craft ni kim

What about some sketchbook tour?

noreply@blogger.com (khalasan) — Sun, 08 Jan 2017 08:17:00 +0000

I am really getting worse at keeping up with all these channels. But a sketchbook tour? That's an achievement isn't it? Enjoy the video. :)

Dear Diary

noreply@blogger.com (khalasan) — Sat, 30 Jul 2016 16:25:00 +0000

I've seriously started an art journal and diary last year which explains my absence from the world wide web. Thank God I am not a famous person so the internet does not break when I am gone. Though at some points in my life I felt that I was. :D

Staring at the digital screen for hours at work has made me want to use my dinosaur-aged laptop less at home. I feel that it takes forever for it to boot and the AC supply has to be forever connected to give it life. Imagining that before I even think about opening my email is dreadful enough. So the watercolor paints and colorful pens come to my rescue. Those thick unused journals I have hoarded also give me enough motivation to use at least one page a day.

I also think that not many people read blogs anymore these days. The attention span has shorten significantly which is unfortunate. I have been imagining a much simplier life where I would go out into my garden and pick flowers then paint them later. Ironically, I had wished for this highly-urbanized life when I was much younger. I think too much artificial light has had me seeking for more sun.

Writing in this blog is a dilemma in itself. Today, I had written in at least four pages in my softcover journals. I still dispise my handwriting but I am convinced it is because I don't like some of the papers at all. On another note, I wanted to start to feel like a real person in my instagram account. It seems I have presented myself as a heartless artist if there is such a thing. But I am really just a simple girl with a complex mind and tons of hobbies.

Jetlag is long gone but backlog in my journal is building up. If only a secretary for your own diary would make sense. Meanwhile, I found a Berlin silicone stamp in my stash which I had bought long before I travelled. Some things are perhaps predetermined. . . . . . #art #journal #diary #Berlin #postcard #stamping #watercolor #calligraphy #brandenburgertor

A photo posted by Kim (@craftnikim) on Jul 8, 2016 at 8:34pm PDT

First Communion Invitation Card

noreply@blogger.com (khalasan) — Sun, 10 Apr 2016 05:55:00 +0000

My young cousins had their first communion and I could not refuse to create an invitation card for them. I've decided to go with my usual brush calligraphy and some pencil and watercolor illustrations. They have blue and pink candles for the event so I decided to match the colors on my artwork.

The Process
My original artworks were converted to digital images which I have processed in Photoshop. The hardest part is coming up with an idea. Images online may be used as inspiration. And like most things, original ideas always turn out to be the best.

Good Friday Painting

noreply@blogger.com (khalasan) — Fri, 25 Mar 2016 06:48:00 +0000

There is not much to celebrate on a Holy Week for me because by tradition I prefer to stay at home or at least not take any vacation. I've decided to paint the colorful sky based on a tropical sunset photo I took a few months ago. There is an addition of artist quality paints in my collection and I feel the need to just use them everyday if I can. There are more than two dozen of the Holbein tubes in my resealable bag. Soon enough, I hope to give them a better home. I've use a wet-on-wet technique on the first layer. The sky didn't turn out very smooth but then I like the way the colors mixed.

It is quite fitting that I have painted the crucifixion at Mt. Calvary on the first page of my new Monologue watercolor diary. But this isn't the first time I've created something like this. Back in the university I drew a similar scenery with my student grade oil pastels for my Religious Education course. I left it hanging in the living room where I used to live.

Color Palette using Holbein Artist Watercolors:

Cadmium Red Light
Alizarin Crimson
Cadmium Yellow Light
Peacock Blue
Prussian Blue

Materials used:

Sketch pad by Monologue
Synthetic round brush size 6
Synthetic flat brush size 10 and 12

Art Journalling

noreply@blogger.com (khalasan) — Sat, 19 Mar 2016 04:10:00 +0000

It has always been that I have more than one instance of myself on the Internet. I intend to keep this craft journal alive though I have other blogs and sites about travel and photography. Even if I feel that I have not travelled enough these days, I am still more mobile than most people. I just do not feel the need to publicly talk about my personal destinations anymore. Instead, I have focused more on art and crafts. I've always had my tools since I was young and always preferred the paint and the brush over the couch and TV set. Then there is always that moving picture in my head of colors and curves and lines that keeps me awake at night and urges me to take one of those many empty white sheets and drawing pads before intimidation of myself kicks in.

I am happy for outdoing myself in my art journalling. I have no more space to draw in my monologue notebook so I am up for a new challenge in filling out my other art pads that have been waiting jealously.

Simple Crochet Lace Pattern

noreply@blogger.com (khalasan) — Mon, 08 Feb 2016 08:31:00 +0000

I went through my archives and found some projects from several years ago. My friend and I worked on a floral top. She did the sewing and I created the crochet trimming along the neckline. I thought it would be nice to share the pattern since it is a very simple trimming or lace that can be used for other craft projects such as lined hand towels or even bookmarks.

Materials

Mercerized cotton thread size 8 in color of choice
Steel crochet hook size 9

Pattern:

In my illustration, I have written a half-double crochet but I have used a double crochet instead for a bigger hole in between posts.

Commisioned Artwork: Simple Hand lettered Invitation for 18th Birthday Party

noreply@blogger.com (khalasan) — Sun, 07 Feb 2016 07:05:00 +0000

I have recently created this commisioned artwork for a debutante. Decided to use a blush pink background to suite the party's color motif and since the soft color seems quite suitable for her being a shy young woman. I have used watercolor for the original hand lettering and decided to digitize it. Additional processing was completed in Photoshop. The final result had this rustic and pastel feel and we were quite happy with it.

Double Crochet Drawstring Bag

noreply@blogger.com (khalasan) — Mon, 25 Jan 2016 21:27:00 +0000

I am not sure how to give titles to these blog posts since I have crocheted too many bags and have never really named them. Nonetheless, I feel it is necessary to post it here in my online diary than just adding it to my Ravelry notebook which is I have actually not updated for some time now.

Materials:

Mercerized cotton thread size 8 in various shades
Steel crochet hook size 9

Pattern:
I attempted to write a pattern but decided to just draw it. Here it goes:

Notes:

The number of chains on first row depends on desired width of bag which is in my case 75 chains and is approximately 11 inches.
Change color where desired.
Number of rows depends on desired height of bag
Use any string and desired length for the bag string. Slip it in alternate posts on last row and tie securely on one corner at the bottom of the bag.

Watercolor: Simple Flowers and Leaves

noreply@blogger.com (khalasan) — Sun, 24 Jan 2016 00:34:00 +0000

I've looked into my photo archives and realized I had been playing with watercolors for several years now though not consistently. But it does show that with practice comes progress. It is inspiring to see a lot of artists share their techniques so I would like to do the same though I am doing this mostly just as a hobby. Obviously because it makes me happy!

Florals are in these days but I found it quite rare to see florals without leaves. So I decided to dedicate a few days to create simple watercolor flowers using a limited warm palette. In this case, I have used student-grade quality paints which is good enough for practice. Below I have listed the name of the colors found on the tubes though they can be replaced with any other colors that are quite similar. For instance, the red from the Pentel set can be replaced with alizarin crimson from artists quality sets. Vermillion and purple red were mixed then watered down to produce a light shade of pink. The strokes are quite simple to duplicate since there are mostly composed of just dots and lines using a wet-on-dry technique.

Color Palette for Flowers:

Vermillion
Red
Purple Red
Prussian Blue

On the other hand, the color palette I have used for the leaves is broader since I thought an ochre mixed with green would give a more organic leaf shade. Plus, yellow ochre has always been a basic in my palette even when I am using other type of media. I found it easier to do the leaves and actually painted them first. The same wet-on-dry technique was used. The darker details of the leaves (simple leaf variegation) were added after the first layer of lighter color has dried. Below is the list of colors.

Color Palette for Leaves:

Cobalt Blue
Ultramarine
Deep Green
Yellow Green
Yellow Ochre

Materials used:

Watercolor by Pentel Arts
Soft sketch book by Monologue
Synthetic round brush size 0

Watercolor Woods

noreply@blogger.com (khalasan) — Fri, 22 Jan 2016 19:27:00 +0000

Paintings and pictures are supposed to talk on their own. However, whenever I paint the woods, it is not just my paints and my paper. It reminds me of my Dad. It is one memory that does not fade away so quickly. And that is something I am grateful about.

So many years ago when I was almost just a toddler, he took the paint brush which he seldom does. I would say seldom because life took over and decided that art does not really feed the family. He then told me that I could paint the woods. So he took some masking tapes and placed them vertically on the paper. Ever so lightly and effortlessly, he brushed some color over the paper. The woods emerged. Bewildered, I took the lesson to heart. Now, I still do.

A video would have been easier to show how it is done. Nonetheless, here are some more techniques done to complete the artwork:

First wash is composed of the lightest brown shade.
Leaves are created by flicking the wet round brush.
Additional shading on the tree trunks is done after the masking tapes are removed.
Smaller white elements are painted using white gouache where white paper is hard to recover.

Materials used:

300 GSM Aquafine watercolor paper by Daler Rowney (cut into 4"X4" size)
Permanent white extra fine gouache by Pebeo
Koi watercolor field sketch kit by Sakura
Synthetic round brush sizes 0 and 6

Holiday Gifts

noreply@blogger.com (khalasan) — Mon, 14 Dec 2015 09:52:00 +0000

This holiday season is the busiest just because we take time to make and prepare gifts for our loved ones. Yet, I would like to squeeze my blog time just to share some last minute Christmas gift ideas. Here are a few things I have prepared.

Framed Hand-lettered Quotes
For couples, a framed decor would be lovely so I decided to hand-letter a few quotes. I used a small round brush with the watercolors on thick white mix-media paper. The frame is in pale wood which is easy to complement white home interiors or even rustic ones.

Crochet Baby Bonnet
There is nothing easier to give to a new-born baby than cute crochet items so I decided to make this ivory bonnet for a friend's child. The thread is unbleached pure cotton which is the reason for the natural ivory color. Babies are innocent so it is safe to choose white or ivory if you are not a fan of blues or pinks.

Crochet Kid's Purse
For the little girls, a tiny purse would be a good idea since they love to have their own bags just like their mommas. I created this round crochet purse with an optional sling and decorated it with crochet flowers on both sides. Then I sewed on a zipper just to keep the little girls' stuff from falling off the bag.

I hope these ideas are useful for you. Have a great holiday season everyone!

Yarn label revamp

noreply@blogger.com (khalasan) — Thu, 03 Dec 2015 05:35:00 +0000

My yarn life still exists for sure. I actually have a ton in my stash. I gifted some of them to a friend but decided to innovate. The labels on the cotton yarns were too "industrial" so I decided to make some out of scrap brown paper and hand lettered some words. No, I am not changing the yarn brands but just putting some personality into it. But who knows someday we will find my own yarn brand on the store shelves. That is one of those beautiful dreams.

Hand Lettered Christmas Cards

noreply@blogger.com (khalasan) — Tue, 01 Dec 2015 08:00:00 +0000

Finally, December breeze is here. That also means that the spirit of giving is in the air. But everyday must be about giving and kindness. I managed to make some cards and postcards for my loved ones and sent them through post. In this time where most things are reduced to pixels, I would like to be one of the few people who still prefers to write and draw with the pen and stick stamps on my love letters.

With these cards, I used Japanese brush pens from Akashiya and my trusted Sakura field sketch watercolor set. Tiny details are made using some fineliner pens and sticker sets I have bought from China some time ago.

Cheap Watercolor for Painting and Hand Lettering

noreply@blogger.com (khalasan) — Sun, 15 Nov 2015 04:21:00 +0000

Apparently, in the world of art there is such thing as cheap and expensive. But technically they are called student grade and artist grade. I've spent a few days justifying that this very affordable 36-color watercolor cake set can make good art.

Sampling
Like most artists do, I did a sampling of this watercolor cake. The packaging says "Flamingo" and is made in China. It seems to me that the paints are WYSIWYG. The colors show on the paper as they do on the palettes and are very chalky probably due to having more filler than that of higher quality paints.

Handlettering and Painting
I did some hand lettering practice with the brush. Erasing the pencil lines needed much care since the dried watercolors smudged so easily. I've digitized the artwork and created a postcard out of my older travel photos from 2012. I couldn't pick a better photo than that of the tropical beach. Then I tried reproducing one of my instagram photos of the Burj Khalifa. This watercolor cake seemed to fail at blending and layering. The colors did not mix very well on the paper.

Nonetheless this watercolor set is good enough for art journaling and practice. Even simple for simple illustrations I would still use it especially if the original artwork will be digitized so there is no worry about lightfastness. At less than PHP200 or USD5 you can't go wrong with it.

"Hello World" of Modern Calligraphy

noreply@blogger.com (khalasan) — Sat, 07 Nov 2015 13:45:00 +0000

When you code, most begin with the phrase "hello world" to print on the screen. For the purpose of simplifying my blog post, I opted to write the simple word "hello" to demonstrate how different tools can be used for fancy handwriting. I am not an expert of calligraphy nor hand lettering but my discovery of such art has led me to experiment with various tools that most modern calligraphers use today. Where I am at it is a bit challenging to find resources for the art but after hard work and research, I have compromised with several tools that are very much alike to other more famous brands being advertised. I hope you enjoy this post!

The Tools

Below is a list of tools used for this post. I have skipped the inks for now.

card stock paper
paint brush size 0
dipping pen
watercolor cake set
white and silver gouache paints in tubes
pigment ink drawing pen size 0.8
felt-tip brush pen
Japanese brush pen

Drawing pen with pigment ink
Your ordinary Sakura or Artline pigment ink drawing pen will do wonders. If you love to sketch, this pen is useful for hand lettering as well.

Felt-tip brush pen
Your ordinary felt-tip brush pens that are used for manga drawing can be used. However, not all tips are designed to be flexible enough for calligraphy works so it can damage the tip. This one in particular is an Edding brush pen that is just a little over a PHP100 for a set of 10.

Japanese brush pen
I have used a SAI Akishiya brush pen from Japan. It has real brush bristles so it mimics the behaviour of watercolor and brush but gives you more pigment control. This is very similar to the Kuretake Zig real brush pens.

Watercolor and brush
If you paint then there is no need to purchase additional tools to start practicing modern calligraphy. A tiny brush and any kind of watercolor paint will do. In this case, I have used a liner brush since I already have one at my disposal and a chalky watercolor cake that looks strikingly similar to the Simbalion watercolor cake but surprisingly cheaper.

Watercolor and dipping pen
In a happy accident, I found a nameless dipping pen sold at one of the book stores here. The nib is not replaceable. Nonetheless, it is able to serve its purpose.

Gouache and brush
Gouache is an opaque water-soluble paint which means it can be hydrated after it is dried. Technically, it is different from opaque watercolors. In this case, I have used silver gouache from Pebeo.

Gouache and dipping pen
Just like watercolor, gouache can be be diluted enough to be used with a dipping pen. White gouache is a good alternative if white calligraphy inks are not available to you. Daler-Rowney zinc white was used in this case.

Here's a peak into my calligraphy diary which I have organized from my gazillion practice sheets. There are so many stuff in it that I would like to talk about but I am still very traditional when it comes to blogging and taking photographs so it takes time. I code a lot and process photos from RAW format. But these are the pains we take for doing what we love.

Craft ni Kim Shop Now Open at Little Majlis

noreply@blogger.com (khalasan) — Mon, 26 Oct 2015 21:44:00 +0000

My tiny online shop in the Middle East is now open! I am glad to finally have been able to list a few of my crochet creations at the Little Majlis which is like Etsy but in a more refined manner since they review the products and only makers from the GCC countries are allowed to sell.

So hurray to my first online store! Come on over and give me a pat on the shoulder. To visit, click the image below or the word "SHOP" from my site menu. This journey is definitely interesting so don't get left behind.

A new logo and paper tags

noreply@blogger.com (khalasan) — Sun, 25 Oct 2015 19:45:00 +0000

Finally I have a new site logo which I have been meaning to work on since time immemorial. I did some handlettering and photoshopping until I arrived with the "stamped" look. A real rubber stamp is not available yet and for now the printer can do the work. Logo tags sounded great and would be beautiful to include with my handmade items such as this crochet purse which I am gifting to a friend.

Yes I am back in my artistic groove. And there is a lot to talk about.

Meeting the Knitting Amiras and some crochet talk

noreply@blogger.com (khalasan) — Sat, 05 Sep 2015 14:00:00 +0000

I am reposting a picture from my Instagram account which doesn't make sense but simply because I want to attach a memory to it. I met with the Knitting Amiras which is a group of Dubai-based fiber artists - knitters, crocheters, indie yarn dyers. Getting there was a long story which I decided to talk about in my other personal blog.

Nonetheless, I got to listen to them talk about knit patterns and designers. My craft is crochet which is a slightly different art though both can be combined together beautifully. I've knitted a few times before but only succeeded at basic stitches such as knit and purl. For now crochet will be my language and I am loving it more than ever.

Crocheting runs in the family. Some of my cousins crochet too or at least interested to learn further. Some old clothes of my mom's and aunts' were handmade by them. I still do not have that kind of patience though I have finished a bolero before. Crochet is quite common where I am from and there is a slight disadvantage to that because people now tend to ignore it and think it is a grandma's craft. When I was younger, it was taught in the schools to provide skill and help small communities have a way of living. Nowadays, handicraft skills are replaced by computer skills ~~in schools~~ which can come in handy but not in all cases.

The dream to revive the love for crochet in my community is still melting in the hot pot. And I share that with at least one friend who has the same passion as mine. But for now, I find myself thousand of miles away from home though I have a good feeling that the love for this craft will flourish eventually.

On another note, my blog URL is so eccentric. The blog title "Craft ni Kim" is a Filipino phrase that simply translates to "Kim's craft." Yes, it does sound eccentric but I simply just want to talk about my love for fiber, the arts and other crafty things. Changing my social media handle can be a challenge so I want to keep it this way for now. Probably, a few network icons will make it livelier and friendly.

Hand lettering practice

noreply@blogger.com (khalasan) — Wed, 26 Aug 2015 16:10:00 +0000

They say dreams do come true. I dreamed of gold and blue and so here they are on my postcards during my hand lettering practice. They also say practice makes perfect. But I do not aim for perfection because there is no such thing as perfect.

I wish you all a lovely day. And yes, continue doing what you love.

The day I said goodbye to the tiniest things

noreply@blogger.com (khalasan) — Tue, 25 Aug 2015 10:59:00 +0000

I used to day dream a lot with my miniatures. At one time, one of my 11.5 inch dolls was having a picnic with my handmade clay croissants and crocheted bread linens. Before I shipped them all back to my hometown, I took a few photos just to relieve me. Now those tiny things are all over my niece's toy "store" which is how she calls it.

I don't know if it makes sense to start collecting and making miniatures again. But it did bring me joy whenever I give life into tiny things from my imagination. Sometimes I think I am too childish but then you'd be surprise that those who are most serious with the tiniest things are those with a thumb bigger than my toe.

Doodling

noreply@blogger.com (khalasan) — Mon, 24 Aug 2015 13:45:00 +0000

Apparently I have found new love in painting and writing. I cannot quite call it calligraphy yet because I do not the rules. Doodling is probably a safer word to call it at this point. Nonetheless, I love how I can control the brush now in a way so different than I used to.

I am currently spending more time with brushes, paints and inks, and giving more appreciation to my current stock of student quality art materials. I do not need very expensive stuff right now. As long as I see the colors bleed and blend, I am happy.

Blue granny square bag

noreply@blogger.com (khalasan) — Sun, 23 Aug 2015 19:57:00 +0000

I have to admit that one Instagram photo of a project can be enough but why am I still blogging about it here? It's because it can be so easy to get lost in a feed. I am obviously resharing that photo of the blue bag I made. The project started on a plane en route from Singapore to Dubai. There were obviously so many other things to do on a Singapore Airlines flight like logging on to the Internet though not for free or watching movies on the digital box but I still could not resist the hook.

For this project I've used different types of leftover yarns such as combed cotton and acrylic blend. The bag string is made of vintage style cotton lace then I lined it with muslin and handsewn a zipper for the closure. The pattern is a modified granny square since the yarn weights were different and original pattern pattern only had three rows so adjustments had to be made.

The pattern on the other side of the bag is different. I like asymmetry a lot because it makes handmade pieces unique. I usually give away bags I crochet but this is too pretty to give up. It can carry my passport and wallet so that comes in quite handy.

The case of the crochet throw pillow case

noreply@blogger.com (khalasan) — Sun, 23 Aug 2015 13:15:00 +0000

Just before I was about to finish my crochet throw pillow case, I thought I have bumped into a design flaw. I have not researched enough about weaving edges of the pillowcase. Most of the suggestions are buttons or zipper but I decided to just make a long chain and weave the edge so it would not be very visible. I am happy with the result and the throw pillow with the crochet case is happily sitting in our home.

The project was completed with just six different colors of a 40-gram acrylic yarn and a D/3 aluminum crochet hook. I cannot quite figure out the yarn weight but on the label it was recommended to use a 3.5 mm hook so I am quite close. A common granny square pattern was used and repeated across the entire area enough to cover the throw pillow. In this case, it was about 48 cm x 48 cm. I am getting a little technical but it is always better to have a record of the project just in case I want to make another one like it.

Projects like these does consume time and it can be a little challenging to the attention span because the pattern is repetitive. It is good to have other projects in parallel to switch to just in case you need some variation. Speaking of parallel projects, there was one blue bag I had also finished but will be blogging about later.

Weekend Project: Candy-colored crochet purse

noreply@blogger.com (khalasan) — Mon, 03 Aug 2015 06:19:00 +0000

Even my weekends at home are packed because I am that kind of person who never gets bored because I have tons of things to do -- crafting is one.

Here's a crochet purse I came up with based on a round motif pattern of mostly treble stitches. I finished it off by binding two circles with singles and chains. The colors are inspired by one of the crochet thread balls and then added complementary pinks and blues. If you are not sure which colors to choose, review your color wheel or better yet, visit your candy shop.

And before I forget, the button is also stitched using a thicker cord since the plastic buttons came in a little late.

Mauve and grey crochet motif

noreply@blogger.com (khalasan) — Wed, 15 Jul 2015 07:19:00 +0000

My mom thinks grey is too drab. She has always preferred bold colors such as black and red. But there is something about grey that I like. Not so long ago I purchased a few relatively expensive blended yarns in a Singapore shop and picked up three colors - mauve, grey and dusty orange. I left the orange out and decided to go for just the purple and grey tones.

After a few nights and days of coffee, tea and design changes, the crochet motif is finally completed. There is a white rustic table in the front porch which I thought deserves a little color. I placed one of the few succulents in the garden but unfortunately most of them have been parched.

I am happy with the colors. It reminds me of autumn, overcast skies or winter days. Whatever it is, gives me that calm and peaceful feeling. Whenever I crochet, the colors play an important part. After all, I have more colors in my room from all the yarn stash and colored pencils which I certainly cannot live without.