It's Time to Art Journal

Before we get started-just a couple of suggestions for those who are just starting out. 

• Skip the first page and come back to it later-when you are feeling more confident. 
• Consider writing your name and either your phone number or e-mail address inside the front cover in case you loose your journal. 
• Date your pages-That way you can see your progress!

Remember-Art Journaling does not have to be your best work! You decide who, if anyone, sees it.  It's perfectly okay to make mistakes or try something new and fail.  Jump in!  Play, experiment and practice.  Some pages will turn out better than others and that is perfectly okay!

Some ways to get started:

1.  Make a background by adding color-use ink or paint to get started.  Watercolors can provide a nice background too.  Work in layers using stencils and/or stamps.

Background done with Watercolors,
Chandelier image stamped.

Background created by spreading acrylic craft paint
with an old gift card.  Butterfly added with a stencil
and purple craft paint.  Believe is a rub-on.

2,  Draw something-maybe a face or a creature.  Color the image and then create a background.

I drew the girl and tree first
then added the background, border and title.

3.  Write about your day, your goals, an emotion, how something makes you feel (Remember there are ways to keep your writing private-some journalers write then paint over it or create hidden journaling using pockets or tags.

I wanted to write about my goals in her hair!

4.  Use a journaling prompt to get started or make a list.

I used a prompt about Love/Romance to start this page.

5. Focus on a future work or piece of art you would like to create-sketch it out, make some notes, and/or play with some color combinations.

I'd like to do a mixed media piece like this but I need
to make the little girl smaller or the dragon bigger,
and I think she should be holding the Lollipop stem.

6.  Focus on a specific technique, tool/supply, medium or theme you want to explore.

I had recently received Portfolio Oil Pastels
and just wanted to play with them!

Some other considerations:

Make Space

It's okay if you don't have the space to dedicate an entire room to you art; make space in your closet, create an Art Box for under the bed, use a rolling cart in the Dining Room or hidden boxes in the Living Room.  Create a little Art Corner or even a cart that you can bring out when it is time to work on your art.

I am fortunate to have a room to use as a studio.
I keep my most frequently used supplies on my "desk."

Currently, my "desk" is an old table with some cube drawers
from Michael's and a plastic set of drawers from Target.

Make Time

I have to be honest...this is the thing I myself often struggle with!  But it is important to make or find time to create.  Many recommend creating each day starting with just 10 minutes a day and slowly building up more time.  The best advise I have heard is to carve or block out time on your schedule regularly.  Actually put on your calender or in your planner.  Maybe every day isn't feasible but could you do it a few days a week.  I try to carry a journal or notebook with me everywhere-that way I can jot notes or even create a simple sketch while I am waiting at the doctor's office and so on. 

I am interested to hear how others find time to Art Journal or Create regularly.  Also, what kind of Art Space to you have?  Post your answers in the comments below!

One Little Word & New Art Journals

2013 Word

As many of you are aware lots of people in the Art Journaling and Scrapbooking communities choose a word each year to embody what they plan or hope for the coming year.  For 2013 my one little word is Grow.  In early February I did a quick couple of pages in my newst Art Journal about what the word Grow means to me for 2013.

 

 New Journal #1

At the begining of the month I also started working in two new journals.  One is a Canson Mix Media semi-hard bound journal (5.25" x 8.25"). 

 

Once Completed-I will
decorate or paint the cover!

 

Essentially this one is replacing my wirebound Strathmore.  I will probably do a lot of drawing in this book and then add colors and/or simple backgrounds later rather than working with a lot of layers. 

 

Having done only a few pages so far the pages seem thinner than in my Strathmore.  I used my Neocolor II's and my Inktense and the pages ended up wrinkling a bit...  So we shall see.

 

 

New Journal #2

The second journal I started working in is one that I made and bound myself using a coptic stitch.  I cut off the covers from a book I found at my local thrift store and painted them.  I made five signatures *** of six pages each using a comination of patterned papers, music sheets, cardstock, watercolor paper, ledger paper, acrylic sheets, pages from children's picture books and some of my handpainted paper scraps. 

I am excited to use this journal as it is very different from everything else that I have tried. 

Top Ten Art Journaling Supplies

Could I Art Journal without these supplies...yes, but would I want to?

1.  Derwent-Inktense Pencils

These colors are vibrant and gorgeous! Apply to your page like a color pencil then add water to blend the color or colors out. Once dry the color is permanent-which means you can add other wet media on top!

2.  Caran 'd Ache Neocolor II Artist Crayons

Beautiful smooth color and did I mention water soluble!

3.  Stencils

Uber versatile and reusable you can use stencils with paints, inks, markers, colored pencils and/or pastels. Add color, outline...even use the reverse image! Stencils come in many shapes and sizes and you can never have too many!

I use stencils frequently in my work.  Above I used two different stencils with paint and then outlined the images with pens.

4.  Stamps

Use patterned or backgrounds stamps for borders or backgrounds or to just add bits of visual interest. Use alphabets and numbers for titles or patterns. The best stamps are generic ones that can be used in different ways.

 

Here I have used stamps for the lanterns and for the flowers on her dress.  I also used flower stamps on the bottom right corner and on the other three corners.

5.  Twinkling H2O's

Sparkly and Shimmering watercolors in little pots. These babies add luscious shine to your page.

6.  Found Objects

Inexpensive and unique-find objects from around the house or office to re-purpose as Art Supplies...A toothbrush, a plastic fork, a piece of drawer liner, netting, wine corks...

I just love the texture a piece of drawer liner has added to my work! (Seen above in white on the left page and in blue on the right page.)

7.  Distress Inks

Definitely an old standby from my crafting days... But I still absolutely love Distress Inks. They work great to add age to a page but you can also use Distress Inks in a variety of ways - check out the Jennifer McGuire Thinking Inking Series or Tim Holtz's blog.

Here I blended several colors of distress inks to create a background for the pages.

8.  Golden Fluid Acrylics

Vivid translucent Color! 

 

The picture on the left is done entirely with Golden Fluid Acrylics and the picture on the right is all Golden Fluid Acrylics except the tree.

 9.  Prismacolor Colored Pencils

 My standby.  If I am not sure what to use, then I will pull out my color pencils!

10.  Oil Pastels

Still a newer supply to me but I am loving how creamy and blendable they are.

I used Faber Castell Gelatos on the background of this page and colored in the title and the girl using my Portfolios.

This list is definitely subject to change as I try new products!  What about you?  I would love to hear what your top ten supplies are!

Getting Started Part II: Supplies!

Last week we discussed some basic supplies for Art Journaling:  Paper (Art Journals) and Writing Instruments (Pencils, Pens and Markers).  If you missed that post be sure to check it out here.

Now some might think that you need to have a lot of supplies to Art Journal.  As we discussed last week, that is just not true!  All you really need to Art Journal is Paper (Journal) and a Writing Instrument.  That being said...one of the fun things about Art Journaling is playing with all the supplies!  So let's take a minute to talk about some of the most commonly used supplies for Art Journaling.

Paint: 

Watercolors

• Watercolors from a pan, palette or tube
• Water soluble crayons
• Watercolor pencils

Watercolors are wonderful for creating soft backgrounds.  You can always start with an inexpensive set of watercolors such as the kid's Crayola set to see how you like them.  The Michael's brand Artist's Loft has a basic set for around $5.  My absolute favorite water soluble crayons are the Neocolor II's from Caran 'd Ache but I started out with just a basic set of watercolor crayons from Staedler with 8 colors.  You can also find a small set of watercolor pencils fairly inexpensively.  Watercolor crayons and pencils allow more control for details than regular watercolors.

Acrylic Paint

• Craft Paint
• Heavy Body Acrylic Paint
• Fluid or Soft Body Acrylics

Basic Craft Paint works great in your Art Journal!  It's cheap and easy to find.  You may want to invest in some better paints if you eventually plan to sell your artwork.  Heavy Body Acrylic Paint are thicker and come in Student and Artist grades while the Fluid or Soft Body Acrylic paint is thinner but should have the same heavy pigmentation of the Heavy Body Paints.  Start with cheap set or buy just a few to play with first.  Choose Primary colors, white and black to mix.

Ink:

Sprays/Mists

You can use sprays or mists to quickly apply color to a page in your art journal.  There are many available on the market or you can make your own using paint or fluid inks.  I especially like the vibrant colors of the Dylusions Spray Inks.  Though I plan on trying to make some of my own within the next couple of months.

Ink Stamp Pads

Apply the ink pad directly onto your Art Journal page for bold color or use a blending tool or cosmetic sponge to achieve a more subtle color.  Ink pad are also the ideal way to apply a variety of stamped images to your page.  Staz-On Ink would be a way to start as it is permanent and waterproof.  I love Ranger's line of Distress Inks.

Fluid Acrylic Inks

Thinner than Acrylic Paint and the colors appear more saturated or deeper.  Very fun to drip over your page!  You can also use the ink to Draw or Write in your art Journal.

Other inks you may want to try include India Ink (Drawing Ink) and Alcohol Inks which are permanent ink used to make shiny metallic backgrounds.  Great for making interesting patterns.
 

Stencils:

 

One of the most useful tools in Art Journal are Stencils, Masks and Templates!  Use your stencils to build up layers on your page with paints, inks, or markers and/or outline stenciled images with pens or markers!

You can find a variety of stencils not only at Arts & Craft Stores but often at Office Supply Stores or Discount Stores.  While the Crafter's Workshop stencils are wonderful, you can also use kids craft stencils or stencils for home decor or drafting and design.  In fact-one of my most often used stencils is a drafting stencil with a bunch of circles! You can also make your own stencils by using the negative images of diecuts or punches or by handcutting them from transparencies or stencil sheets.

Stamps:

 

Whether you prefer acrylic, cling or block versions-stamps are a great way to add interest to your Ar Journal.  I'd encourage you to invest in stamps that are more generic or basic and thus versatile.  Things like pattens, shapes, letters & numbers or even simple images that can be re-used. 

Tools:

 

Beyond the obvious supporting tools such as paintbrushes for paint and acrylic blocks for acrylic and cling stamps I have a few suggestions of tools you may want.  

• Plastic cards (old gift or credit cards) - to spread paint & ink
• Brayer - to spread paint & ink
• Cosmetic Sponges or Wedges
• Pencil Sharpener and Eraser
• A heat gun or hair dryer to speed up the drying process. 
• Scissors and a Craft or X-acto Knife
• Cup or Jar for Water
• Spray Bottles
• Tape(s), Staples/Stapler, Binder Clips
• Adhesive(s)-Glue Stick, Tacky Glue, Mod Podge/Soft Gel or Matte Medium
• Gesso or White Craft Paint
• Acrylic Glazing Medium - to thin acrylic paint
• Fixative or Sealant

I'd also like to mention some things you can easily find around the house to use on your pages to create texture or visual interest: toilet paper roll, toothbrush, pencil eraser head (dot stamp), plastic fork, bubble wrap, piece of corrugated cardboard, drinking straw, a wine cork.

Ephemera/Embellishments:

 

This is a broad category but it would include anything to decorate or add interest to your Art Journal pages!  Ephemera usually refers to vintage "stuff" such as old photographs, maps, sheet music or book paper, playing cards or items from your daily life like receipts, ticket stubs, post cards, grocery lists and so on.

Embellishments are things like patterned (scrapbook) paper, diecuts, threads, ribbon, fibers, flowers, rhinestones, pearls, buttons.

This list is not meant to be inclusive-there are many other supplies you can use on your Art Journal but these suggestions should help you get started.  Remember to shop your stash before buying any new supplies.  It's possible that you can find some supplies from your home office or your kids' rooms!  And If you must buy some supplies start out slow.  Pick and choose what you want to try out and get a basic or student set before upgrading to the expensive stuff!
 

Next week I will continue the February FeatureJournaling with the next step-Time to Art Journal!

First Completed Art Journal & Current Art Journals

Completed Art Journal

Last month I completed an Art Journal for the first time!  I still have several in progress but it felt so good to finish one!

Cover painted with Acrylic Paints

This journal is a Strathmore Mixed Media Journal (5.5" x 8.5").  I liked the thickness of the paper-it worked well with wet medium.  The only problem I experienced was that my copic's bled through to the back of the page-so I only ended up using them on the one page. 

While the spiral binding was convenient at times...I often took my journal with me to the Theatre and drew backstage during my time off stage...it also was a pain in the butt!  It bothered me to leave the edge blank-so I spent extra making sure that portion was covered too...and ended up making a lot of messes on other pages!  Some already completed.

I really tried to explore lots of different styles while working in this journal.  I also used various mediums and supplies including paint, watercolors, colored pencils, markers, inkpads, spray inks, stencils, stamps and pastels.  I really loved using my watercolor crayons and pencils the most! 

 

Using Neocolor II's

 

Using Neocolor II's

 

I found myself drawing lots of Big-Eyed Girls-trying out different styles. 

  

Using Neocolor II's, Acrylic Paint and Faber Castell Pitt Pens

Using Neocolor II's

 

Using Neocolor II's and Acrylic Paint

Using Neocolor II's (I tried to add eyelashes,
hated how they turned out and had to cover it with a mask!)

 

Comment below if you would like to see an Art Journal Flip!   

 

Current Art Journals:

Altered Art Journal

After watching a YouTube video by Christy Soboleski/Gulfsprite on Altered Art Journals, I had to try it too!  It took me a little while to find exactly what I was looking for at my local thrift stores but I finally found an older hard back book that wasn't very thick.  This does stay at my desk-and I try to work on it periodically.  So far the pages I have done have had lots of layers!

 

My altered art journal-once finished
 I will probably paint the covers.

 

The pages before journaling.

A completed page in my Altered Art Journal.
I tend to use lots of layers in this journal!

Ongoing Art Journal

Inspired by Roben Marie Smith-I took the coil off an approximately 8.5" x 11" sketchbook.  I have to say that it makes it much easier to keep each page clean! 

 

A few completed pages.

 

A she art page!

 

Unfortunately, I keep forgetting about this journal as it is not out in plain sight!  It is also not as portable as my smaller bound journals.  I just need to remember to work on it occasionally!  What about you?  What kind of Art Journal are you currently using?

Top Ten Reasons I Art Journal

1.  To practice
2. To try out new techniques
3. To get to know my tools and supplies
4. To experiment with different colors, designs and mediums
5. To plan or rough out a new piece of art
6. To document or make notes about a piece of art
7. To vent or work through my personal feelings
8. To voice my opinions and thoughts
9. To document my life and my artistic journey
10. To have fun

Ultimately I want to become a better artist.  I want to learn to draw, paint and use pastels.  I want to understand color and design theory.

When I first discovered the world of Art Journaling I approached it using my crafting background.  One of the main reasons that I was drawn to crafting such as scrapbooking and stamping was that I could be creative even without "artistic" skill.  But I felt so drawn to Art Journals with drawings and paintings of faces and creatures.  So I came to a decision-I wanted to create the kinds of Art Journal Pages I loved. 

I jumped into research mode and took out books from the library about drawing.  I watched hundreds of videos on YouTube (because apparently you can learn to do just about anything on YouTube).  I also had to let go of the idea that I couldn't draw.  I used to joke that my drawing ability extended to really cool stick people.  I accepted that my drawing wasn't going to perfect or great...probably not even good in the beginning.

"Every Artist was First an amateur" - Ralph Waldo Emerson

 

So what! No one ever had to see it if I didn't want them too. I jumped in and I have to admit my first attempts were...not perfect. But I kept at it and I got better! One of the wonderful things about Art Journaling is that I can see how much progress I have made over time. 

 

An early drawing attempt!

A few more recent drawings

 

I'd love to hear from you-leave a comment below and tell us why you Art Journal?  Or if you are new to Art Journaling-why do you want to Art Journal?  Be sure to check back later this week for the first of my upcoming Art Journal Feature Articles - Getting Started Part I: The Basics!