The Art Journal - Page 4 (& 5)

Goals.

So this is a double page spread I suppose. (and the blurriest photo yet)

I think its good to regularly write down and reassess my goals - it helps me track how close (or far away) I am to achieving them.
So this page is about that.

I painted the background, cut the letters out of scrap paper - to use as templates for the nice paper and then just stuck some bits and pieces down. You can cut out a printed font if you aren't too keen on what you come up with free hand.
All the paper I've used so far in this book is much like what I put in the kits for sale on etsy.

Sometimes you don't want just anyone reading the things you write so there are lots of ways to hide your writing. I made a flap to hide my more personal goals behind. The hinge stickers are obviously purpose made, but you can make your own, or just glue down part of the page and fold it over.

What are your goals? What do you want to be when you grow up? (I still don't feel like I have) Write them down!

Some tips:

• Add another dimension to your page by adding a flap/pocket/envelope for you to hide a message in. 
• Don't be too precious or perfectionist about your pages (especially when you use paint)

The Art Journal - Page 3

THIS IS WHY... continued.

These pages face each other and so I thought it would be good for them to share a theme.

My husband is not an overly sentimental fellow. (understatement)

One day though, I know that I will be glad that I have bothered to write/create/spew these books, because it will help him, and our children, and their children (if they last that long) to know me, and perhaps even him, better.
It certainly isn't my primary motivation, but with one little kiddie-winkle running wild on this world and another one kicking my internal organs (even as I type this), it seems like a nice thought that one day they'd be able to look at these - my creative spewings - and get to know me at 27.

This page has... a wonderful drawing from Ky and Gabe during church, a photo of the boys in Raro, a rubbing or a lino cut plate, and more paper off cuts. (Art journaling is a great way to get rid of scrap paper!)

I also sewed some things on with wool.

Use photos in your pages!These boys are my favourite people, who are yours? Make a page about them! Art journaling is a lot looser than scrap booking and there really are no rules.

Some tips:

• Try sewing things on. If the paper/card is thick, stab the holes first with an awl. 
• Make your own paper - with stamps, leaf rubbings, drawings, hand prints...
• Alphabet stickers are awesome. I know I was all like 'love your handwriting' and you should, but variety is good too. 

 In other news... my camera is no good at taking photos of flat things - like pages of art journals. The edges are ALWAYS blurry.

The Art Journal - Page 2

Why I do it. 

This page was inspired ENTIRELY by Roy Batty, the deep thinking android from Blade Runner. 

"All these moments will be lost in time, 

like tears in rain."

With no record of them, my moments will disappear with me, and to be 'American Beauty' style sentimental for a moment - life can be poignantly, pleasantly, and even painfully beautiful - and I don't want to lose those snapshots. 

What I think is beautiful says as much (if not more) about me, and my concept of beauty, but things like beauty are highly subjective and I will enjoy looking back one day at these creations which illustrate in more than just words the details that I believe make life truly wonderful. 

This page is layered again... they all are... this time focusing on a photograph I took several years ago while living in Taiwan. 

This man held his granddaughter so carefully as the train moved. I thought it was such a precious moment that I had to take a photo... even though taking photos of strangers is a REALLY creepy thing to do. 

The vintage image of the woman came from a tarot deck which I cut up, because I liked the pictures. (Don't like tarot - I think its freaky) but the lady in this picture seems really sad, and journals should encompass the whole range of emotions that make up our lives. Even the sad ones. 

I cut 2 different papers into strips and wove them together just for some difference in texture. Stuck things down, then painted on the photo and print with acrylic paint - so that I could write legibly over them. 

What inspires you? Collect together some of the words, images, memories that inspire your work and your life and put them onto paper!

Some tips:

• Old magazine pages make cool paper weaves because it mingles the pictures. 
• Don't be afraid of painting on/writing on/or cutting photos. You can get them reprinted. (Unless you can't in which case - have a care!)
• Download free fonts (like I obviously didn't) for ideas, or to print out.

Art Journal #1 All about you (or rather - me)

#1 Self Portrait / an Introduction.

This is what I drew as my 'photo-a-day' effort for July 1. I don't think it looks very much like me... I kind of went crazy with artistic license and make my eyes bigger and made a bunch of other non deliberate changes. When I showed Gabe, he said "mummy!" which was good enough for me.

 Coincidentally, it is also the basis for what is the title page/ introduction/ whatever, for my A4 art journal. If you would like to follow along with me as I make this book, I will be posting new pages on Friday or Saturday with different styles/mediums/techniques and hopefully it will help you to make your own.

Weekend Projects!!

I thought that it was important for me to get back into what used to be one of my favourite ways to express myself as a teenager. After putting together the "FUN STUFF" kits I had a lot of things out and a lot of inspiration to really get into art-journaling.

This page has a lot of layers.
Paint - an assortment of paper - some fabric - staples - glue - and a bunch of writing.

I think it is great to have intros or title pages for art journals, especially when you anticipate other people looking through them. Also its nice looking back to see your intentions for the book spelled out and just to break into a nice blank book... which can be a bit intimidating (in my opinion)


Some tips with this page:

• Fixative spray on pencil drawings (or writing) is reaaaaallly useful in helping them last without turning into really smudgy messes (and mirroring themselves on the opposite pages)
• Lay things out before you crack out the glue stick. 
• Love your handwriting! I'll go on and on about this, but it's a great way to have something 100% uniquely you in your book. If you aren't really confident, practice on another page first or use pencil. (If I had done this I would have far less spelling mistakes in my work...)