Cinnamon Pink

Art Journaling Magazine: Oct/Nov/Dec 2018: Looking Through the Pages Article

We were very blessed to come through Hurricane Florence with only heavy rain and winds. Still, my thoughts and prayers are with the people in the other areas of North and South Carolina who are caught in this monster of a storm.

It was a nice reprieve to receive the Oct/Nov/Dec issue of Art Journaling magazine in the mail. The issue contains more than 175+ colorful journal pages to refresh your spirit and energize your creative juices.

New editor, Evelyn Mateos, and her staff have gathered together many tips and ideas to help you add color to those blank pages in your journal. 

My article, Looking Through the Pages, tells how I experimented with deli paper to create a different type of art journal. Instead of working with watercolor paper or fabric, why not create an art journal with deli paper?

Watercolor Painting: Female

Here is another painting that I completed during the ART is MAGIC Creative Retreat. We worked with graphite pencils, watercolors and gouache paint.

This workshop was led by the very talented artist, Toni Burt. I love the art that she creates. Visit her Web site for more details about her work.

Three Girls: Art Journal Page

Here's another art journal page that I just completed.

Although, I first sealed the page with matte medium before painting, I forgot to add a layer of medium on the back of the page as added protection. Lesson learned: Seal both sides of the paper before painting.

Whispered: Art Journal Page

I began this portrait, in my art journal, by using a make-up sponge to dab on brown and black pigment inks to create afro-style hair. I had no grand plan in mind but I like the end result.

Working in an art journal is always a relaxing endeavor for me.  According to Elizabeth Warson, professor at George Washington University’s art therapy program: "The regular practice of creating via an art journal can reduce your heart rate, increase serotonin flow and immune cells, and decrease stress responses." 

New Collage Work in My Art Journal

Here's a collage piece that I just completed in my art journal.

I used vintage ephemera, decorative & handcrafted papers, art stamps and ink to complete the piece.

Double-Page Collage: Art Journal

Here is a double-page collage that I just finished in my art journal.

The art work is mostly made up of vintage ephemera. It also includes handcrafted papers and art stamps. Cut and Paste puts one in flow.

Butterfly: Art Journal Page

First, I sketched the butterfly in my small moleskine art journal. Then I added the black accents. To add color, I sprayed on DecoArt Media Misters in Turquoise (Shimmer) and Primary Magenta.

What I like about the DecoArt Media Misters is that the colors are permanent when they are dry. You don't have to be concerned about the colors reactivating if you apply more mediums to your substrate.

Girl with Flowered Hat: Art Journal Page

Today I finished this mixed media art painting in my small Moleskine art journal.

I used acrylic paints, watercolor crayons, art stamps and a collaged flower to complete the piece.

Reinvent Magazines & Catalogs into Art Journals

Have you seen the art journals that some people are making from magazines. I decided to make one too. My friend Stephanee was de-stashing some of her old magazines to the members of our TAG art group.

I took two of the Stampington Mingle magazines from 2012 and 2013. Originally, I was going to use the pages for collage. Instead, I put the two magazines together with packing tape to make one large art journal. I put packing tape on the outside of the magazine covers and on the inside where the two magazines joined. Decorative masking tape would work too.

Alternately, use catalogs to make art journals. If I do the latter, I would choose catalogs that have heavy, matte pages. For example, the Paper Source catalogs are made of a good quality paper. Anthropologie catalogs used to contain heavier matte pages. Lately, the pages are more slippery.

The benefits of art journal magazines is you never have to face a blank page. You could also incorporate the page background into your finished collaged and painted page. And you're recycling!

Abstract Art: Circles - Art Journal Page

Here's an abstract piece that I completed in my Moleskine Art Journal today. The page contains many inked layers, acrylic paints, and paint pens.

I haven't done an abstract-style journal page in quite a while since I've been focusing on painting portraits in my Art Journals instead.

 

Abstract Ballerina: Art Journal Page

Here's a painting of a ballerina that I completed in my small Moleskine Art Journal today. The background page is from a Paper Source catalog.

I used black and white acrylic paint and graphite to complete the art work.

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Portrait on a Tokyo Receipt: Art Journal Page

Here's an art piece that I completed today. The background for this art journal page (in my small Moleskine notebook) began with a receipt from Tokyo. The latter resulted in a wrinkly page due to the thin quality of the paper.

For the portrait, I used acrylic paints, watercolor crayons, Prismacolor pencils and graphite pencils.

Bliss: Art Journal Page

I'm continuing my experimental painting of faces. This art piece was completed in my small Moleskine art journal again.

I combined both collage pieces, acrylic paints and art stamping.

Abstract Women: Art Journal Page

Here's an abstract, mixed media art piece that I completed in my small Moleskine art journal today.

The background page is from a lifestyle catalog. I created the figure with graphite and white and black acrylic paints.

Pink-Haired Girl: Art Journal Page

Here's a painting that I competed today in my small Moleskine Art Journal. I used watercolor crayons, acrylic paints and art stamps.

I do have a thing about pink-haired girls lately.

Clocks Art Journal Pages

Today I completed this double-page spread in my Moleskine Art Journal.

For the background, I used pages from a store catalog. I then pasted a variety of clocks, and the word AWE all over the page.

Next, I combined DecoArt Traditions Glazing Medium and Golden Quinacridone Nickel Azo Gold acrylic paint and spread it over the pages. Then I combined glazing medium and DecoArt Transparent Yellow Iron Oxide acrylic paint and brushed that over the previous glaze.

The layers of glaze unified the images and added a lovely glow to the pages.

Big Ideas Ahead: Art Journal Page

With the purchase of my new laptop, I upgraded to Photoshop Elements 15. Of course, they changed the software a bit. I guess I'll just get used to it.

Here's a painting that I did in my small Moleskine Art Journal. I used the following supplies: acrylic paints, watercolor crayons, graphite pencil and art stamps.

 

Fifty Ways to Use a Hobonichi Planner from Writing in Notebooks

In case you didn't see this on Tumblr, here are 50 Ways to Use a Hobonichi Planner. The ideas are from Catherine, host of Writing in Notebooks. You could use many of these ideas in your art journal too.

1. Travel diary and postcard collection
2. Foreign language study
3. Parent-child joint diary
4. List of books read to child
5. Gardening: growth diary
6. Scrapbook
7. Sticker book
8. Writing practice
9. Illustrated diary
10. Diet tracker
11. Meal planner
12. Homemade cover
13. Reports about baby
14. Monthly digest
15. School: note-taking
16. TV show episode list
17. Hobby picture gallery
18. Funny kid moments
19. Baseball game tracker
20. Hobby photo gallery
21. Life goal archive
22. Photo diary
23. Work organizer
24. Classroom organizer for teachers
25. Children’s sketchbook
26. Comic strip collection
27. Carrying case
28. Podcast planner
29. Garden layout
30. Home furnishing planner
31. Party planning
32. Budget tracker
33. Favorite music list
34. Study tracker
35. Wedding planner
36. Review diary
37. Calorie counter
38. Comic planner
39. Shared message book
40. Symptom tracker
41. Fashion scrapbook
42. Things I Like scrapbook
43. Goal tracker
44. Running tracker
45. Story-writing planner
46. Wallet
47. Memorable quotes
48. Architecture sketchbook
49. Project planning
50. Convention diary

Check out Writing in Notebooks for more interesting ideas.

Hobonichi Tips

When I spotted the Jane Davenport Journal Jacket in Michaels, I thought that it would make a great cover for my Hobonichi (Cousin). The cover is a bit larger than the Cousin but I'll make it work because I love the quote.

Many people are using their Hobonichi planners as an art journal, incorporating drawings and watercolor/marker paintings. The pages are thin but strong. Here's what I do. First, I draw my image with a Micron pen. Next I brush on a layer of Clear Gesso, let it dry and then add watercolor paints.

You could also use clear Pastel Ground or Watercolor Ground to protect your pages before painting. 

Here's a double-page spread in my small moleskine art journal.

Lots of paper scraps (including tissue paper & brochure fodder) and paint.

Happy New Year 2017

I'm a bit late in posting today. Happy New Year to All! Wishing you much joy in the coming year of 2017.

Here's a page that I just finished in my large art journal. I didn't use the Stabilo pencil on this page because I didn't want the lines to smudge. However, my #2 pencil still left some smudge marks. To avoid further markings on the page, I added a layer of acrylic spray to protect it.

I found the above quote on Pinterest. I like the positivity of the words. In every moment, we all have an opportunity.

Documented: Art Journal Spread

Here's a double-page that I completed today in my small, Moleskine Art Journal. The clock images are actually copies from a previously completed art journal page. Try copying some of your old art journal pages, cut them up and incorporate the scraps into your art journal work.

A few months ago, I purchased the Kaisercraft clear stamps that you see above and finally used them on these pages. I anticipate using these stamps in my 2017 planner and art journals.

How do you like the background paper on my art table? I thought it would be fun to get paint splatters, scribbles and ink all over the paper and then use it for collage fodder.

Hobonichi Planner 2017: Cousin Version

In The Artstronauts Club, Teesha Moore has been touting the benefits of the Hobonichi Planner. So I just had to order one from 1101.com/ in Japan.

I ordered the larger version called the Cousin, 2017. The shipping price is a killer ($20.) but Jet Pens only sells the small Hobonichi. I wanted the large version because I plan to use it as a planner and art journal. The pages are thin but they are strong. Teesha creates a lot of drawings in her planner.

There are quotes at the bottom of the pages but unfortunately they are in Japanese. I hope that future editions have English quotes.

Rain: Art Journal Page

I just began a new, small size Moleskine Art Journal. This is the first page of the journal, entitled Rain.

Well, it's really the second page. I always leave the first page of an art journal blank. Later on, after I've completed a few pages, I then work on the first page.

Collecting Phrases/Words for Your Art Journal

During this holiday season, you are probably receiving a good deal of catalogs in the mail. Before you discard them, skim through the pages and cut out phrases/words you could use in your art journal.

Here are some phrases that I cut out from one catalog.

Abstract Female Painting

I completed this mixed media painting, entitled Abstract Female, in my art journal today.

Originally, her face was too wide and her chin was too long. A few years ago, I would not have gone in and changed the structure of her face thinking that I'd mess things up. Now I'm confident enough to paint over a portion of a painting that is not working and begin anew.

I created her abstract hair with toothpicks and acrylic paint.

Art Therapy Visual Journaling Prompts from Cathy Malchiodi

Via Psychology Today, I discovered this post on: Top Ten Art Therapy Visual Journaling Prompts written by art therapist, Cathy Malchiodi, PhD. Here are few of the techniques that I want to try:

• How Do You Feel Today? "This is possibly the most common prompt also called a feelings journal. I often recommend to clients that they keep a feelings journal between sessions and to spend a little time each day drawing how I feel today using colors, shapes, lines or images." I like the idea of drawing your feelings instead of writing them down.

• Spontaneous Imagery. "Spontaneous imagery can mean many things; most often it refers to creating a scribble or free-form lines and looking for images within those lines." This is a great pressure-less exercise - no need for perfect sketches - just scribble away.

• Dream Journal. "If you have time first thing in the morning after you wake up, try keeping a journal of visual images recalled from your dreams. Try writing down some key words or phrases first, followed by drawing of the main elements of your dream." Again, similar to the above feeling exercise, you sketch your dream images.

Take a few minutes to read the complete post for more thoughtful ideas.

 

Sketchbook Tips from Painting About Site

Via the Painting About site, I came upon this updated post on Tips for Keeping a Sketchbook or Visual Journal written by Lisa Marder. She lists the benefits of sketchbooking and also offers tips. Here are a few that caught my interest:

• "Don’t worry about making pretty pictures in your sketchbook - your sketchbook is about practicing your skills, recording fleeting ideas, and capturing moments of life. It is more about the process than the product. If you happen to get a nice composition and pleasing drawing, that's great, but that is not the goal."

• "Don’t edit yourself.  Spend no more than ten minutes on a drawing and don't go back and erase. Instead, restate any lines that you'd like to change. This will give your drawing more vitality."

• "Draw things up close so that they appear abstract; draw small things large-scale so that they go off the page and lose their context."

Check out the complete article for more ideas.

 

Packing Your Art Supply Bag for Travel

When I travel, I always pack a large canvas bag filled with art supplies and my art journals. My bag usually contains Micron pens, mechanical pencils, assorted markers, favorite art stamps, ink pad, watercolor paints, small scissors, glue sticks, collage papers, sketch pad and my current art journal.

Today I came across a related post on Travel Journals and Art Supplies for Your Next Adventure written by Lisa Sonora. She offers some great tips. I like her idea of using cosmetic bags to hold small supplies and tucking in a package of moist hand wipes. Check out her post for more ideas.

 

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Art Journal Page: The Presence of Wonder

I worked on this art journal page today. The image came from an issue of Womankind magazine which is produced in Australia. The magazine offers the most interesting articles and beautiful photography. And there aren't any advertisements within the issues.

I used a Fude Ball pen for the lettering. The pen easily writes on acrylic painted surfaces. Although it is supposed to be waterproof, the pen does smear. Hence the gray smudges around a couple of my letters. I need to find another alternative pen for lettering.

Faux Midori Traveler's Notebook

I had been toying with the idea of purchasing a Midori Traveler's Notebook. But the starter kit is pricey: $49.50 on Jet Pens.

Yesterday, I was at Michael's and came upon (Recollections) Midori-style Notebooks and Inserts at 70% off. Bottomline, I purchased the notebook for $4.49 (Regular $14.99) and the insert for $1.49 (Regular $4.49). That satisfies my Midori needs right now.

The notebook would also make a great art journal.

 

Angel with Flowers: Fabric Angel Book

I completed this page in my Fabric Angel Book today. That's three pages completed in about one week.

I also began work on this page. I cut a vintage bib and glued it on the page edge. Then I pasted a fabric page on top of the cut bib to cover the raw edges. The fabric page already had a cherub stenciled on it with gesso. It may be difficult to see the cherub in the photograph.

I coated both the stenciled page and bib in matte medium. The matte medium provides a protective coating to pages covered in gesso.

The fabric pages do take a lot of work. I'm going to take a break from the angel book and experiment with some other projects in the coming days.

Angel: Fabric Angel Book

I finished this page in my Fabric Angel Book today. I think the image would also make a great transfer on fabric or paper.

I tried pasting the lace trim onto the page edges with double-sided tape which didn't work. Then, I tried white glue but that wasn't successful either. Finally, I used Aleene's The Ultimate Multi-Surface Adhesive and that worked. I just discovered this glue and purchased it for embellishing jewelry. The adhesive certainly came in handy today.

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Cherub: Fabric Angel Book

It's been a while since I worked in my Angel Fabric Book. I decided to complete a page today.

I glued down decorative French tissue paper for the background page, added a cherub image, ribbon and fabric trim. PSE cut off part of the fabric trim.

Abstract Poppies: Art Journal Page

Here's an art journal page that I just finished today. First, I painted some abstract poppies on the page with frisket. Since I used a brush, the stems are a bit thick.

Next, I sprayed on Primary Magenta and Turquoise Misters. I like using the DecoArt Media brand because the misters are permanent. The water soluble sprays reactivate when another medium is applied on top of them. Then, I added some text stampings and pigment ink. Last, I rubbed off the frisket.

I recently purchased a FINELINE Applicator which I'm going to fill with frisket. The applicator will enable me to draw more delicate lines.

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Art Journal Page: Purple Abstract

I continue to experiment with a combination of acrylic paints and black India ink. I'm still working with purple shades of paint. The edges of the painting are a light gray.

Art Journal Page: Small Girl

I was just experimenting in my art journal today and came up with this painting of a small girl.

I enjoy the freedom and spontaneous nature of art journaling. There is no pressure to be perfect. Just paint, play and let the ideas flow.

Textile Artist Site

Artist Lynne Butt from TextileArtist site

Via TextileArtist, I came across an article that caught my interest. It focuses on textile artist, Lynne Butt. I like what she says about her sketch books:

"I like to work on different types of paper, and often put a coloured wash over pages, I paste in scraps of paper to add texture to drawings, I like to use charcoal and pastels for drawing so that I can smudge them."

"I tear the edges of the pages and then carefully paint along the torn edge (giving an aged effect). Layers of pages with torn edges are wonderful and I often photograph these sections using a macro lens which gives lovely blurred out of focus edges."

Since I enjoy working in art journals and incorporating fabric into my own mixed media pieces, I enjoyed reading about Lynn. Take some time to check out the TextileArtist site. There's a lot of good information here.

Purple Sky II: Art Journal Page

Today, I did a second rendition of the painting that I completed yesterday for the  Cross-Country Clearprint Collaborative Art Project. The dimensions that I had to work with  yesterday were 8" x 6."

So today I decided to experiment with a bigger format: 12" x 12" in my art journal. This larger format gave me more room for the quote. My next experiment may be with different colors of acrylic paint.

Butterfly Girl: Art Journal Page

I finished this art journal page, of Butterfly Girl, yesterday. 

I used white acrylic paint, Stabilo All & graphite pencils, watercolor crayons and art stamps.

Art Journal Page-in-Progress: Stabilo All Pencil

Here's a recent art journal page-in-progress. I used a black Stabilo All pencil and acrylic paints.

The Stabilo pencils can get messy at times but they do create shadows. I need to do some more work on the face,

Art Journaling: Enjoying the Process

This double-spread, art journal page (in my moleskine) just involved cutting, pasting, coloring and mark making. No goal in sight. Just enjoying the process.

Doing these types of pages is another enjoyable aspect of art journaling.

Fabric Covered Art Journal - Handcrafted

In January, I signed up for Donna Downey's 2016 Inspiration Wednesday series.

I've been so busy that I haven't viewed any of the videos yet. However, yesterday I completed my art journal for the program.

I used cardstock for the interior pages (as suggested by Donna). To keep the project simple, I purchased 12" x 12" cardstock and folded the pages in half. I didn't want to do any cutting. I created a two-hole signature for the book. 

Since I haven't done any bookbinding in a while, my signatures came out a bit loose. To remedy the situation, I added glue to the signature folds. I then covered them with wax paper and clamped the pages with small binder clips. I let the signatures dry overnight.

Next, I covered two boards with sheet music fabric. I added a button and fastener to the boards. I glued the end sheets to the boards and my art journal is done.

Fairy Girl Art Journal Page

I created this art journal page with images from a lifestyle catalog. I then added some paint and washi tape to the page.

All I need to include is a good quote.

Art Journal Circus Page

We were in Richmond, VA for a couple of days. I saw this advertisement for a Virginia Festival in one of those free city magazines. The circus image immediately called to me to make an art journal page.

I cut out the promotional words, created a character for the center of the page, added the word artist and incorporated some doodles. Art journaling can be both relaxing and fun.

Visual Journaling as a Reflective Process from Cathy Malchiodi

Via Psychology Today, here is a recent article on Visual Journaling as a Reflective Process written by Cathy Malchiodi, PhD. I was especially interested in what she said about doodling:

"Doodling Your Way to a More Mindful Life: Doodling is not just a way to think differently; it’s a way to feel differently, too. From emerging studies, we are learning that art expression may actually help individuals reconnect thinking and feeling, thus bridging explicit (narrative) and implicit (sensory) memory."

"The wonderful thing about doodling is that it is a whole brain activity—spontaneous, at times unconscious, self-soothing, satisfying, exploratory, memory-enhancing, and mindful. In essence, doodling (and drawing and painting and making things in general) can be a self-regulating experience as well as a pleasurable road map of thoughts and ideas."

Malchiodi makes a good point for creating on a daily basis. Check out the complete post for more insightful ideas.

 

Experimenting with Matte Medium & Watercolor Paints

Originally, this was an Anthropologie catalog page of drab black & white flowers. 

I decided to experiment in my art journal. First, I covered the (glued down page) with matte medium. After it dried, I mixed watercolor paints with matte medium to colorize the image. For the best results, I painted on thin layers of the mixture. The latter tended to dry out very quickly.

Next, I plan to highlight the flowers with colored pencils. I like how the experiment turned out and plan to try working with other black & white images. I did notice that this technique works best with heavier paper, not bond-type paper.

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Fabric Angel Book Cover Completed

Yesterday, I completed the cover for the Fabric Angel Book that I worked on at the Art & Soul Retreat (in Virginia Beach) last Fall.

I also applied additional embellishments to the cover. I still have a few blank fabric pages to complete. But I wanted the satisfaction of finally putting the book together.

Bloom Art Journal Page

The background for this art journal page actually began with a Whole Foods Bakery Flyer. I then glued down a variety of polka dot tissue and decorative papers. Last, I brushed on acrylic paint, added punchenella stampings and art stamps.

I really had no goal in mind. I just enjoyed the process.

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WORDS: Art Journal Page

Here's another page I just finished in my No Pressure Art Journal.

For the background, I used a scrap of manuscript-type wallpaper. I found a lengthy quote in a Restoration Hardware (RH) catalog. I cut out the words that I didn't need to re-create the above quote.

BTW, I just love RH catalogs. They feature the most unusual and really lovely items that make for good art journaling fodder. I also purchase items from their catalogs. I hope that atones for using their images in my mixed media art.

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