Silhouettes

So far, so good. Week four and I'm still on task with my Art Journal for the year. Can't believe it's almost the end of January 2015 already! For Journal 52 this week, the prompt was Silhouettes. I had in mind what I wanted to do from the beginning, but I got so far and then hit a block - it needed something else and I hadn't got a clue as to what. So I put it all to one side and tonight I decided to get the washi tapes out and play. A few strips of that with a few extra silhouettes in the corner and problem solved. This weekend is the first weekend in about 2 months that I have started to feel more normal and feel like I am finally getting rid of this winter virus, even the coughing is subsiding (after discovering this great throat spray to numb the tickle).

To create this page I decided that I wanted to have some deer / stags in their somewhere and create a landscape scene. I started by painting the background with acrylic paints in shades of blue, purple and white. On top I found a woodland photograph I took at the beginning of January when it was all foggy and image transferred this onto the background paint. I then drew and painted on top of this image to bring key parts to the front. Using a selection of dies I cut the deer out and used them as stencils to create their silhouettes, then painted over the top. I added a layer of tattered angels sprays on top and white fine line pen to emphasise branches.

The bottom right hand area was lacking, it was too dark with not enough interest. This is where the washi tapes came into play and I layered the deer I had cut out earlier to use as stencils, added colour to them and glued in place on top. A final spritz of tattered angels, a rub over with a baby wipe to blend sections and reveal buried parts and voila, the end result.

I hope you enjoy the end result. Hop on over to the website or follow on Facebook to see lots more inspiration and have a go.

Conversation Starters

The theme for the third week of Journal 52 appealed to me - Conversation Starters. I knew immediately what I wanted to create art about. I had had a great conversation with my sister about Llama's -don't you just love them?! We think they are great, fantastic expressions and great haircuts! The conversation came about because for her birthday I got my sister a rather unusual gift - Walk a Llama. We are going out (when the weather is slightly warmer than the -3 to 3* that we are getting now!) to have a picnic trek with a llama around the Surrey hills. Sounds fabulous, I can't wait to share the experience. I bought the gift from Surrey Hills Llamas, the options they had available all sounded great - you can even adopt one.

So when it came to creating my journal page for the week, llamas it was. I started by creating a collaged background of torn book pages, the writing being apt for the prompt. Then I coated this with a translucent acrylic paint and sprayed some tattered angels spray on top. I haven't used those in ages, I forgot how good the metallic sparkle is. I then layered some tags made from book pages, torn patterned paper and cardstock. On top I then created three pencil and watercolour illustrations of some great llamas I found images of and then distressed the edges of all pieces, adding distress ink to finish it off. A final spray of some tattered angels, die cut chevrons, hand written text and a couple of green gems to seal the deal. The end result:

I am enjoying this journey with Journal 52, glad I came across the site. It's great fun and full of inspiration from so many other artists. Now to look forward to creating for week 4...

Just Be...

Finally got lost in the creative process on an art journal page that I started days ago, didn't like, and totally worked over to end up with a finished piece I like. Week 2 of my Journal 52 journey with a theme of Just Be.

Take it any way you choose, interpret the words and make of them what you will. For me it read Just Be Me. So I started by spreading some of my favourite colours all over the page - turquoise, sea green and purples. I covered them with a crackle glaze and layered with metallic pewter. But did not like the dried result - too shiny and not enough cracks! Inspiration deserted me so I put the book to the bottom of the crafty mess and walked away.

After leaving it alone for a few days I returned and resolved to grunge up the page, as anyone who knows me will tell you, I love to distress and make things appear a little shabby chic and tatty around the edges. So out came the paints, distress inks, stamps, dies, brushes, sponges, stencils and a little bit of finger painting for good measure. Two hours later after a lot of drying with a heat gun I had a distressed, layered grungy page that said 'This is me'.

I am much happier with this weeks page over the first one I created. It helps feeling better I do have to say! Looking forward to the next one now....

Journal 52 - Pathways

New year, new start....

Well, that's the plan anyway. This year I aim to make more time to be creative for myself, and not just for my work. So I did a little blog hopping and came across what sounded like a great idea. Journal 52. Create an art journal over the course of the year, one page a week.

A great place to start. I started the year falling foul of this winter virus that is doing the rounds, on antibiotics and feeling very rough in my own little bubble. I did take the time to create my week 1 page to the theme of Pathways, but only now feel human enough to post it properly! Better late than never, so here goes....

This is me trying to find a bit of mojo to start 2015 and find my pathway to a great year.

A mixture of painting, stamping, distressing, washi tape and layering. It was good to get messy again. Hopefully my mojo will return now this virus is (fingers crossed) on its way out. Looking forward to building my journal over the coming weeks and months and seeing what everyone else creates too.