deMeng de los Muertos

deMeng de los Muertos

Wednesday, October 2, 2013

Supply List for Fistful of Journals


Fistful of Journals Supply List


Hey Journaleers
So our Mexico City adventure is right around the bend, so it’s time to fill you in on the types of goodies you may wish to bring with you.  Since we won’t have a traditional workshop space, any instruction you get is going to be on the fly…in cafés, boats, buses and bars…which will be kind of fun.  So some of you may only want to sketch or collage others may want to do every little thing I demonstrate.  Let me emphasize that you can bring what you like…but I will be demonstrating all the goodies listed…sometime…somewhere.

The Basics
  1. Journal filled with blank pages - If you think you’d like to play around with collage or mixed media you may want to bring a separate pad of Mixed Media paper by Strathmore.  It’s a heavy duty paper that won’t leak through.
  2. Pencils – I prefer mechanical pencils because I don’t have to worry about sharpening them.  Also I tend to work smaller and more detailed.  This is up to you…regular old pencils or mechanical pencil.  B or 2B is what I use.
  3. Pencil Sharpener (if you didn’t bring a mechanical pencil)
  4. Eraser

Pens – here are some basic pens that will come in handy if you want to sketch or draw on top of other media…like watercolor or collage.
  1. Sharpie – black fine tip.  – these are great because you can draw on anything with them.
  2. Micron Pigma Pens by Sakura (black) - A pen with  a .5 tip and a pen with a brush tip
      Pigma
      Micron Pigma Pen
  3. Montana Acrylic Water Base Paint Marker- White,  Xtra Fine Tip – If you’ve taken classes from me before you know how I love my little white squiggles…well, on the go a tube of paint and a palette isn’t as handy as a pen so….this is a cool product because these are refillable paints pens.  If you can’t find this… Sharpie white paint pen will work. 
Acr2mmWhite
Montana Acrylic Pen

Water Soluble Goodies  – In the paint world I’m all about the washes…in this class I’ve found some items that create nice washes in pencil, pastel or pen form.  This stuff is great for adding bits of color or tones to you’re creations.
    Waterbrushes
    Water Brushes
  1. Water Brush by Faber Castell, or Koi by Sakura,  or Pentel Water Brush.  Any of these will work…the basic idea is you fill them with water and you can dilute and blend water soluble media.
  2. Elegant
    Elegant Writer
  3. Elegant Writer Pen – Black Xtra Fine – These pens are really nifty because you can draw a line then blend with water.
  4. Artgraf
    Water Soluble Graphite
  5. Water soluble graphite pencil (one or two is all you need) – these are fun because you can dilute them with water and use them like watercolor.  There are a number of brands out there like ArtGraf, but any brand will do.
  6. Watercolor pencils, pastel, or…– lots of options here are a few cool products…any of these will work...YOU DON’T NEED ALL OF THESE! JUST PICK SOMETHING AND GO WITH IT!
  7. Water color
    Water Soluble pencil/pastel etc
    •  Aquarelle water soluble colored pencils – lots of brands to choose from, Derwent carries some nice pencils called Inktense and sometimes you can buy pencils individually which is great for selecting just a couple of colours that you like.
    •      Water soluble pastels  - here are a few products:  Inktense blocks by Derwent, Caran d’Ache water soluble wax pastels
    •     Peerless Watercolor –these are cool because they are basically pieces cards of watercolor paint.  Very handy for on the go.
Peer
Peerless Water Color 

Collage
  1. Small bottle of matte medium – this will come in handy for collaging your Mexican ephemera
  2. Small brush or two (1/2 inch)
  3. Ephemera you find along the way
  4. Small Gluestick (great on the go)

Andrea’s Bind What You Find Technique – so you’re on the go and you want to create your own little book from your mixed media creations…Andrea will show you guys a quick, easy on the go binding technique.
  1. Pad of Strathmore Mixed Media Paper
  2. Small pair of scissors
  3. Ruler 8” 

Anything else you can think of
Any additional mark making tools that you love to use (charcoal, conte crayons, pencil crayons…..etc. any or all of these, it’s up to you)

iPhone/Smartphone Photography App
If you have a smartphone you may want to download an APP called Snapseed.  It is really simple and you can get some pretty nifty effects.  


Monday, November 14, 2011

deMeng de los Muertos 2012

deMeng de los Muertos: End of the World Workshop
Oaxaca, Mexico - Day of the Dead
Oct. 26 - Nov 3, 2012

Don't fear the reaper!  The Mayan Calendar is coming to an end so what better place to celebrate the end of the world than in the Mesoamerica…and…what better time to celebrate it than Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead)?   The details are getting ironed out but I can tell you that for a class project we will be making a Time Capsule.   Appropriate, don't you thing?  My organizer Colleen is taking names and email of folks who are interested.  I anticipate this will fill up fast fast fast.  So get on the info list.
Contact:
Colleen Darling 
at
805-688-1221
colleen950@gmail.com



Wednesday, May 12, 2010

2010 Class Itinerary is Here!


As some of you know my Oaxaca organizer, Colleen Darling was just down in Mexico scoping out the sites and trying to figure out this year's Day of the Dead Workshop itinerary.  I think she's come up with a great bunch of excursions.  Going to be fun...October will be here in no time!  This does not include the class description, for that click here2010 Class Description
With no further ado: 
deMeng de los Muertos: October 25 - November 3, 2010 
Join Michael for a workshop in Oaxaca, Mexico.  Oaxaca is a beautiful, friendly, historical and culturally rich city in southern Mexico.  Home to some of the finest folk artists in the world, Oaxaca abounds with ceramics, textiles, tin, wood carving, jewelry, and more.  There is also an exciting contemporary art and photography community based here.   The food and restaurants are exceptional and friendly people make it a pleasure to visit.

Throughout our 9-day stay people around the city will be getting ready for Dia de los Muertos.  Every home and business will be setting up altars and preparing for the feast.  The photo opportunities are endless.  Each time you head out the door for the Zocalo or just a walk around the neighborhood something new will catch your attention.  Flowers on the street corners, students in school altar competitions, book fair, traditional dancers, mariachis, and so much more!

We hope you can join us this year.
Itinerary 
October 25 (Monday) Arrive in Oaxaca and get settled after a long journey.  Enjoy a walk to the Zocalo (town square) for dinner and sight seeing in the evening.

October 26 (Tuesday) Breakfast 7:30 –10:00 A.M.  Class begins at 10:A.M.  We will walk to the Zocalo to explore our supply options.  The market, religious store, hardware, paper store and lots of treats along the way will help us all get oriented to the variety Oaxaca has to offer.  Lunch at 1:30 Return to class.
Dinner 7:30 at La Catrina de Alcala

October 27 (Wednesday) Breakfast  Class begins at 10:00 A.M.  Lunch at Maria Bonita.   Evening free.

October 28 (Thursday) Breakfast   Tour 9:00 A.M. to the CaSa art center and the paper making factory Arte Papel Vista Hermosa in San Agustin Etla.  Housed in a former textile mill this art and cultural center offers expositions, music and a film series for the people of Oaxaca.  We will visit a woodcarver and have lunch in the countryside.  Evening free.

October 29 (Friday Breakfast.   Class begins at 10;00 A.M.  Lunch at La Olla Return to class.  Evening free.

October 30 (Saturday) Breakfast   Class begins at 10:00 A.M.  This is the final workshop day.  Time to put the finishing touches on your work.  Get ready for the good, the bad, and the ugly.
  Lunch at Maria Bonita     Evening free.

October 31 (Sunday) Breakfast  9:00 A.M. Tour to the Mitla ruins and local cemetery, Tlacolula market and a rug weavers home .  Lunch in the countryside.  This is the first night of the Dia de los Muertos celebration.  We will visit the city cemetery.  All around the city ofrendas are being made, sand paintings around the Zocalo and so much more.  It is an amazing experience, hard to describe and I can’t say enough about the friendly people. Please ask before taking photographs.

November 1 (Monday) Breakfast   Free day.  Take this time to enjoy the city and all the celebrations going on.  Lunch on your own.  A walk to a small cemetery for anyone interested.   Dinner 7:30

November 2 (Tuesday) Breakfast  Our last day in Oaxaca to spend as you wish.  Shopping, eating, drinking or just sitting in the Zocalo taking it all in.  I can make arrangements for anyone interested in going to the museums, Ethno-Botanical gardens, Monte Alban or any other site you would like to visit

November 3 (Wednesday) Breakfast   Fly away home
  
Double $2100.
Single   $2400.

Returning participants  $100. discount
Deposit:  $250 to secure your spot.  Full payment is due September 10, 2010.  Please pay by check; I am unable to process credit cards.

Colleen Darling
950 Ballard Canyon Rd.
Solvang CA 93463
805-688-1221
Airfare is not included.  When searching for airfares the Oaxaca code is OAX.


Tuesday, March 2, 2010

deMeng de los Muertos 2010


Hey everyone welcome to the deMeng de los Muertos blog.  I started this so I can keep folks up to date on workshop info for this years Day of the Dead Art excursion in Oaxaca Mexico.  I'll be posting images from years past as well updates on this years workshop.

This year's class:
Altar-ed Faces:  Nicho Masks and Paint-Making

Oaxaca 2010...
as I a mentioned in a previous post, I am returning to Oaxaca for yet another Day of the Dead teaching extravaganza.   Up until now I have been keeping the class project a bit of a secret while I worked out some details with my organizer and Mexico guru Colleen...I don't know how I'd pronounce all those indigenous names without her....i.e. huitlacoche (which is a corn fungus by the way).

So...now I reveal the secret....
the classes title:
Altar-ed Faces:  Nicho Masks and Paint-Making
In this class we are going to create masks that also function as shrines...."Head Cases" or "Altar'ed Faces"...take your pick.  Using assemblage techniques students will create reliquaries that could potentially be worn as well as hang on the wall.
Now for the really exciting part:
 We are also going to explore a variety of paint-making methods, ranging from indigenous Mexican techniques to contemporary processes.  There are some really unusual and fascinating indigenous techniques that Mexicans use to create paints....very weird science.  Using these techniques we will create paints and colors the old fashioned way....the really old fashioned way. 
 We will also use learn t make textures and colors from some of the materials we find along the way.  I will also incorporate some modern paint technologies in the paint making process...just to keep things interesting.
This workshop will also include a variety of Day of the Dead activities, as well as excursions throughout the artistically rich Oaxacan Valley.  More information on those tours as they get worked out.  Sounds like fun, doesn’t it?
for more info contact Colleen Darling:  805-688-1221 colleen950@gmail.com


The blog was set up so as we get things figured out like specific tours and itineraries I'll post them here.  I'll also be putitng up photos from years past....so all you deMeng de los Muertos veterans from the last three years.  Let me know if you want to post any photos and I'll be glad to do so.

Remember the class size is limited.
hope to see some of you there!