So Grateful – An Art Journal Spread – Mini Tutorial

Hellooooooooooooo my friends!  I am feeling so completely inspired lately.  I love it when my muse is happy, and I can create stuff that I actually like.  On the heels of taking two in-person classes with the fabulous Joanne Sharpe, I pulled out my Dylusions art journal, and some of my new products from the Art House Studio, and this is what happened.  I only wish that I had made a video of my process.  I am doing the next best thing – sharing lots of pictures, and see below for a description of all products and techniques used to create this spread (a mini tutorial).

First, – I am NOT affiliated with any of the blogs, stores, or products mentioned and linked in this post. Since I often get comments/questions about where I get my products –  I purchased all products mentioned in this post from The Art House Studio, in Cambridge, Ontario Canada.  

I started with a spread that had already been sprayed with my Dylusions Ink Sprays, and pulled out one of my new Crafter’s Workshop Stencils and glass bead gel, and stenciled the buildings across the bottom. That is the COOLEST effect!  (If you would like to see this technique demonstrated, check out my Youtube video here) After the glass bead gel had fully dried, I added some pan pastel over the top of the glass bead gel (LOVE!).

This is what the stencil looks like (designed by Rhonda Palazzari) -

I used a variety of black permanent markers to draw the circle in the corner, and journaling lines.   Then, I pulled out a few of my favorite shimmery paints – some Silks, as well as some Perfect Pigment Pure Liquid Acrylic (in Green Pearl – *YUM*).  I painted each journaling section with a different shimmery paint.  Then, I did the journaling,  using several different permanent black pens.  Then, I outlined in white with my Uniball Signo white pen.  A little doodling around the edge, and I was finished.  :)

Art Journaling Video

I recently joined a Facebook group, started by Kate Crane, a fabulous mixed media artist, where members create monthly art journal calendar spreads. I have seen this idea before, and have done a couple of spreads, but I have never really committed to the idea, and done it on a monthly basis.  So, I thought I would try to do it this year.  I started in December, and have maintained that one.  I have January completed, and just finished February!  Here is my completed spread:

  

There is lots of texture, and bling, which doesn’t photograph well.  Here is my Youtube vide of me creating this spread:

Art Journal Pages & Christmas Cards

      Hello everyone!  I promised to share some of the art journal pages I did while in Jamaica.  I always find time to journal, no matter where I am.  Travelling is an ideal opportunity.  There is lots of idle time in airports, etc., and, of course, while basking in the sunshine.  I get some funny looks sometimes, with all my art supplies spread out on my beach chair lol.  For this trip, I did not bring much in the way of art supplies – my Moleskine watercolor journal, my Smash book, my small Strathmore visiual journal, some watercolor paints and pencils,a couple of woodless graphite pencils, and some of my markers.

I didn’t finish any of the pages in my Smash book – but, I did glue down some travel ephemera.  I usually add doodling, rubons, etc., after I get home, so I will share those pages when I finish them.  This is the only one that is close to finished.  I will probably add some details later, but maybe not!    I took some private coaching from one of the local pros in Jamaica, and wanted to remember some of the things that he told me, so I created this journal page for that purpose.

The next couple of pages were done in my small Strathmore Visual Journal (Bristol paper version):

The next few were done in my Moleskine watercolor journal.  I used lots of media – watercolor paint, watercolor pencils, markers (Sakura gelly roll, and Faber-Castell brush and fine tip pens). These are all definitely zentangle-inspired.

Lastly, I have been busy since I returned from vacation, trying to finish up my Christmas cards.  These are made with one of  the Basic Grey card kits (not my design):

This kit included all the supplies to make a total of 12 cards – 4 of each of these 3 designs.  A quick and easy way to get 12 cards done in a short period of time.

 

More Letter Love

These are a couple of Letter Love exercises that I haven’t had a chance to post until now.  The phrase was my own thoughts.

*Updated to add – The second page (green with grid) is a page in my SMASH book!  I’ve had so many enquiries about it, I thought I would let you all know. 

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Letter Love Layers

Today’s post is brought to you by one of my many  Letter Love journals.  Thanks for stopping by.   Mwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!

More Letter Loving

Today’s goal, as part of Joanne Sharpe’s Letter Love class, was to find the perfect white pen.  I have a few of them in my stash, and haven’t really done a true experiment to find out which ones are my favourites.  As part of this class, I pulled out all of my white markers, pens, white-out pens, paint pens, etc., and played on dark paper.  My top five turned out to the same as Joanne’s.  My favourite?  Hands-down – the Uniball Signo.  The trick is to write SLOOOW.  These pens are finicky.  The other 4 faves?  Well, you’ll have to take Joanne’s course to find out.  And, no, I am not affiliated.  I just love the class, and for $35, it’s fabulous value.  So just do it.   Now.

L-L-Letter L-L-Loving

Joanne Sharpe is the most amazing instructor of hand lettering EVER.  L-L-love her class.  I’m having so much fun, and my hand lettering is improving every day.  I went a little overboard with the color…my Copics have never been so loved.  I did leave some white space, though.  Can you see it?  lol

 

 

Letter Loving

Just a quick drive-by post today, with one of my weekend doodles in some of my (many) Letter Loving journals.  I wasn’t concerned with making something pretty.  I just wanted to play with total abandon.  Done.

 

My Bali Travel Journal

Helloooooooooooooo my friends!  Well, I’m back from THE vacation of my life!  *sigh*  It’s hard to believe that I was in Bali just over one week ago.  We also visited Hong Kong for 4 days.  I cannot begin to describe the experience of travelling to the other side of the world!  So, I will let my journal speak for me.  I purchased a Smash International journal for this trip, and I had so much fun smashing junk …er…ephemera and photos into it every day!

This is the first Smash journal I have actually FILLED!  Looooookeeeeee:

I took on online, hand lettering course just before I left, with Lori Vliegan, offered at Creative Studios.  This vacation was the perfect opportunity to practice my “skills”!  If you have ever wanted to improve your hand lettering skills, I would highly recommend this course!  And, I am not receiving anything for endorsing this course.  I just loved it, and want to spread the love! 

So, here is my “calendar” spread.

And,  my first 2 pages:

There you go!  That’s all for today, but I will be sharing lots more, so keep checking back, if you wanna see.  Thank you so much for stopping by!