Dark Journal

I've got that centipede bug again.   I have been experimenting with different cover treatments and discovered a technique that works really well to create a very durable and interesting surface.   It's a process of layering papers, mediums and pigments onto heavy book boards.   The results: an intriguing leather-like finish.  

The materials used on these covers are vintage clothing patterns, satin varnish and a variety of brown pigments.  

I can hardly wait to try out some other types of paper with this method.  Oh the possibilities!

Initially the book covers were unembellished, but somehow the black waxed linen jumped into my hands and before I knew it, a centipede was marching across the covers.
You can find this journal and other similar ones for sale at my Etsy Shop.

A Valentine

I know that if I ever to looking for my heart's desire, I'll never go any further than my own back yard.  For if it isn't there, I never really lost it.  -Wizard of Oz

Your vision will become clear only when you look into your heart.  Who looks outside, dreams.  Who looks inside, awakens.  -Carl Jung

Keep love in your heart.  A life without it is like a sunless garden when flowers are dead.  The consciousness of loving and being loved brings a warmth and richness to life 

that nothing else can bring. -Oscar Wilde

Heart Upon Sleeve

February's theme is 'hearts' of course.  I chose this line from Othello as my prompt....  "But I will wear my heart upon my sleeve for daws to peck at: I am not what I am."
The bird Shakespeare referred to is a Jackdaw, an annoying species of black bird.   Here it looms larger than life, ready and no doubt eager to take a peck at the heart in question.
Love is in the air.....

Prediction

Our theme this month was 'Predictions' and my thoughts turned to the little slips of paper in fortune cookies.   For years I have collected these whenever we get together with friends at our favorite Chinese restaurant.  I have a whole jar full.   As I went through them, this one stood out, and the photo of 'Frank' seemed to connect with it.  He looks like the patient type.  The photo is from my extensive collection of 'lost people' that end up in a shoebox at some antique store for $2.
Here's hoping that Frank is rewarded for his 'everlasting patience.'

Become Who You Are

Thoughts about diversity and uniqueness were the prompts for these journal pages.
It takes courage to become who you really are.

Play Art

Creativity is about play and a willingness to go with your intuition. If you know what you are going to do, why do it? --Frank Gehrey

People tend to forget that play is serious --David Hockney

Today I'm revisiting one of my favorite themes:

Play..... get some.

Begin Where You Are

Every day brings the opportunity to try something new. This was the prompt for my journal page yesterday. As usual, a wide variety of materials were used, starting with a gesso ground on the pages. Watercolor, torn paper, acrylic paint, printed images, markers and watercolor oil pastels were all within reach and found their way onto the page.

Begin where you are but don't stay there too long. Move forward on your journey.

You Go Girl !

I like to work intuitively most of the time which means I don't always know where the muse is taking me. It's the most wonderful feeling to just let things happen without over-thinking, trusting your immediate instincts. Remember, you have more paint to cover up anything you really dislike later. (If and when you do cover something up, consider using a semi-transparent wash to allow the layered imagery to show through and create interest).

Here I began by playing with the background with no further expectation. Layers of paint, colored pencils, and stamped textures were all used. Images were added and the theme of the page became obvious.

The linear borders on top and bottom were made with a strip of corrugated cardboard that was placed on acrylic paint and then pressed on the pages like a stamp. What other 'found objects' could you stamp with? When I'm working, anything within arm's reach is fair game. (Try little plastic drinking cups for circles, bubble wrap for pattern, fork tines for lines of dots, etc).

Soft water-based oil pastels were used around the imagery to help them blend into the background, and then the writing was applied with waterproof pens.

I'm not sure it's finished yet but decided to post it here anyway. As Anne Boelyn said, "That's how it's going to be, no matter how much people may grumble."

What's next? Guess I'll get a background started and see where it takes me.

Journal Play

Remember to play often.

A visual journal is the perfect place to play with ideas, color, materials, words, whatever you want. You are not obligated to make a masterpiece. You might even paint over the whole page if you don't like it.

Here are some recent 'play pages' in my journal. None of them are really noteworthy, but they each represent a moment in time and document what I was thinking about.

Compare this to the concept of writing down your thoughts in a diary...... it's very related to that, only more visual.

The prompt for the above pages: A co-worker's birthday celebration and remembering the importance of celebrating life each day.

The prompt: A friend gave me a piece of vintage ephemera and said "here's something for your journal." I had also recently listed all of the daily expectations of teaching in a large public school. The two items merged on these pages very spontaneously.

The prompt: Recalling a time in my childhood when I wanted to become invisible. Not a happy time, but something that later helped me grow. Making these pages allowed me to revisit and remember a significant event in my life.

There is power in putting images and words on paper. If you have not tried visual journalling, it might be a new adventure for the new year! There are so many resources online to inspire and get you started.

What would you like to journal about? Silence your inner critic and have fun.

Invite Peace

I've always avoided making New Year's resolutions. Why risk the guilt? But when one of my friends on Facebook (You know who you are Lauri P.) posted an article entitled "20 Ways to Add More to Your Life" by Dr. Frank Lipman, it inspired me. I like the idea of seeking more of the positive things life has to offer, and less of the negative.

This morning after reading the list again I selected some of the items and used the term 'invite' as in 'opening the door' allowing these things to come and go in my life.

The resulting journal illustration is mixed media including markers, watercolor pencil, oil pastel, decorative papers and ink.

Once again, inspiration is all around us all the time, just waiting to be recognized and asked to play. Thanks for sharing the article Lauri.

Vincent

Images of Vincent and his work were used in this month's journal page and ATC exchange. The theme was 'gifts' and instead of a holiday theme, the muse took me in another direction.

With photoshop I placed his tragic self portrait on the painting of poppies for color effect. The quote is from Emerson.

There is a new theory about how Vincent lost his ear in 1888. For more than a century, Vincent Van Gogh has been known as the tortured genius who sliced off his own ear in a fit of madness. But a new study claims that Paul Gauguin lopped it off with a sword as the two artist's argued. It is contended that Van Gogh let everyone think he had mutilated himself in order to protect Gauguin from prosecution. We may never know the true story but it's an interesting speculation.

Below, I used a rare photograph of Vincent and one of his own quotes.

Time

With the old year drawing to a close and 2010 approaching, I chose the prompt for this visual journal entry: time.

Again, the composition expands from an existing image, in this case the photograph of a colorful bird's head.

Henry David Thoreau's words are at the top: "The price of anything is the amount of life you exchange for it."

A quote from Omar Khayyam seemed to be the appropriate text: "The bird of time has but a little way to fly.... and the bird is on the wing!"

Journal Page / Friends

This page is from one of my 8 x 10 hand made journals. I make these with my students and work along with them each semester.

The prompt was to begin with an existing image, then go beyond its borders and 'tell the rest of the story.' In this case, the image was the small rectangle that includes the faces of these 4 friends. It was applied to a background and their bodies were drawn and painted with acrylics. Text was added with marker and the line of music seemed to complete the story. "A friend is someone who knows the song in your heart and can sing it back to you when you forget the words."

Journal Pages

These are a few pages from a visual journal I have been carrying around and playing with recently. Inspired by artist Teesha Moore, I have been exploring her ideas and color use to stretch my own boundaries a bit.

The text is inspired by a book I love, Art and Fear by David Bayles and Ted Orland.
On her website and on YouTube, Teesha Moore has generously shared a series of videos about how she creates her journal pages. They are definitely fun and inspiring and worth a look. After watching them, I made this little book so I could play too.
What I love most about visual journaling is the freedom it gives us to play and explore.

You don't have to create a masterpiece, just get out the paint, markers, glue sticks and pens and see where it takes you. Use whatever inspires you and have unstructured fun.

More Centipedes

Now we're having fun! A bit on the dark side this time, which is good if you're playing with centipedes.
A new shipment of waxed linen cord arrived today...... I think I'll be needing it.
There may still be more of these waiting to come out and play. That's what is so fun about art, you just never know what will happen next.