I had some painted grungeboard leftovers, I cut some butterflies with my Tim Holtz's mini dies.  I used glass E-beads and wire to design bodies for the butterflies, which I glued on.  I arranged the pieces around a birch tree branch to photograph them.  I am also submitting this designs to Simon Says Stamp - Anything Goes and Take a Word - Wings.

© Arnoldo L. Romero 2013

The art journal page above, which was inspired by John 3:3, was a lot of fun to make.  I started off by illustrating the egg on bristol paper using gouache paints and Prismacolor pencils.  Then, I carefully trimmed Maryjo Koch images and papers, as well as my egg.  I created my collage composition, and then lettered in the Bible verse with a micron pen.  I finished the piece by adding some orange and blue shading with Prismacolor pencils all around the page.  I am submitting this page to the Artist Playroom #46 - Blorange, Collage Obsession - Eggs, Word Art Wednesday #69, What's on Your Workdesk? Wednesday 195, and Paint Party Friday - Week 51, Year 2.

© Arnoldo L. Romero 2013

The tag above is part of the children's book I wrote and illustrated, based on my original character, ©Anel.  I illustrated the page using a micron pen and Prismacolor pencils.  The text is a combination of a Martha Stewart letter stamp and simple hand lettering.  I matted the illustration using a Pressed Petals print.  This is part of my Tag Tuesday - Alphabet series, but I'm also submitting it to Three Muses - Rustle of Spring, Illustration Friday - Talent, and Sunday Sketches.

© Arnoldo L. Romero 2013

© Arnoldo L. Romero 2013

The 2 photographs above are from my iPhone 4S shots collection.  I took the floral bouquet photograph during my family's Thanksgiving celebration in Austin, Texas.  I cropped the image, enhanced the warm tones, and blurred the edges.  I felt the latter gave the photograph a much more intimate and romantic feel.  I took the photograph of the old dormitory front doorway at Texas A&M University, in College Station, Texas.  I cropped the image, adjusted the exposure, warmed up the tones, and added a digital mat.  I am submitting this photographs to 52 Photos Project: Gallery 45 {Vintage} and Mandarin Monday #31.

By the way, have you heard of Featuring: Art Journaling, Mixed Media and More?  It's a fabulous new European magazine that is very inspiring and creates a sense of community around the world, according to the various testimonials.  One of my blogging friends, Jennifer McLean, from the Artist's Playroom, is one of the writers, so I know it's an excellent magazine!  You can get a glimpse of some of the articles in issue #3 here.  Enjoy!

I hope you enjoyed the ride, as much as I did.  I want to thank all my followers, as well as all the people that have been leaving such encouraging comments.  Godspeed!