art journaling

 
Art journaling is something I have wanted to do for a few years. However, the excuses were many and kept me from ever starting.

I am not that kind of artist

I don't have the right kind of journal

If I have time to be creative, I should be doing other more productive things.

I won't be able to fill an art journal.

People may judge my art or lack of it.

I like my art to be clean, simple, and organized. Art journals are not.

Well, it's a new year and time to throw away all the excuses. I didn't have a journal, so I made one. I thought I had a large notebook of watercolor paper, but it was just drawing paper. However, I have some Gesso, so I just cut the paper the size I wanted (5 1/2 x 8) and gesso'ed the front and back of each. I decided that I wanted to be able to add or move pages, so I just punched holes and used book rings.

Then there was the cover. Oh no, what can I do! I had the thought to paint it red and then use black crackle paint, so that I could see just a bit or red poking throught the dark black. Last year was a year full of really high highs and really low lows, so the red to me represesnted 'coming out of the dark' for lack of a better term. Again, I didn't have the right stuff. So I just painted it red, colored over that with a black water color crayon, and wiped some off to reveal the red. It seemd a bit dark and morbid, so I added light pink numbers and around the edges and darker pink butterflies. I like how the paint removed some of the watercolor crayon and just left an outline of the butterflies.

I am really liking the juxtopostion of a more dark design with extremely feminine elements. A study of opposites, if you will. It is so me! Is there a name for that design?

 
Here's the inside cover (super feminine) and the first page featuring my One Litte Word for the year.

Just a few days in and it has already been great. Its relaxing to just throw some paint on a page with no real plan of what it will become. It's freeing to try new art techniques without worrying about 'messing up'. I even used acrylic paint on one of my beloved A Muse wood block stamps...that's just unheard of *wink*. I may not share every page, but I will share more along the way.

We are on day 3 of crazy snow and mostly being snowed in. Here's to hoping that I can at least get some things done today.

Comments

[jenn shurkus]

glad you told yourself no more excuses michelle ;) i love what you have created so far...
but most importantly.... create in your art journal for YOU... try things out ( you can always paint over it... experiment.... be free!!

:)

[Sarah Jay]

So glad you're sharing this new journey with us, Michelle. I think you just summed up my feelings on art journals, including the decision to finally go for it.

[dawns]

You have what it takes. Thank goodness for all that snow you have. Sometimes being forced to stay in causes wonderful things to happen. Very impressive!

[Jill Grace]

What a fantastic project! I love what you've done so far and can't wait to see more. Happy to see you create for yourself :)