Faces Art Journal - page 1

Well, I finally got to work on my actual journal page today.  It is the first page and the introductory page.  I had a lot of fun just experimenting with the look of this page.  While I THINK I want my journal to all go together, I'm not sure just what will appeal to me on any given day.  We'll just have to see how it all breaks down in the coming months. 

I'm working in 6 page signatures of 140lb. watercolor paper.  I chose this paper because I LOVE to work with wet dyes and paints and watercolors for the backgrounds. Wanted something that could stand up to the moisture and not fall apart.  Plus, I love the slight texture of this paper and the way it deckles (I might have just made a noun into a verb but - hey, it works!)

So, started out with a wash of diluted brown procion dye (leftover from a fabric dyeing session). Then I played with some pastel chalks.  Then I outlined the space for the two first drawings with a gold Shiva stick.  Some more painting with some acrylic and then some distress ink. Adhered the two drawings and then color washed them with the same diluted brown procion dye and added some more distress ink.  It really mutes the drawings -- which is just what I wanted to happen (they aren't very good anyway) but I at least got my first two struggling efforts into the journal.  You can still see them in person but not too well in the photo.  I then adhered two strips of metal painted with alcohol inks from another previous project (see, I try to re-purpose even the scraps!). 

Then I made a pocket with a wallpaper sample from a hardware store(also painted with a color wash which dried in an interesting pattern) and attached it to the page with eyelets.  Inside is a card which reads:  "In the beginning…I’ve never drawn a face before. Now is the time to challenge and stretch. So, here goes! These first two I drew on regular paper with a #2 pencil. Not easy to work with. But I felt I should include them anyway. I have a picture I’m working from but I don’t want to reveal it until I get closer to what I’m trying to accomplish. Where this will take me, I have no idea. I’m just planning to enjoy the journey!"  That card can be pulled out by the special ribbon I attached to the tag at the top of the card.

Is this exactly what I wanted?  Well, not quite but making an art journal is also a work in progress and I hope to learn a lot along the way. Without learning new things...I think life would be unbearably boring!!  So, now, as in the agreement with my friend Wil, I have one more page to get done by the end of September.  We are striving for 2 pages per month.  Today, however, is drawing to a close for me so this is it for now. But tomorrow is STUDIO  DAY!!  So be prepared for more to come!