Keri Smith is Trying to Get Me Evicted :)

I bet THAT title got you! I thought it might.

The other day I went to Barnes and Noble and discovered Keri Smith's book "Mess", and after flipping through some of the pages, I decided I just had to try it.

There are a lot of very interesting experiments to do within this book, and tonight I decided to try the first one I chose. Keep in mind, while I attempt to do this book, I am also going to attempt to retain the pages I complete, so I can look back at them. I am intrigued by the methodology (or perhaps, lack thereof) of the book, but I do want to be able to look back and see what I've done. That being said, I taped over the instructions on the page so they would still be legible, and then applied a decent layer of gesso on each page. Then, I followed the instructions... to drop something onto the pages from a height of at least 5 feet. So I put the book on the bottom of my bath tub and stood up on the ledge, and dropped/spilled a small cup of Antiquing Ink onto it. Then I dropped/spilled some lavender poster paint. And then, to top it off, for interesting contrast, I spilled bleach. And then I looked at my tub... needless to say, the "mess" didn't remain on the pages of the book!

After panicking that I was going to get kicked out for completely defacing our bath tub (I'm joking about the fear of getting kicked out, NOT about defacing the bath tub...), I removed the book from the tub and cleaned it all out, scrub sponge and all. Thankfully, it all came off! And my first experience with Keri's book turned out pretty neat looking :)

I think I'm going to have a lot of fun with this book! I just have to be careful not to get evicted ;)

Even MORE Art Journaling Fun!!!

As a sort of follow up to my last post, I've decided to share even more fun with art journaling, in the hopes that I may inspire you all to want to try this fun and freeing activity for yourselves. Wait, did I say "activity"? To some, it even becomes a daily necessity :)

I have a lot of art products. Mixed media is so appealing that I often want to grab up everything I see. Being that I work long days on the weekends, I will bring things with me to keep me occupied while my client takes her naps. I've found that I want to bring more and more with me, though... inevitably, I'll be working in my journal, and the page will just need that one thing that I don't have. But I can't very well bring every thing with me... that would be crazy. So I've yet to truly master a travel bag that I'm happy with (that has EVERYTHING I want in it), but for now, I make due with what I do bring. And I think I've been doing OK :)

This piece above was created with colored pencils; some watercolor ones, some regular. That's pretty much it, and some torn paint color cards... I just wanted to have a little fun. I'm usually a lot more... careful, I suppose would be a good word. But today I just decided to play and see where it took me.

I then rubber stamped some flowers, colored them in, cut them out, and pasted them in. I also pasted in two butterflies from a pack of adorable butterfly napkins I'd bought a while ago. I like it overall, but I'm not done yet. I do have an idea of where it's headed, though...

I also decided to start working on a background to a spread I'd done last week. The basic spread was just a magazine image with two rub on butterflies, an antique-looking card, a hand-written song lyric, and photos of fabric squares, and I'd no idea what else I was going to do, so I just started doodling.

The first doodle I did above is what is called a doodle game. I learned about it in Diana Trout's wonderful book "Journal Spilling." It really is a liberating exercise! You can even see a great video she's made about the technique here! Diana is a wonderful and enthusiastic teacher, and she really loves what she does. Each time I look at her book (which is frequent!) I get inspired to do something else with my journal!

I then switched to random squiggles and swirls... just to add some variety and visual texture.

I finished by doodling pipes. I have always liked to do this... I don't know why. I can go for hours just doodling intersecting pipes... it's a lot of fun :) No, really.

After I'd filled in most of the background with doodles, I colored over it with my one and only Prismacolor marker. It dulled out the background doodles, but you can still see them. I sure like how it looks.

Finally, I had an idea today. Other's may have done this, but I haven't heard of it yet :) I drew a few half circles in a straight line over text in a magazine and cut them out, then glued it over a wavy white background, and colored in red center spots. Walah! Instant cool borders... see?

Well, that's it for tonight! I enjoyed making these journal pages, and although I've more to do with them, I sure hope that you can glean an idea or two from my creations and go forth on your own art journaling adventure!

More Art Journal Fun!

I wanted to share with you my latest art journal spreads :) Upon looking at these, I see the progression that has come from my first foray into art journaling (Feb 2012) until now. I have grown, I have developed, and mostly, I have been able to portray my feelings/emotions onto the white page... and that is very freeing.

A few years ago, I was going through a particularly rough time (my husband had left us), and my pastor suggested I keep a journal. He said that many people find it's easier to sort out your feelings and it helps many feel better to keep a journal. Upon his advice, I did get a journal, but in all that time, I only wrote in it... maybe 3 or 4 times. But then, I discovered art journaling, and my life has never been the same :)

There is just something unexplainable about the wonder of image and text. Whether it's a sketch and a poem, a torn picture from a magazine and a song lyric, a doodle and a meaningful quote, or a painted design and random text from ripped and pasted book pages... it is wonderful.

Some pages are not finished yet. Others are complete with only a few elements... when it feels right, it feels right. I often go back in my journal, sometimes even months later, and am able to finish a piece that earlier just felt... unresolved. It's all about feeling. When it feels right, it's right, and YOU are the only one who can tell when it's right! :)

The spread above I did in only about an hour. I happened to be listening to the song "Jar of Hearts" by Christina Perri, and I ended up being moved to create this piece. The jar illustration is far from perfect. The hearts are not cut out with correctly-rounded edges. But that's ok... for this particular piece, it works. That's the beauty of mixed media in art journals... it is YOURS. And it is beautiful :)

Have you started your journal yet???

One vital tip!!! I've found that glue sticks are fantastic for gluing in various ephemera, but if you do use glue sticks, I highly recommend the Extra Strength ones. Otherwise, the edges of the pieces tend to curl up when the glue isn't as strong. :)

What IS an Art Journal, Anyway??

Today is February 5, and it was almost a year ago (Feb 14, Valentine's Day) that I bought my very first art journal. You can read the post about how it began HERE. Ever since then, I've been working on spreads within the journal, using all kinds of interesting mixed media techniques to enhance my art.

I have also spent time reading books about art journals, blogs, and watching youtube videos on the subject. A lot of work is phenomenal. You can tell the artist spent a lot of time and effort on the pages. Then there are others, who simply drop papers here and there, collage them together, add random text, etc. You get the picture. And neither is way is wrong! One thing I've been told lately is that, no matter what the common consensus on what an art journal "is", it is what YOU make it. And that definition works just fine for me :) A journal is, like art, self-expression, and there is no right/wrong way to do that, as long as you are true to yourself!

This spread below has been worked on here and there for months. I added clips of magazines for the buildings, stamped the background sky, added pen work, and the words Repent, plus the sign that says "Time is Short..." I started this a while back, and it was not what it turned out to be :) Art journals are funny that way... you can begin with one thing in your mind, and, over time, the more you add to it, it grows into something else entirely. I love the process!

Here is my latest spread that I just created. I was inspired by the story of Nick Vujicic, a man who was born without limbs but who has a plan for his life from God. It is really beautiful and inspirational. This man has such a joy flowing out from him, and it is so wonderful to see it. You can learn more about him HERE.