"unfurling" inspired art journal pages

I bought this mixed media book a couple of weeks ago and have been working through some of the ideas and inspirations in my art journal. It is chock full of great ideas and instructions and I highly recommend it to anyone interested in trying out new techniques. There are so many different sections but they are tied in together really well...not confusing or overwhelming at all.  There is a whole section on clay that I just may attempt; Misty makes it look super doable and the instructions are very detailed. She even has some cut out images in the back of the book to use in our journal or sketchbooks etc. So much fun stuff to try!

This is one of my journal pages...I took a pic of myself and printed it on regular paper and then glued it to my journal page. I used acrylic paints, watercolor crayons, a Pitt brush pen . I then used images from magazines, a piece of 7 gypsies tape at the bottom, the wings and the crown are from Misty's book (her cut out images)...journal pages are super super fun..no rules, no agenda, just going with the flow. I think I am going to write over parts of this.

This was a similar process. I used a pic of my face and then painted the rest in. There are pieces of collage, stamping, acrylic paints. As you can see...I am just loving tiaras of roses ...gorgeous!!! The image of the lady in the middle is another cut out from Misty's book and this figure is modelled after her style; it's not something I would have done by myself and it was so much fun to try! Tara just adores this page for some reason...maybe the colors and the roses and wings? I may even frame this for her nursery:)

altered book DIY

Since I have become so interested in altered books...playing and experimenting and learning...I wanted to share this project. I can't believe I haven't delved into this sooner...books + art = a few of my very fave things!!

Materials:

a vintage book

patterned paper, ephemera

heavy gel medium

gesso

acrylics, inks, markers

Shiva oilstiks

paintbrushes

pencil

embellishments

gloss varnish

*these are the materials I used but of course...anything goes!

*The first thing I do is pick out a (sturdy) vintage book; I bought a few at the local library sale for a steal. I then use gel medium to collage bits of patterned paper, a page from a dictionary...you can add photos, epherma, anything really.

*Then I add gesso just covering certain parts while allowing some of the papers to show through. The crinkles just add to the texture!

*next I add some Golden liquid acrylic paint...I use Paynes Gray on the edges to give it a vintage look and I use some Burnt Sienna as well. I use a bottle cap to make patterns in the gesso and allow to dry.

*I add some color inside the circles, a few stickers (these ones are by Tim Holtz) and sketch in a figure. I use some inks on the top and let them drip down to give the cover even more dimension and a very aged look.

*I use Shiva Oilstiks and lay in the face colors. Let dry for 24 hours.

*I glue about 6 pages together at a time and gesso them to give me a really sturdy surface to art journal in. It is tedious I know but...well worth it.

*complete the face and hair, add facial features with Pitt pen, lay in more color using acrylics and add that cute cute cute vintage doorknob (this one by Tim Holtz) with heavy gel medium. Allow to dry overnight.

*add a vintage key with hemp, some words and coat with gloss varnish. The possibilities are endless; you can turn this into an art journal, a photo album, a decorative piece. I just love this! Right now it sits on my dresser but soon, I am going to be art journaling in it! Love!!!

juicy journal pages!!

I have wanted to write a post on this for a while because I think so many of us just love our journal!! I feel a bit vulnerable sharing these (very private) pages but in the spirit of..we are all learning, sharing and growing together...here goes! My journals are part diary, part art, part letters to the universe plus everything else thrown in!!! Journals have been very therapeutic for me and have seen me through some very rough patches. In my teens when I wasn't able to have a physical space for my art...my journals became my portable studio! I still have them and they hold some of my most turbulent and creative times. They are also where I store all my  ideas in words, colors, drawings...It's where all my paintings take root in words and thoughts.Journals are so freeing because they are private, creative, personal and just plain...fun! Besides...They are also an autobiography of our souls.

I prepare my pages with all sorts of things...I love scrapbook papers or other ephemera (ticket stubs, calendars, old day planners, newspaper,cards...), bubble wrap and sharpies. One of my fave products is gesso. I either apply it straight to the page or water it down and then apply it. It produces the most interesting depth and texture. Wait until it dries completely and then add paints or oil pastels or...pretty much whatever you want!

Another fave technique is using a paper towel on damp paint...it produces such interesting texture and color variations. I love rich juicy colors ...a few fave color combinations...
* alizarin crimson and burnt sienna produces rich dark reds
* burnt sienna and paynes' grey =lush moody grays
* ultramarine blue and burnt sienna = rich rich  darks

This is a photocopy of an actual key. Then I just cut it out and glued it on. I photocopy all sorts of things (fabric, buttons, pics, flowers, leaves...) to use on my pages. Looks so real huh?

I love love love using white pen on rich dark colors. It is difficult to find one that actually works consistently though! Usually they work  a few times and then zonk out!  If anyone can recommend a great white gel pen...I would love to try it out! This is a Sakura pen (I think!) and I just doodled some patterns over dark paint.

Anything is fair game...this is from the packaging of one of Tara's toys. I love the simple yet profound message...B. you!! Sometimes when I am super stressed I will just prepare pages. Looking through papers and applying paint to paper just soothes me...there is  a very meditative quality to painting without purpose. And nothing is ever lost on this journey...it comes back to me later when I paint on canvas!

One of the reasons I love journaling so much is that in here, I paint and draw in a way I normally don't. I really love the rhythm and energy of her hair + the expression on her face. This really grows and stretches me and lately...since I have been making a concerted effort to refine my style...I find myself looking through pages and pages of my journal. Usually I will see recurring themes...like color choices/combinations, texture or elements such as text and pattern. Oh! And there are no mistakes in your journal pages...only happy discoveries!!

This is the lower half of the page above...half of her dress is patterned paper and the other half paint. Then I used a black  Sharpie to draw over both parts to unify the whole dress. I cut the flower out from patterned paper and the "ART" letters  are chipboard . I use a lot of scrapbook supplies in my journal...there are such amazing things out there now. I love Tim Holtz products!!

I love using sheet music and drawing over patterned paper (like I did on the heart above). The white is gesso (watered down) that I applied over dried paint...I sometimes add more paint (burned sienna watercolor mottles really well over gesso) over the white (after it dries) for rich texture and depth or ...just leave it as is.

A few amazing sites I go to for serious journal inspiration! I am such a newbie...these ladies are the experts.
*Teesha's Circus
*30 Journals 30 days
*Soul Journaling (I sooooo want to take a workshop over here!!!)
*D.J. Petit (I love how she alters her book covers!!) Plus she has awesome links in her sidebar!!
*Kelly Kilmer (I am so going to take a class with her!)

A few great books I use for ideas:
*True Vision: Authentic Art Journaling
*Collage Unleashed
*Collage Journeys
*Wide Open
*Taking Flight: Inspiration And Techniques To Give Your Creative Spirit Wings
A few books I want to get!
*Journal Spilling
*Creative Wildfire:An Introduction to Art Journaling
*The Art Journal Workshop: Break Through, Explore, and Make it Your Own
*Sorry-I tried to put links for all these books but it kept on getting all wonky:( You can google them!

A few fave products:
gesso
patterned paper/newpaper/old book pages
Portfolio Oil Pastels-they go on like butter!
Mixed Media sketchbook-I use one by Canson.
watercolors
Golden fluid acrylics
black Sharpies
Stabillo pens (they have  a really fine point and come in awesome colors!)
white gel pens...Sakura is the one I am using right now
glue stick

scissors

bubble wrap/stamps/plastic forks etc...to create texture/pattern

*If you would like to share some of your fave tips/techniques...boy, would I love to know!! Always looking for new things to try out...