Back in January I joined Mixed Up Creative Academy’s free art journal course which offered a theme and a technique video each month. I chose to work in a larger size than normal – a portrait A4 page – per month. I made my own journal from thick greyboard so that I could chuck all sorts of media at it without it buckling. Unfortunately, towards the end of the year, the course was pulled due to lack of tutors, so the last three months became my own. Over the months, I found myself moving toward Bible verses and each page became an example of how Bible journaling can move off the Bible page. I present my Annus Covidis journal:
Category Archives: Art Journal
Art Journal Page: Quiet Spirit
I recently took delivery of the latest Tim Holtz/Stampers Anonymous mini-stencils, along with a Crafter’s Workshop 6×6″ stencil. Along with those came some DecoArt Americana acrylic paints. I decided that I would have a play since I haven’t done much art journaling during COVID lockdown. The text was an image transfer, put together in Adobe Illustrator before printing in reverse ready for sticking down. The woman’s head mask is by That’s Crafty!.
Review: Digital Art Journaling
Well, it’s a strange world at the moment. I’m not in self-isolation, but I, like many other self-employed freelance workers, am finding things a wee bit quiet at the moment. So, I’ve been flicking through some art journaling magazines and came across a course I thought looked great. It’s ‘Digital Art Journaling’ from Jessica Sprague and despite it being published a couple of years ago, is still available. Here is a flick through of the finished journal and after, a quick review which I hope you find useful.
Trimcraft Maker: Modern Marks Mini-Album
I’ve not got much decoupage paper left from my goodie box from Trimcraft. I was rooting around in my altered art drawer, full of bits and bobs that I think I can upcycle, and found a stash of scrapbooks-in-a-tin from Woodware. I thought one would work well as a mini-album so decoupaged the tin lid and the included concertina pages. Matched up with some Bazzill paper for matting, I created this:
Trimcraft Maker: Modern Marks art journal page
I’m on a roll! Today’s make is an art journal page featuring the new First Edition Deco Maché decoupage paper in the Modern Marks design. I decided to augment the marks and colour matched the marks to Distress Paint colours (listed below). The paper behaved itself today – I used less of the glue and the wrinkles were kept to a minimum as a result. It’s certainly a lot harder to work with a sheet rather than pieces, so bear this in mind. Time-lapse video below.
Trimcraft Maker: Rose Gold Tabbed Journal
I can’t remember the last time I made a mini-book from scratch… I suspect it was one of my travel journals, and the last one of those was over a year ago. I spent the night (literally) dreaming up things to do with the other decoupage papers from my Trimcraft goodies. One that stuck was to make a mini-book using the Deco Maché Rose Gold Geometric paper as the cover. Turns out that I am a little out of practice, but cobbled this together this evening:
I love the muted pastel tones in the background and the foiled papers look splendid when not being photographed!
Art Journal Pages: Butterflies
Next week’s Art Journal Session has the theme ‘butterflies’. I’ve three new pages to share, but there are several in my past library that you can find using the search facility.
Bible Journaling 8: Illuminated letters
The next Bible journaling session at The Studio (10th February 2020) features as its theme ‘illuminated letters’. I’ve long loved the mediaeval manuscripts with the fancy drop caps and the shiny gold gilding. Could this be done in modern-day Bibles? Yup! Here are four examples and bonus conventional illustration:
Art Journal Page: Dylusions and Chrome
I’ve done two art journal pages today… but I’m only going to share this one! I’ve not played in my Dylusions journal for a while and thought I’d get out my Dylusions paints and have a play. The shiny silver bits are not foiled, rather where I used Molotow’s Liquid Chrome pens to trace over elements from the stencil. I’m still stunned by the shininess the pens create. It’s nice enough as it is, but I’m not sure it’s finished.
Side note: I had to resurrect one of my paint colours – a quick tip is to use a couple of drops of ammonia in your water when trying to thin a gloopy semi-dried paint. I really must use up paint before it dries up!
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Altered Art: Mini Scrapbook Tin
I have a penchant for sugar-free mints, especially when they are on show at the till in an Aldi. Their ‘complimints’ come in a small lidded tin, and I have often thought how suited to altered art it would be. So, this weekend I got on with altering one, upcycling it to enclose two mini-albums.