Talk to the Hand - MMA Chunky Book - Due Oct 30th

[adriayna]

Due date: October 30th
Amount: 4 for 4; 8 for 8 (if we have over 8 participants) hand-shaped pages

I have a new idea for a chunky book, and I hope you'll join in. About a year or two ago, Gingersnap and I exchanged "hand-shaped" chunky books. These were wonderful books, and I cherish and treasure mine to this day! I'd like to start a MMA Chunky book swap for hand-shaped pages.

Here's how it works: Get a piece of thick paper (or board) and trace your hand. You can make your hand into any shape you want, like an "ok" symbol (ok, but not obscene gestures please! LOL) or a peace sign. Spread the fingers out, or keep them together. Not all of your hand-shaped pages need to be the same (or you can do similar ones for each person in the swap).

Then, once you have the page, you can decorate it with some "hand" metaphor! For the book I made Judi (pictures below) I did a theme "A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush" for all of her pages. There are lots of metaphors to work with! Here are a few more:

"Talk to the hand"
"Helping hands"
"Holding hands"
The 4-h motto: "Heart, hands, health, home"
"hand-me-downs"
"all hands on deck"
"Hand over hand"

Here is a whole list of hand quotes: http://thinkexist.com/quotes/with/keyword/hands/

We will be binding the hands at the bottom, so leave room for a hole punch somewhere around the palm and or beginning of the arm area. I hope you'll join me for this swap!

Shipping: US participants, please send me $3 cash or stamps (well concealed) in a bubble envelope for return shipping. International participants, please send me $4 in IRCs, Paypal, or US stamps. If you are unable to do this due to cost reasons but still want t join, please PM me and we can totally work something out! :) I don't want $ to be a factor that limits your participation in these hard economic times.

Size: Some of us have larger hands than others, and that is perfectly ok! I purposely didn't give this swap a "template" per se becasue I wanted our hand pages to be unique, chunky, and funky! So your pages should be the size of your hand (as described above).

Artwork: For art, please make both sides look nice since both sides will be seen (but the front of the page should be the "primary" art side). Put your username/id somewhere on the back page. You can choose to use a "hand" quote if you like, but that is not required.

Media: This is a MMA swap, so it should be predominately mixed media work. And with all swaps at Iatcs, we ask that you do your best work.

Participants:
1) Adriayna
2) LisaB
WITHDREW
WITHDREW
5) Eraserqueen
6) Gingersnap
7) Dadreemer
WITHDREW
9) Jklee
10) Amyfaierie
11) Artedar
12) Shoreart
13) Summer5
14) Curbsidetreasure
15) Nicci

[adriayna]

These pictures were taken of the book I did Judi. Note that you'll only be done one hand at a time (not a two-page spread like in some of these photos).

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3026/2287332624_b2388fab1f.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2335/2287332362_b56d2ddb38.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3242/2286544823_0cba65b9cc.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2049/2286544691_36d5fa0aa4.jpg

[LisaB]

Oh-my-gawd, oh-my-gawd, this is perfect for me! Sign me the heck up, right now, hurry up, why is it taking so long? Oh-my-gawd, sign me up!!!!!! *fingers tapping on desk*

Question: What is the maximum size? My hand is 7 inches from the tip of my longest finger to my wrist... I am assuming these are life sized?

Question: Do we art up the backside too? Or just cover it with scrapbook paper with our ID and bio info?

[adriayna]

Lisa, welcome!

I'm going to fill in the first post with answers to your (very good) questions :)

[katilady]

i am so in!

[adriayna]

Welcome! :)

[SeekingForArt]

oh sounds like fun please sign me up! :)

[adriayna]

Welcome! :)

[EraserQueen]

I think I have Lisa beat, my hands are nearly 8 inches long LOL. Add me as well please :D

[katilady]

compared to most people i have incredibly tiny hands, but i am still playing! :P :D

[LisaB]

Wouldn't these be awesome displayed like a paper doll chain?? or hung like they are on a clothesline?? or matted formally like a quilt?? I am so excited!

[Gingersnap]

Sign me up.

[adriayna]

Welcome everyone! I am very excited about this swap :)

[Dadreemer]

I think I have Lisa beat, my hands are nearly 8 inches long LOL. Add me as well please :D

Were you to be a piano player too EQ?! That's what folks thought of my hands (8"). But art won the bet instead. This will be fun and different.

Dana, thanx for the invite. Sign me up please.

[EraserQueen]

Yeah! I do play Piano a little (I was beter when I was younger LOL) but like you, visual art took over my life! So I only play for fun now!

[TheeCoyote]

Dana, I'd love to be in on this.

[adriayna]

Welcome TheeCoyote and Dadreemer! :)

[adriayna]

Wouldn't these be awesome displayed like a paper doll chain?? or hung like they are on a clothesline?? or matted formally like a quilt?? I am so excited!

A clothes line would be awesome, especially if the hand positions were all slightly different!

I'm so glad I thought up this idea, lol!

[adriayna]

Bump, bump! I hope to get a few more takers for this swap!

[jklee]

I'm in...if you don't mind freakishly small hands.

[LisaB]

LOL jklee!!! When I mentioned my hand size, I was just trying to make sure that we weren't doing 6x12 inch or 2x3 inch and that they were supposed to be "life-like".
I hope I didn't make you feel bad... :(

[jklee]

Not at all, don't worry...I really do have small hands -just barely 6 inches, and since I keep my fingernails cut very short they look even more freakishly small :twitcy: My nieces and nephews have larger hands than mine!

[EraserQueen]

I for one can't wait to get back of mix of cute little hands and large galnky ones like mine LOL.

[amyfaerie]

oh, please add me! WOOT!

[amyfaerie]

everyone's gonna want one of my chubby little stubby-fingered hands. lol.

[adriayna]

I think my hands are pretty small too, lol!

Welcome Amy and Jen!

[Gingersnap]

My theme will be "Time on My Hands".

[adriayna]

I LOVE the idea, Judi! You can do cool hands with like watches stuck in them, etc.

I think I may do the "bird in the hand" idea still, cause I like it and its fun.

[ArteDar]

Hi there....as a newbie here,*hands waving in the air as I jump up and down* may I join in? I have a motif that I adore with a hand and heart in it....maybe y'all would like to see it.

[LisaB]

I am so glad to see you here, Dar!!!! Hot dang, the returns on this are going to be fab-u-lous!!!!
*doing happy art dance*

[katilady]

yay dar!!!!

[adriayna]

Welcome, Dar! :)

[shoreart]

How can I resist? Sign me in!

[adriayna]

Yay! Welcome Shelly! :)

[Dadreemer]

Is it 8 for 8 now that we have more players? Cool!

Can one opt out of making a book and make say...a mobile, or hands strung around the ceiling from ribbons, like stars (that's my vision of them)?

[LisaB]

A mobile! Good idea! I may have to make a kazillion hands now... hmmm...

[adriayna]

Yeah, it can totally be 8-8 since we have enough players :)

[ArteDar]

I have some bases made....but of course there's lots yet to do. I'm working on getting the #4 hands to be able to open up....we shall see, 'cause it's not as easy as I thought it could be....but I'm lovin' the challenge.

[katilady]

Is it 8 for 8 now that we have more players? Cool!

Can one opt out of making a book and make say...a mobile, or hands strung around the ceiling from ribbons, like stars (that's my vision of them)?

i made a mobile out of the bird shaped chunkies i have. there are photos in my blog, link in my sig!

[Dadreemer]

i made a mobile out of the bird shaped chunkies i have. there are photos in my blog, link in my sig!


Yuppers Kati.....that's one of the places I got my idea from. The other was from Dar's pics of her studio. One room of my studio still looks like a living room and I've been wanting to change the look for some months now. At least one side of it. The original studio has birds, stars and other dusty hangimajigs in there already.

So thanx for the inspiration Kati and Dar!

[adriayna]

I have some bases made....but of course there's lots yet to do. I'm working on getting the #4 hands to be able to open up....we shall see, 'cause it's not as easy as I thought it could be....but I'm lovin' the challenge.

Dar, I LOVE what you've done so far! This is going to be the coolest chunky book ever!

[adriayna]

If this works out well, it would be really fun to do a birds swap in a similar way--birds of various sizes, no more than 6" long and no smaller than 3" or something, with the plan on turning them into a mobile.

[EraserQueen]

I want to do some kind of vertical wall hanging. I have so many walls I want to fill with art! But a mobile sounds super :D

Love what everyone is doing. I want to work on my hands tonight. Hopefully I'll have something to post tomorrow!

[EraserQueen]

LOLZ, I was going to submit these and then read that I had to incorporate Hand Sayings and expressions! Oops :huh: but here they are anyway so you can see my huge hands! (I have medium length nails too though, so they contributed to the length!)

http://www.illustratedatcs.com/forum/gallery/images/3/1_hands1_sm.jpg

Made with: Acrylic paint, collage images, rubber stamps, My own hand (traced!LOL), gel medium, colored pencil, watercolor, white gel pen, and inks.

[katilady]

those are beautiful-such vibrant colors! i'd take them without the sayings on them!

totally off topic--how do you make art AND keep up your nails?? my nails grow so fast, and are super strong but they look like crap!

[adriayna]

Annie, you don't HAVE to include hand expressions! It was just as suggestion. I love those!

[EraserQueen]

Kati, aw, THANKS! And They do look beat up with paint lol. I try to file them before important meetings, but the rest of the time they are different lengths or chipped :eek: We should all photograph our hands, to show each other :D

Dana: Oh! Okay Coolness! My personal hand writing is bad (you know what it looks like right? from all the stuff I send you...yeah bad.. LOL) So I am limited by rubber stamps or stencils for wording...

[Dadreemer]

Fabulous hands EQ! Love the colors too.

[adriayna]

Yeah, Annie, mine is just as bad as yours. Its not a requirement :)

[adriayna]

those are beautiful-such vibrant colors! i'd take them without the sayings on them!

totally off topic--how do you make art AND keep up your nails?? my nails grow so fast, and are super strong but they look like crap!

I can't keep nails for anything. Between playing the bass guitar and growing things and art, they are always destroyed.

[ArteDar]

Mixed Media, of course! I wanna add a bit more....like some gold leafing....looking pretty plain on screen.


Just so kewl....lovin' your Hands EQ!

[adriayna]

That is so much fun! :)

[EraserQueen]

That's cool Dar! Why don't you try adding a color wash over it? And gold paint spatters?

[katilady]

i really love this idea but i have just got too much on my plate right now so i am gonna drop. if things lessen up i will make them and rejoin. :)

[LisaB]

Sorry to hear that, Katilady... sniff...

Is everyone making their hands stiff, like attaching to several watercolor papers or matboard???

[adriayna]

Oh no! So sorry to hear Katilady.

I was going to use two layers of 140 watercolor paper, likely.

[EraserQueen]

I'm super tired to upload them here, but here are my next two hands, http://artpfunkcentral.blogspot.com/ I'll post them here properly tomorrow!

[LisaB]

They are gorgeous, EQ, and so you!

[TheeCoyote]

Love your hands EQ! Those are fabulous.

[Summer5]

Sounds sooo interesting....I would love to join this swap....count me in too please.

[Gingersnap]

Yay! Welcome Summer5. I love your artwork.

[ArteDar]

So wonderful EQ.....LOVE 'EM!
Woot...Summer's in the house!

[curbsidetreasure]

ok this sounds too fun to pass up. so sign me up :)

[adriayna]

Welcome to the swap!

[Gingersnap]

Well, I cut my hand shapes out yesterday and my hands are so large I should get 2 for 1 LOL. I must come from farm workers stock.

[shoreart]

My hand shapes are cut out too! 10 of them. I'll send in the best ones when I am finished. I am going to try to get a base layer wash done on all of them before I start playing with collage. I am using saying" I come with heart in hand". So I guess I better start making those hearts!!

[Gingersnap]

What a great theme, shoreart.

[adriayna]

I love that idea, Shelly! :)

[LisaB]

Argh... great themes... mine will probably end up being "talk to the hand"!!!!! LOL Yes, it's been that kind of week in my house!

[shoreart]

First layer painted. That was easy. Hopefully the colors will lead me to the collages.

[Dadreemer]

Got the first four sorted. *moves on to the next one* Since my hands is slightly over 8", I'm gonna have the fingers closed, any other pose would be waaaay too big & wide. A great canvas size to work on though.

[jklee]

Ok, I'm done...it was fun to work on these, but they took a lot of time to get finished.
http://www.illustratedatcs.com/forum/gallery/images/173/small/1_HANDS_HOLD_MYSTERIES.jpg (http://www.illustratedatcs.com/forum/gallery/index.php?n=15358) http://www.illustratedatcs.com/forum/gallery/images/173/small/1_HANDS_GIVE_LOVE.jpg (http://www.illustratedatcs.com/forum/gallery/index.php?n=15357) http://www.illustratedatcs.com/forum/gallery/images/173/small/1_HANDS_GIVE_JOY.jpg (http://www.illustratedatcs.com/forum/gallery/index.php?n=15356) http://www.illustratedatcs.com/forum/gallery/images/173/small/1_HANDS_GIVE_HOPE.jpg (http://www.illustratedatcs.com/forum/gallery/index.php?n=15355)

[SeekingForArt]

Love your hands Jenn! I think your hands are as small as mine! :)

[adriayna]

I love the colors!

[ArteDar]

Hi gang! I finished my chunkies. Dana, do I need to punch holes to add fibers and yarns or are they fine like this? Is your addy the same as the rolo you sent to me?
Take a peek in the gallery if you get a minute.

[adriayna]

Dar--no holes, please. I want to keep people's options open for displaying and binding. But feel free to add funky fibers if you'd like.

[adriayna]

When you mail, please make sure you get my new address--its in Michigan, not Indiana. Thanks!

[ArteDar]

OOOOO....nicely done, beautiful too jklee!
I thought no holes was the way to go....just wanted to make sure I wasn't going too chunkie~less....don't know where I would put fibber, so as is will do.
I had a strange feeling I was forgetting something....glad I asked about that addy!

[Summer5]

great hands jklee...and ArteDar, saw yours in the gallery, wonderful too...I have mine cut out, but that's as far I have gotten...

[LisaB]

jklee, love, love, love them!!!!!!!!

[shoreart]

jklee, truly sensational. Love the colors!

[Dadreemer]

Dana, my hands are done. I do hope they will work for this swap.

6091 6092 6093 6094 6095 6096 6097 6098

[EraserQueen]

I SO want the David! Those are great :D

[LisaB]

Wow and holy smokes, those are fabulous!!!!!!

[Summer5]

wow and wow...love each one Dadreamer...

[ArteDar]

Absolutely scrumptious hands Dadreemer....they definitely work for me!

[Summer5]

well looking at all these great hands inspired me to get my creative act together....so here is the first one...a garden hand

[Gingersnap]

Everybody's hands are fabulous. Keep up the great work. I need inspiration.

[adriayna]

Yay! Those are wonderful!!!!

[jklee]

Ugh...I want...I need; I think I'll have to make 4 more hands so I can get some more awesome hands :idea:

[adriayna]

I just have mine cut out. Not too much further along than that at the moment!

Dar, your hands are here! And awesome they are in person!

[ArteDar]

Summer....love your garden hand....and I see a "green thumb"!

Okay, Dana, glad they got there and you like 'em.

[LisaB]

I have finally finished 4 hands - I want to make more but am not sure I can, so here are 3 for the swap and one for Dana to pick:

http://www.illustratedatcs.com/forum/gallery/images/162/small/1_Hand_Oriental_Geisha__2.JPG http://www.illustratedatcs.com/forum/gallery/images/162/small/1_Hand_Oriental_Geisha.JPG http://www.illustratedatcs.com/forum/gallery/images/162/small/1_Hand_Vintage_Girl.JPG http://www.illustratedatcs.com/forum/gallery/images/162/small/1_Hand_Oriental_Buddha.JPG

EDIT: Crapola, just re-read the rules and this is a 4/4 swap. I will make another one today so I can get these in the mail!

[Gingersnap]

Awesome artwork, everyone.

[Dadreemer]

You are so right Gingersnap....I to am floored from all the beautiful hands/art that's been shown so far.

.....is it 4 or 8 hands? now I'm confused, well 8 hands should be there in the next day or two Dana.

[ArteDar]

WONDERFUL hands everyone....all are so original and makes me thrilled to be in this swap! What inspiration!

[LisaB]

*slams head on desk*

I don't know why I didn't see the "8/8 if we have enough members" part. What a moron. I guess I better find the time to make some more. Thanks for pointing that out, Dadreemer.

[adriayna]

You can do 4 or 8 hands :). Dadreemer, your awesome wonderful hands are here!

Wow! Everyone has done amazing work so far! WOOT!

[nicci]

lurking. luuuurking. thinking. sketching.

[adriayna]

Nicci, I hope you join us! :)

[shoreart]

Next layers ready to be gel mediumed to the hands.

[nicci]

i'm slowly working on these.. so far i have 5 cut out and layered and gesso'd up, waiting for imagery inspirations. i'm not quite ready to join until i see if mine are going anywhere, though.

zomg hands...

post more images, drooool =D

[adriayna]

Nicci - I got a letter from you today, but you sent it to my old address. When you are ready to send these please PM me for my new address so that they don't go to the wrong place! Thanks!

[nicci]

woops. i have your old addy? well, you could PM me your new one anyhow so i have it on file, since i keep joining your swaps! =D

i'm still working on these... a little bit at a time. layer 5. lol.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2520/3997302262_7acc87814c.jpg

i think it's safe for me to commit to at least four, hopefully 8. i made 9 blanks so i can keep one of my own should i actually GET that far. i started with so many laters of base collage that'll be painted over, it's just silly.

my blackberry's camera isn't horrible, but it could focus closer and make me happy (new phone). now if only i could figure out where i put my nikon.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3494/3996671093_06036babd1.jpg

[LisaB]

I love the color intensity!

[adriayna]

Those look awesome so far!

[shoreart]

Dana, please PM your new address. I am almost finished. Thanks!

[adriayna]

Summer5 - your hands are here! Awesome!

Shorart, will PM you my addy now :)

[SeekingForArt]

Dana,
I need to withdraw... I was planning to get them done this week-end but it's not going to happen... I had to work a lot of overtime this month and I'm going out of town again...not enough time to play. :(

[shoreart]

My hands are going out in tomorrow's mail.

[adriayna]

Dana,
I need to withdraw... I was planning to get them done this week-end but it's not going to happen... I had to work a lot of overtime this month and I'm going out of town again...not enough time to play. :(

Sorry to hear this! :(

[EraserQueen]

My back has turned lots upside down for me, I am still sending hands in, but only four, instead of eight. Your painting will be sent with them. As soon as I can drive to the post office! :eek:

[LisaB]

I will be sending in 4+Hostess Hand for this swap today/tomorrow.

[adriayna]

Yay! Thanks ladies. I'm a bad hostess. I still haven't posted pictures of my cards :(

[Gingersnap]

I have only been able to finish 4 hands and they will be in Friday's mail.

[curbsidetreasure]

hey dana
i am still working on mine. i hope to finish them this weekend and mail out on monday.

[EraserQueen]

My hands and your painting were sent today! :D

[adriayna]

Hands are here from: LisaB and Shoreart! I hope more get here soon. They are due in 4 days and I hope to swap them by this weekend :)

[Dadreemer]

Yay! Looking forward to this!

[nicci]

... gosh. i'm working on the finishing touches on mine. i hope they show up in time. arrgh. lol not ready to mail until tomorrow. i started with too huge of an idea for my brain. so. many. layers. zomg.

i don't suppose you could move the deadline back a week? *cough*

i'll get them in the mail ASAP.

NTS: finish them before signing up next time.

[nicci]

done! posting tomorrow. =) i veered from the original plan, but i think they still turned out interesting.

[nicci]

2 hands holding each other.
the backs will remain a mystery until i either post them on my flickr or someone receives a hand! xox <3

you can see it larger @ flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/nicciwashere/

[jklee]

They're so awesome Nicci, I love all the notes in them.

[adriayna]

Nicci, make sure you send them to my Michigan address, ok?

Those are great! :)

[adriayna]

I'm still waiting on a few sets, but a few more have arrived:

Eraserqueen - WOOT! Not only are your hands awesome, you also sent me the painting!!!! I'm so excited!

Gingersnap -- I let out a big squee when I opened your package and saw the oak tree. Oak trees are very important to me, and it is seriously wonderful. I'm going to hang it in my office for all to see!

Curbsidetreasure - I love these so much! They are soft, yet bold...awesome~!

[adriayna]

Nicci, your hands are here. LOVE them! :) :) :)

Am I waiting on any other sets of hands? Speak up now! I need to know or I'm going to swap these out tomorrow :)

[jklee]

I don't think mine have arrived yet; they were posted on the 19th.

[adriayna]

Ok, then I'll hold off till they get here.

[adriayna]

Hi everyone, Jklee's hands finally arrived, and I packed these up and mailed them off today. Sorry about the delay. Itraders forthcoming this weekend. I hope everyone enjoys their hands!

[ArteDar]

Okay.....will keep a keen eye open for the returns....and I'm sure they are ALL SPLENDIFEROUS!!!

[shoreart]

I can't wait!!

[LisaB]

I received fabulous hands from Dana, EQ, Dadreemer, and ArteDar!!!!! I love them all and am so tickled! Will leave rep and iTrader asap!

Thanks for a great swap, Dana!!!!!

[adriayna]

Thanks gals! All Itraders are now left. I wasn't able to get on the site before tonight b/c of the server move.

I posted my hands display in the gallery.

[shoreart]

I have received my fantastic hands from ArteDar, Curbsidetreasure and dadreemer. Thanks Dana for such a great swap!! I trader to be left later today.

[adriayna]

Yay! Glad they arrived safely!

[EraserQueen]

WHEE!!! I have mine! Thank you nicci, Deb, Dar and Dana! :jiggy:

[curbsidetreasure]

i got beautiful hands from Dar, Dana, Nicci and Judithann!

thanks dana for hosting this wonderful swap :)

[adriayna]

Yay! Excellent!

[ArteDar]

OOOooooo ME TOO.....fabulous and so delightful to have a chunkie book of hands....and too kewl to see the personal size and shape of everyone!
TYTYTY Dana for hosting a fun fab theme.
BRB to pass out kudos and love.

[nicci]

rec'd my cool returns. still need to leave rep/fb. will soon! ty ty ty!