Fun Making Journal Pages

Spent some time making some pages on which to do some art journaling.  It was a new-to-me technique.  Part of it I liked....other parts of the technique - not so much.  But the results?????  Well,  I'm very happy with that!

This is one of the new techniques on a gesso-ed watercolor paper. This page I actually cut up to use for ATCs.  It is even more beautiful in segments!

This one is procion dyes on a gesso-ed watercolor paper with salt added to to the wet page

This is a plain piece of watercolor paper with procion dyes. Sand was sprinkled onto the wet page. ho hum.

Personal Journal Page

Found this wonderful picture of fossilized ferns and weathered stones and it inspired this journal page.  I'm fascinated with old things....the older and more worn the better.  I have TONS of photos of falling down buildings and old doors and windows...just to name a few.  I think I love them because each of them has a story to tell.  I try to listen and tell that story from my own perspective. 

FOSSIL - a journal page



Some Journal Pages

Took some play time today to work on some journal pages. And no.....my studio is not clean/organized yet....and the prospects are looking pretty bleak.  No sooner do I get a space cleared off and I find some fun thing to do which messes it all up again.  Maybe now that I have at least a path to all the important places in my studio I should call it done!

One of the groups I play in had a list of prompts for this week.  Three of them fell into place almost right away.....Night/Day, Song, Lyrics.  The main sheet music is of the song Night and Day.  The background goes from Midnight Blue to Sky Mist. The songs titles on the left side have to do with NIGHT....We're Tenting Tonight, It Came Upon the Midnight Clear and Silent Night.  On the right side are all the song titles that have to do with DAY....Morning Comes Early, O Happy Day and Some Day.  Most of the music is from a lot of very old music I got from my mother-in-laws piano bench. Then I chose to journal in the spaces of the Night and Day sheet music.

 
This one started out because I wanted to try out the Peeling Paint technique (oh and do I ever love it!!). I liked the time-worn aspect of it. And I happened to have stamped watches in the background of it. So, as I'm scurrying around trying to get so many things done before a friend comes to visit, and so many other things that seem to have looming deadlines, I decided Time Flies was an appropriate title and theme for this page. 

Where IS Spring anyway?????

Tired of the frozen tundra......more snow forecast for tomorrow (saturday). I'm a true snow lover but even I'M done with it already!

So, I did a page in my Windows and Doors Journal this morning.  Just trying to keep my thoughts to the spring that will surely eventually arrive.

New Direction

Any of you familiar with the writing aspect of the Artist's Way?  I've enjoyed that for several years but have found that lately it has been less rewarding.  Now I think I know why.

I have several kinds of art journals that I work on.  Most have been more recording the work I'm doing or I have an Inspiration Journal with snippets of things that inspire me. But this winter I was involved in, what was for me, a new adventure.  Just free-wheeling journaling. Well, there was a BIT of structure in that there were prompts. But where I took it from there was totally up to me.  One particular journal was more one of self-discovery.  And here is what I learned from that.  I so much prefer expressing myself visually than in writing (although, there was writing involved on most of the pages - it wasn't the main part. More of an extension of the visual). I found that I learned so much about my view of the world and my art than I have in several years of writing journals. 

So, while I'm not giving up on writing in what used to be my daily journal (which is now more my sporadic journal), my main emphasis these days is art journaling. This current journal records my thoughts and just whatever happens that morning. Some pages I might complete in my journaling time in the morning (about an hour) but if it extends to the next day, or even days, that is just fine with me.

I don't plan to post any of these pages as they are more for my own reflection.....but you never know.  That might change if there is something I think worth sharing. I'm really looking forward to this particular new slant of my journaling journey.

Back to FACES Journal

At long last (and now that I had some pages ready to work on) I came back to work on my Faces Journal. 

To begin, I had done page 3 months ago and just never posted it so that will be the first photo for today.  I had decided that I didn't want to take classes or anything to learn to draw faces....just planned on a lot of trial and error.  OK....you can quit laughing now! It made sense at the time.  So here are a few examples from various drawing instructions that I planned NOT to use!  Don't worry....I moved on from there.

Faces Journal - page 3

Then somewhere I found this free series on How To Draw Faces. It made it all look so easy I decided it just MIGHT be worth looking at. Keep in mind this is not an exhaustive study but rather a beginning place. Which is just where I am.  The first lesson was on how to draw eyes. So, that is where I began my journey as a student.

One more caveat - I practice in my sketchbook to learn to get better and better.  This journal is just to chronicle my journey....NOT to be a place to draw perfect eyes. So, don't judge my efforts by the drawings in this journal. I read a quote from a mixed media artist in the CPS newsletter just this morning.

“Journal style drawing is meant to be fresh and casual. It's meant to capture a specific time—you do it and then turn the page.” Jane LaFazio

That is where I'm at currently. So here are pages 4 and 5 on Eyes - fresh and casual

Faces Journal - pages 4 and 5

Faces Journal - pages 4 and 5 - details

So...am I on a roll again?  We'll see.  I do have pages 6 and 7 prepped so who knows when the muse will strike!

Journal January 2011 - Days 22 - 24

Dark days.  Dark journal pages.  Decided not to post them.  Just that the project is now complete.

Hopefully, brighter days are ahead.....somewhere

Journal January 2011 - Days 20 and 21

Almost caught up! And it is only the middle of February!!!  Oh well....I've been working very hard on another project which involves a LOT of lino cutting.  Had to give the hands a break today so I decided to do a couple of journal pages.

Day 20 prompt was our front door. Well, my front door is uninspiring to me...especially right now for several reasons.  SO.....I decided to expand the topic and chose one of my very favorite door photos to use for this page.  This "door" is from a very old building in a very small town in northeast Texas.  I like this so much. It is the door to creativity!  And why not?????  Did my journaling in the "brick" patterns I drew on the page.

Journal January 2011 - Day 20 - Door to Creativity

Day 21 prompt was Bluebells.  Well, you gotta understand.....this Texas girl couldn't even think of doing blue flowers without doing BLUEBONNETS!! The Texas state flower.  This is my favorite mental picture of Texas.....a vast field of bluebonnets in the Hill Country of Texas with a couple of live oaks just over the ridge.  It evokes deep emotions even now.  Even though I haven't lived in Texas in many many years.  Guess you just can't take the Texas out of this girl after all.......at least in some part of my heart.

Journal January 2011 - Day 21 - Bluebonnets



Well, only three more day to do to catch up on the Journal January 2011 project!  Might do another one this afternoon.......we'll see.



Journal January 2011 - Days 15 and 19

I never did find the photos I was looking for so I went ahead and did Day 15 with generic faces.  The prompt was about stories of women.  I wanted to do the story of my heritage.  My heritage is a long line of very strong women. Not perfect mind you.....but strong and mostly independent! I figure part of the strength I get to jump in and try new things I've never done before is from these women.  Chosen out of many are my great-aunt-Orvie (a solo missionary to Burma when she was only 17), my great-grandmother Mary Davis (who traveled to Texas in a covered wagon from Missouri), my maternal grandmother Inez Skinner (who when deserted by an alcoholic husband raised three kids on $12/week - and went on to marry a wonderful man!!), my fraternal grandmother Ocie Lambright (although I disagreed with what she believed, sacrificed so much to stand up for and live by her beliefs), and my mother Dean Guest (left a fine life to head off with my dad to Africa as a missionary with only a one-way ticket).  Those are only single examples of the strength that they have lived by. There is so  much more.  There are other un-named faces going back before these women.  Strong women don't spring from the dirt, so I figure there must have been other strong women that were examples for these women in my life.  And I was privileged to know all of the ones listed.  Now...I can only hope to carry on that heritage to my grand-daughters and make those in my past proud.

Journal January 2011 - Day 15 - Strong Women - My Heritage



Day 19's prompt is Toy Talisman - a favorite toy from our childhood. Well, try as I might I couldn't think of one! No really!  But what DID come to mind is all my books. It all started when I memorized (and recited ad nauseum so I hear tell) all the nursery rhymes I could get my little 2-year-old hands on.  Even slept with all of them.  Then it was Dr. Seuss, then Nancy Drew throughout my early school years. That is when my love of the mystery was born! After that I found Agatha Christie!! Amazing. Then as an adult a friend recommended Anne Perry. Another wonderful mystery writer.  Then another friend introduced me to Diana Gabaldon. Not much of a reader of fantasy books but this series is so steeped in history that I fell in love with it! Today, as a voracious reader...I can look back to the beginning and see that my first love of books began at a very early age and I have enjoyed many adventures through these and so many others.

Journal January 2011 - Day 19 - Books



Journal January 2011 - Day 18

Got inspired this morning and completed TWO journal pages! Well....this second one was rather a fun lark and just playful.  I didn't plan really - just took it as it came.  I had a bunch of tools on my work area so I just grabbed what was at hand and started making funky letters.  It reminded me of how we "decorated" our bookcovers with those big fat letters when I was in school.  Who knew it was art back then???  But the practice came in handy it seems!

And my zebra still likes to peek in and play on some pages now and then.......

Journal January 2011 - Day 18 - Lettering



Now, only day 15 to get to....then 19 thru 24.  Whew! I hope I make it by the deadline! (Obviously the deadline is NOT the end of January...thankfully!)

Journal January 2011 - Day 17

This was a fun one for me because I have never drawn a still life.  I did some in fabric for the FIG study but that is a bit different than drawing one.  I decided to use watercolor pencils because I wanted the more pale yellow/green pears.  Found several images of pears online and got the idea of what I wanted.  Then I lightly sketched it onto the page and then got out the watercolor pencils (I DO love them!!).  Then I used my Aquapen to blend and highlight areas.  So, here they are -- plump pears!

Journal January 2011 - Day 17 - Plump Pears

I obviously have a very long way to go to get a still life I really like but I did learn a lot and enjoy the process very very much!



Inspired by ? - a new journal - Joan Miro

Starting a new journal with art prompts by Milliande.  This one is to be inspired by chosen artists.  The first one is Joan Miro.  I love the playful form and colors of his work.  At first I had a subject in mind and tried to draw a Miro-inspired picture of it.  Didn't work too well.  So, I just started drawing shapes and went wherever it took me.  When I started coloring in the shapes, the title came to me.  The title is The Embrace. And in honor of our Spanish artist I am calling it - El Abrazo.  See the girl near the upper left?  Her very long arms are embracing all the varied bits around her.  I see it as embracing a variety of things that surround me in art and life.  To embrace them and let them change who I am and how I view my world. Truly enjoyed this page!

Inspired by ? - Joan Miro - El Abrazo

Journal January 2011 - Day 16

Yep, I'm skipping day 15 for now. There is something I need that I can't find right now and I am going to wait until I find it. 

So, day 16 it is!  Favorite Number is the prompt.  My favorite number is 7.  However, even though I don't believe in "lucky" numbers or anything, I have playing card, dice and dominoes on my page.  I began to wonder....just what attracts us to a certain number and not to others?  Some experience in our past, whether remembered or not?  I wonder if any studies have been done on that subject??  Anyway, number 7 is the choice for my page!

Journal January 2011 - Day 16 - Favorite Number



Journal January 2011 - Day 14

Mirror, Mirror! I chose to consider the mirror in my mind instead of the physical mirror reflection. The mind image is the one that has more of an impact on my art.  Most days now I see the image of a colorful, playful, creative, imaginative, talented artist. But, there are still days when the "other" image creeps in. That image is pale, disjointed and dysfunctional. Boxed in by the long felt demand to be "perfect", to "perform". I have gotten better at ignoring her and brushing her to the side...but there are still times.....

I've recently been learning even more about the joy of just playing and letting art "happen".  It is so much more rewarding and enjoyable!! I am choosing to see more and more of the creative, playful side that I am beginning to recognize as the REAL me!

Mirror, Mirror - Knowing Who You Are



Journal January 2011 - Day 13

And another interesting day! This one is really playful.  The idea is to just draw lines on the page and see what happens.  What do you see?  What forms take shape? Which lines go together?  I'm enjoying the "not having to be perfect" aspect of these recent pages.  I'm LOVING the play time! Now what will be interesting is how continuing this will impact my other art.  Being foot-loose and fancy-free in one's journal is totally different than being that way in the art one presents to the world....and perhaps hopes to sell. But will the playfulness and freedom carry over anyway?  Will it be something acceptable?  Only time will tell I suppose.  Or perhaps the whole thing is to have a very playful area to bring the relief of the precise in other areas??? hmmmmm interesting thought....well....interesting to me anyway!  So, here is my journal page for Day 13 - Taking a Line for a Walk

Journal January 2011 - Day 12 - Taking a Line for a Walk

Journal January 2011 - Day 12

Today was a very weird kind of journaling experience. I've been trying to just let it go and do whatever comes to mind or hand.  Not trying to prove anything to anyone -- just having fun and seeing where it takes me. I started with the face and it turned out really sad and when my aquapen ran it looked like tears...so I let it be tears.  It's been that kind of week so it just came out.  Not too sure where the dead stick-figure came from (perhaps because being sick for what is now 3 weeks and no sign of an end - well, let's just say there are days that the final option is not all that bad!!  LOL!!) Since the prompt for this day was Daily Detritus I challenged myself to work with the bits and pieces from recent other works that were within my reach on the island. I have been involved in many different projects until recently so there were many to choose from but it might have made it all seem just a bit disjointed.  Oh well, that is also my life so I guess that makes this an excellent page!  And here it is....

Journal January 2011 - Day 12 - Daily Detritus

Journal January 2011 - Day 11

Yes it's been two weeks!  This cough/cold has really hit hard and long.  Day 18 and no relief in sight.  But life and creativity must go on!!!  So, I'm getting back into the studio and working on my Journal January 2011 art journal.  Needless to say...too far behind now to ever even dream of catching up but I just want to keep doing the journal for now and see how it goes.

This is day 11 and is across from day 10. The edge you see on the left of this photo is where I carried over day 10 - just cuz I wanted to.  Back to mostly black and white for the Crossword Puzzle page. This is the first time I've played with my Pentel Aquash brush.  I think there is more of a learning curve than I anticipated. But I did get better by the end of this page and THINK I know a bit more what I'm doing with it. So, here it is -- Day 11.

Journal January 2011 - Day 11 - Crossword Puzzle



Journal January 2011 - Day 10

I know I'm four days behind! But I had some projects that HAD to get out the door to meet deadlines! But today I'm back!

Day 10 is a Dragonfly.  There really is a Twelve Spotted (or Striped) Dragonfly!  Who knew??  With the black and white stripes it goes so well with the Zebra as a Design Element theme.  Also, I planned to have the dragonfly to be seen in the reverse view of the Stripey Window. (one of the advantages to being behind!!) 

Working on some other projects tonight and hoping to get to day 11 tomorrow! I desperately need to get two done on a couple of days to at least get CLOSE to getting caught up!

Journal January 2011- Day 10 - Dragonflly

Dragonfly seen through the reverse view of Stripey Windows

Journal January 2011 - Day 9

Ok, so I'm not a really "stripey" person as a rule and frankly, was not looking forward to this page very much at all.  But then I decided to tear some of my TONS of paper towels I've collected. These are paper towels used to clean up messes mostly after dyeing fabric.  I found early on that they are often quite gorgeous!  Knew they would come in handy more than once!  And here they are the stars of the page!

I also used white acrylic paints with the lino cut zebra elements from a previous page to add some depth to this page.  Don't know if you can see it or not, but I journaled in the white parts of the zebra striped tissue paper.

Zebra Stripes and So Much More!

Journal January 2011 - Day 8

Day 8 revolves around vertical journaling.  I chose to go with the page of the African Veldt that I painted for my zoo zebras and also work with the page that is the back of the stripey "window", making this a 2 page spread.

Up and Down - full two pages

Left page - in a few days there will be a dragonfly to view through this reverse side of the stripey window. I also added some left over pieces of my zebra mandala to keep my zebras playing in my journal.

  Right page - Journaling vertically is more of a challenge than one might think. Took a bit more concentration than I imagined before I started.  Even though the letters are English, I think the journaling part looks almost Oriental.  Now you can get a better view of my African Veldt.  Can you tell I'm not used to drawing animals??  LOL