POSTCARD CHALLENGE WEEK 15~ICELAND

WOW week 15 Already? This week I enjoyed the process of finding my images to try to do a large collage piece. I knew the Aurora Borealis  & glaciers had to be a part of the postcard. I found  some really amazing images on-line, tried to re-create them (this was was not so easy)...  Finally settled on using a photo background, and placed a hand drawn  snow covered  mountain range in the center. Oh yea I also included the fluke of a whale -since whale watching is a big tourist event.

Front of Card

Photo background (source internet) mountains were done

with black and white paint pens.

Foreground has several layers of black paint added and

wiped off to give shadows.

Back of Card

Correspondence:

"Melite,

Yes once again you certainly do ask so many questions...

You are correct in requesting my full name since I've known

yours for four months-

Alexander Iliad Graham.

If you review my previous cards you realize what I do for a living.

Sorry for being so secretive, but given my famous family line

I need to be careful with whom I share my name with.

Glad you're home and recovering!

Heading home after trip

to Iceland.

Alex"

The background is a light water color wash of the colors in the Aurora Borealis.

 Page in Book

Once again I found  all these amazing images on-line. The  glacier on the right

was extended across the left side of the page by using water colors.

Other images include a Puffin , Icelandic poppies and the Flag of Iceland.

Page with Card in place

Well I had a great time making this page and card -

 Now off the ROMANIA.

Happy Creating

Fotojoy/Joyce



POSTCARD CHALLENGE WEEK 14~SINGAPORE

So this week I  was BEHIND on all my projects (prepping for Easter ). Then on top of this I  hit this brick wall of per exhaustion - due to the fact I was not home the last 3 weekends -So when it came time to do my challenge I didn't have the energy to work on it at night  during the week -So this posting is late; but I did get it done. Darcy choose the country of Singapore. Oh the topics could be anything from colorful birds , plants, temples, or Buddhas, or the many islands that make up Singapore. I choose the city  of Marina Bay - The buildings are amazing and the way the city was planned in the 1970's is an exciting story in itself. Being this year is the Year of the Dragon I chose to make a dragon my main topic and the city skyline for my page. Enjoy . 

Front of Card

The background image is from the Chinese New Year Celebration

over the Marina Bay area. The dragon was based on the Chingay Celebration

dragon . It was done in flocking and glitter with a little paint pen outlining.

Back of Card

Correspondence:

"Alexander,

So Close but yet so far away- Sorry we did not have a chance

to meet each other last month!'

I have been home for the last several weeks-Memory is slow to return, but the one

thing I would like to know- What is your Full name? You've known mine for over 4 months - So spill the Beans!

Also you mention your business ventures, but never say what your job is?

I know once again so many questions...

This postcard is from my friend's trip to Marina Bay , Singapore

Until Later,

                                  Melite"         

                              

 The background image is by a Singapore Artist Prabhakara Jimmy Quck-to see more of his work  go here: http:pabha.com

Page in Book

Main image is a copy of the map from downtown Marina Bay Singapore.

I search the internet for individual photos of the primary and interesting

architecture - Made snap shops of each of he buildings and collage them to

the background- water colored crayons for  sky & water.

Page in Book with card

 

So another week done - Now off to the next country

       Happy Creating

         Fotojoy/Joyce

POSTCARD CHALLENGE WEEK 13~ TURKEY

This week I had  more time to work on my card & book   - So I returned to more of my hand done artwork- Also because I knew at the beginning of this challenge what I would use as my topic for the country of Turkey- TROY;  I was able to complete my card quicker. I love all  the ancient ruins,  the  history of the glorious & romantic stories of  the Trojan Wars - Who wouldn't Love Achilles, Helen of Troy and all the gladiators in their wonderful armour? This land also has many hidden clues about my male character's  legacy (as the story progresses it will all make sense).
 But better yet, the  poet Homer wrote beautifully of the area in his books "Iliad & Odyssey"- The quotes/poems from these books are some of my favorites . So as Homer wrote about Troy:

"It was built  against the will of the Immortal Gods, and so it did not last for long"

But this challenge will last and I can't wait for the next country!!

Front of Card

Used a photo of a  sunset over the Black Sea (internet)

Lower left corner has a photo cut out of the Trojan Horse used in the movie Troy.

Lots of black Pitt pen over the top of this to get details. Lower right

corner has an outline of the ruins left at the city of Troy.-all done with markers.

(sorry for glare but the  markers turned out glossy on photo paper)

Back of card

Back ground of card is a tile mosaic of a Turkish rug pattern -white wash over top

Quote reads: "The roaring seas and many a dark range of Mountains

lie  between Us" ~Homer

Correspondence reads:

"Melite,

WOW so strange that we were just across the

Mediterranean Sea at the same time...I'm on a holiday

visiting a land so Dear to my heart-Troy, Turkey. This

ancient land is amazing- so many ruins and great beaches,

Turkish carpets & mosaics like this one!

Alexander.

Page in Book

The main building is a water colored picture of the

'Blue Mosque'- Lower left corner is a sample

of the gorgeous beaches in Turkey- Center item

is a pack of the world famous Murad Turkish

cigarettes - Lower right corner is a bust of the writer Homer

By the way TURKIYE is the proper way to write Turkey

Page with Postcard in Place

Well this week was fun -hope everyone had a great week

Happy Creating!

Fotojoy/Joyce

POSTCARD CHALLENGE WK 12~ISRAEL

Rough week for everyone with this country(or so I have finally read) -I didn't have as much time to complete my card due to external issues. But as it so happen I had plenty of ideas, just many of them were not easy to complete. When Darcy posted Israel I thought of the "Wailing Wall"  right away; but then I remembered the wonderful bodies of water near Israel:  Dead Sea , Mediterranean Sea, Red Sea or the Sea of Galilee? After much thinking I  couldn't think  how to make an postcard  incorporating   all those seas; so I chose the Dead Sea, the Statue of Faith and of  coarse  a 'sand' Castle.The best thing  about the postcard & my page ;was my friend had just received travel information from Israel , so I had plenty of materials  to use on my card.

Front of Card

Background is a pictures of the Dead Sea(source travel brochure)-Lower right is the "Statue of Faith" Tel Aviv-(source internet)Lower left is a castle (source travel brochure)

Back of Card

Lots of things happening on the back. I used the  gel transfer  technique to put Hebrew writing in the upper part of the card,  a copy of the Dead Sea scroll on lower left and Menorah in the lower right . I found a copy of an old post card heading, that I placed on the top of the card. All this was covered with a light coating of linen acrylic paint and partially wiped off with baby wipe.

Correspondence from Melite to Alexander:

"Thank you for writing  back to me so quickly-When I contact Franceso

I Will be sure to ask her who Pierre is?

Well as you can see I have made another

side trip -Israel.  I'm taking in all the religious shrines and of

coarse the "Dead Sea"- The buildings are amazing, lots of colorful

mosaics, so I'm getting a lot of paintings done. Heading

to Eilat to go diving at the Coral Beach Reefs.

Until Later,

Melite"

Page in Book



                                                      This page isn't fully complete but you get the flow- I

used the map from the travel brochure and

cut out  several images -The modern buildings in Tel Aviv are

awesome pieces of art- then  you travel east and see the wonderful religious sites

of the Wailing Wall & Jerusalem city  - Such contrast in one old country.

Well Until next week

Enjoy the Journey & Happy Creating!

Fotojoy/joyce

POSTCARD CHALLENGE WK 11~NETHERLANDS

Week 11 finds us in the country where a vast majority of it's  land mass is under sea level-Netherlands.
Netherlands  is well known for tulips, wooden- shoes , bikes, canals and the famous windmills. It was home to many famous writers, scholars and  artist such  as: Van Gogh, Rembrandt, Hals, Mondrian, Peter Paul Rubbens, but my favorite would have to be Johannes Vermeer- who did "The Girl with the Pearl Earring". But with all this information; I wanted to stay true to my character and chose my subject matter to be architecturally influenced. I found this amazing building in Hilversum-"Nederlands Instituut voor Beeld en Geluid". Which means the Dutch institute for Sound &Vision. It is a cubed shaped building; 5 floor above ground and 5 floors below. The building holds the national broadcasting archives and its glass covered exterior is breathtaking. The actual glass has pictures of different shows-like multiple TV screens   with every changing channels (follow this link to learn more : http://dutchdesign.submarinechannel.com/?p=415

Front of Card

                                                              This was done with watercolors and paint markers.
                                                  The Neutelings Riedjik Architectural firm designed the building
                                                  as well several other famous building throughout the world-They
                                                  submitted a plan for the WTC Memorial, but currently the US project
                                                  they are working on is at the Art Museum in Cincinnati , Ohio.

Back of Card

Correspondence:

"Melite,

I know I just wrote to you, but I just remembered something about

Austria. The night you were going to supper with your Friends, you mentioned

you hope Franceso did not bring Pierre with her. Hope this helps.

Oh Yea! when I left Belgium last month I stopped off in Hilversum,

Netherlands-Visited the Dutch Institute for Sound & Vision.

Amazing "cubism" architecture!!

Alexander"

 Background has windmill stamped images and Lindy blue mist over it (that's why blurry)

Page in Book

Used several images of tulips, Dutch wood shoes and

image of the "Girl with the Pearl Earring" all downloaded

from the Internet- The windmills are done with Prismacolored

pencils, sky is watercolors and canal is mixture of both.

Once again I had a blast venturing to a new land-Now off to have

an arting weekend with my friends.

Happy Creating!

Fotojoy/joyce

POSTCARD CHALLENGE WK 10~CANADA

OH CANADA- The land north of where I live ( one hour away from  my house) what a place to visit!!When gas prices were cheaper and way before 9/11, Canada was my stomping grounds. I would drive to Ontario area every fall just to take photos of the fall colors &  I love  Niagara Falls area- lots of outlet shopping, mountains, beautiful turquoise lakes and Rocks! The Canadian Rockies are a premier area to visit if you love gorgeous mountain settings -or so I have been told - I have always dreamed of going to Jasper National Park, especially Spirit  Island, in Alberta . This little piece of land extends into Maligne Lake, the location is just breathtaking. The most clear turquoise blue water ever! (fed by mountain glaciers) The "island" tour is a must to get a feel of how spectacular the Canadian Rockies are- This place is so wonderful I had a hard time deciding how to convey the beauty- Four post cards later I decided this was the one...

Front of Card

This is a print by a awesome Canadian artist TIMOTHY SORSDAHL-

His work is influenced by many but includes DaVinci& Dali

(bio can be found here : http://eaglesoftware-uk.com/sorsdahl/)

I made a copy of it in3x5 size then I took several Golden Glazes and extend the picture

to fill the rest of the card - found a nice moose outline and put in the

center  gazing out at all the beauty.

Back of Card

Background was made using an image of early communication devices.

Correspondence reads:

Melite,

Well I’m in Canada attending another museum gala-this one in honor of my great-great grandfather though.( I’ll tell you about him later…)

Back to all your questions- yes I did escort you back to the hotel lobby in Austria. Yes- we did meet again the next day to do the ‘private tour’ at Kunst museum. After the tour you were to meet up with friends for supper. I must confess I so wanted to go with you-Especially  given the circumstances. By the way

Canada is Vast,  lots of Mountains and beautiful  blue lakes-like Spirit Island (artwork by Timothy Sorsdahl).

                                                                                                                                        Alexander

 Page in Book

                                                              More simple page- map of Alberta, skier, Royal

                                                               Mountie, Maple leaf with an  Outline of a  hockey player.

                                                         I wanted the postcard to be the primary focus so this page is

                                                           much more basic compared to other  pages.

                                                               BUT with the postcard in place it is colorful.!

                                        Here is a link to view what the real Spirit Island looks like:

                    http://images.search.yahoo.com/search/images?_adv_prop=image&fr=fp-yie9&va=spirit+island

  Well that is this week's posting .

Can't wait to see where

Darcy sends us next week-

BTW Darcy I will not be packing a swimsuit to go here~  

             Water is fairly cold in most of  Canada

 Happy Creating!

Fotojoy/Joyce





POSTCARD CHALLENGE WEEK 9~SWITZERLAND

Week 9 ALREADY? Just seems like we started this challenge -but once again Darcy picked a great country. I thought of several  Swiss  items-cheese, watches,army knives, skiing , beautiful mountains and of coarse the home of banking. None of these stimulated my creativity-so off to the Internet to explore. In the process I came across a fact that Luzern is home to  the oldest covered-bridge of Europe .The Chapel Bridge (Kapelbrucke); which was built in the 1400's and contains several 17th century paintings.A fire in 1993 nearly destroyed the bridge ; but it has been restored for all to enjoy.  I happened to find this amazing poster showing the bridge, mountains. and cityscape-thus this was  my inspiration for this week's  postcard.

FRONT

This was  done using Prismacolor colored pencils (took 4 days)-

Lots of layers of multi colors in each section and lots of blending.

BACK of postcard

Correspondence as follows:
Alexander,
So I finally get to know your first name!Even with this information my memories of
Austria remain lost. The new "healer" I'm working with in Switzerland suggested
I ask you a few questions. Such as when we departed in Austria -
Did you escort me directly to my room?
Did we meet each other again-like the next day?
Any clues will be appreciated-Going home soon maybe with more
familiar surroundings I can recover.
Take care,
Melite 

Notice the background has several stamped images of watches, Swiss flag etc

Book Page

The LION MONUMENT is another famous landmark of Luzern Switzerland.

The etching 'Helvetiorum Fidei AC Virtuti' means "To the loyalty and Bravery of the Swiss"

The carving was done  along a limestone riverbed  to honor of the Swiss soldiers

killed serving the French king Louis XVI,

during the French revolution.

So another week down and 33  43 more to go!

Happy Creating ,

Fotojoy/Joyce