Art Journal - Week 5

This week was about shapes.

Art Journal - Week 4

The idea this week was to choose an image reflecting the theme of the journal. I chose this photograph of a building in Barcelona, designed by Gaudi. I don't remember the name of the building, but I do know that the front is now a bank and there are lots of apartments behind. We were encouraged to paint the spread with a colour we don't like - Green does that for me.

Art Journal - Week 3

Art Journal - Week 2

This week, Carol encouraged us to collect lots of images based around our theme. She had a list of criteria such circle, the letter A, something beautiful. My theme is buildings, and I have a box of images relating to buildings and landscapes, so I was able to raid it. This is what I did:

Art Journal with Carol

I belong to fiberpaperarts at yahoo. It is a group of largely textile artists who are based in Neath in South Wales, but they do have members elsewhere. The group has a workshop each month. Carol, one of the members, is doing a weekly online art journal workshop. This week we prepared our book, chose our theme. We then did a "graffitti" page based on our them and also some sketches on the other page.

Art Journal - January 7th and 8th

Day 7 was about creating the background and day 8 was about creating a soulmate self-portrait. The portrait was done on top of the background from the day before.

I learned a few things from this tutorial:
Use matt gel medium as a glue, it makes the pages buckle less.

Put a glaze over the top of the collage, paynes grey, white and mainly gel medium. This has the effect of toning down some of the colour and making the collage elements more connected.

Spritz white ink (I only had paint) over your collage, again, this makes the elements better connected.

Art Journal - January 5th

Ok, the prompt for Day 5 was zentangles. I find them very relaxing.

Art Journal - January 4th

Todays prompts are "Flowers and Spirals".

I am trying to get more depth into my pictures. I used Neocolour water colour crayons for the petals. Willowing showed me how you could do this by putting your paintbrush onto the bottom end of the crayon and then painting rather than drawing with the crayon and then adding water. This gives you a lot more control.

I watched a video the other day about using sharpies to mimic Copic pens. The author talks about using three shades of each colour, a pale one for the whole "thing" (in my case petal), the darkest one for outlining and a medium shade for shadow. I have achieved more depth than I usually manage, but I am dissatisfied with the amount of blending. For once, the photo makes the page look better than in real life.

Finally, the prompts come from Millande. You can find detail of the project here.

Art Journal - January 3rd - Back Cover

This is the back cover.

The beeswax worked very well fixing the napkin to the back of the book. The words are "she had not yet decided whether to use her power for good or evil". What a remarkable thing to find on a napkin!

Art Journal - January 3rd - Front Cover

The challenge today was to do the cover.

I created mine using collage and beeswax, having been inspired by Suze Weinberg. Her video is here

I prefer the back cover to the front. The photograph makes the white appear brighter than it is in real life.

Art Journal - January 1st

Millande has been inspired by Misty Mawn to create a journal page for each day in January. I have decided to join in. If you want to play then click on the art journal image below



Millande's is expending much more effort on her journal than I will be on mine. My drive isn't to create an art journal but to do a piece of art every day, and this seems to be a good way to do it. I work full time and also work away from home so I need something quick and easy. I have decided to take an existing journal which has had backgrounds already created and to draw in it daily. I can take the journal and a pen to work and away with me.

The prompt for January 1st:

An old year has closed its doors and a NWEW year has just opened its doors wide for me to play.
What do I leave behind the closed door? What do I hope to play with when entering the new door?



I have had to add verbal prompts in order to remember the detail! I need reduce my alcohol and cholesterel intake. I could do with doing something about work but that won't happen so I haven't included it.



In 2009 I want to:

• Create a you tube video on creating boxes from hard backed books
• Create some artistic cloth dolls
• Do some whimsical drawing
• Give a workshop on altered books
• Do some more drawing
• Exercise on my recumbent tricycle
• Complete the Suzi Blu Drawing Course

I think these are achievable.