“Wish” Art Journal Layout

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For the last week I have been wanting to create fabulous art journal layout but was spending too much time lamenting over the work of others and not getting started myself. I call this “art envy” – where we are stopped with even getting started when we are overwhelmed by the work of others. Ironically, if we never get started, then we can never learn and improve our own skills.

mixed media art journal

To combat this “art envy” I took the plunge and got stuck into creating this art journal layout. Here are the key steps through the process:

Materials List:

I would love to hear more about how you combat art envy and your art journalling process – leave a comment below!

Happy creating!

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New Years’ Reflections

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I love spending a few days either side of the New Year contemplating the year that was and the year ahead. The triumphs of the last year can easily be forgotten amongst the sad times so we need to spend time documenting the good and the bad, and use that to help set our course. An art journal is a perfect place to reflect and document these contemplations.

mixed media art journalling technique

To help with your New Years’ reflections, I have put together an ephemera sheet with prompts to help you get started. It can be downloaded over on the Mixed Media Ephemera page [Sheet #9].

Materials and Tools:

  • Pre-painted Art Journal layout
  • New Years’ Reflections Ephemera sheet
  • Lined paper or scrapbooking paper suitable for writing on
  • Ruler, craft knife and cutting mat
  • Glue stick
  • Inks to match your color scheme
  • Journalling pens

1. Gather up your materials and tools. Clear your workspace.

New Years reflections mixed media art journal tutorial

2. Using the ruler, tear up the ephemera sheet to quickly separate each prompt, giving each one a nice torn edge.

New Years reflections mixed media art journal

use a ruler to tear out the art journal promtps

New Years reflections mixed media art journal

3. Sort through the prompts and decide which ones you want to use; for me it was a combination of which ones appealed to me and how many would fit in the layout space.

4. Edge the prompts with ink by running the ink pad along the edge of the paper. This helps to frame each statement.

use direct to paper method

5. Using the lined paper, write out your reflections for each prompt and cut them out. I used angled lines for interest.

reflect on new year for your art journal

you can use any shapes for your art journal

6. When you have finished your writing, do a rough layout to check all of your pieces fits and you are happy with the arrangement. Here I wanted lots of space between the panels so the painted background would show through.

rough layout for your mixed media art journal

mixed media art journals

7. Using the glue stick, stick the pieces into your art journal. Add embellishments if you wish.

8. Don’t forget to sign and date your work.

mixed media art journal signed and dated

9. The finished layout

using prompts to reflect on your new years thoughts

We would LOVE you to share your New Years’ Reflections – just leave a comment below or even a link to your blog, showing off your artwork and reflections.

Happy creating!

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Have you got your copy of Cloth Paper Scissors yet?!?

Stop putting off your mixed-media wish list! Today is the day to check off essential to-do’s from your bucket list and Cloth Paper Scissors magazine is here to help!

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A Canvas Journal

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This article is written by Francesca Albini

I am always exploring ways to organically blend digital with traditional media. I love the versatility and portability of digital, all its different and new brushes, the infinite palette, the possibility of integrating text and images, but often I find that digital art looks very flat and cold when printed.

On my latest trip to America, I thought it would be fun to keep a digital journal, more practical, quicker, less messy. But messy is good, it’s tactile, three dimensional, just like travelling. I felt that I had to find a way to bring to life my digital journal, so that it would be true to my travel experience, the emotions and adventures.

So here are two “pages” of my journal. Originally I drew the car with a ballpoint pen in a notebook. I photographed it and digitally coloured it in and framed it. Then I imported it into the journalling app and added text and marks. For the second journal page, I used various photos I had taken with my mobile phone.

creating journalling on canvas

I decided to use stretch canvas as support, printed the digital journal pages and other photos on printable canvas, glued them to the big canvas with pva, and then added all the paint splashes and details that I felt communicated the heat, the light, the atmosphere.

travel journalling and photos collaged onto canvas

Lastly I also painted a self portrait as a dreamy observer . I am satisfied that the digital elements in these two pictures have a warm, natural feel about them, and gel well with the acrylics and paint markers.

Perhaps keeping a journal on stretch canvas is not very practical, but one or two meaningful pages per trip could turn the walls of your home into an inspiring memory lane.

 

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Francesca is a visual artist using pretty much everything she finds around her to record and relive feelings and memories of places and emotions. She collages, paints, draws, photographs. Francesca loves mixing modern technology, such as mobile phone apps, with the simplest of tools such as glitter glue, crayons and other children’s art supplies. Read her blog at franjournal.blogspot.com

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Valentine’s Art Journal Page

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This article is written by M. Carmen Sánchez – Cuchy from La almohada

One of the things I love about Art Journaling is that it is absolutely mine and absolutely me.

It’s where I express my joy and sadness, my ups and downs my success and my mistakes.

And it is the perfect place to experiment with new techniques or products, and where I leave my creativity fly.

And where to find the inspiration?

Look around you and find something you like. A book, your brushes, your room’s colours…

Look through the window or review your last pictures of the woods, the city or the beach.

What did you do yesterday? Is there something or someone special in your life lately? Any special event in a near future? What did you laugh at last time?

Search the web. Flickr or any other online gallery. Write your favourite colour in the search field and hit enter. You’ll be surprised with the results. Do the same with your own pictures.

I’m sure you have a huge list of blogs. Open a new folder on your computer and save your favourite works with a proper link to the author. Do not forget to credit when credit is due

Search pages of sketches and learn from other’s interpretation. Try to make your own version.

Let the music sounds…

So, while listening to my favourite music, with a cup of coffee beside me I left myself be inspired by the colours of one of the canvas hanging on my wall and our anniversary next month.

I love textures and colours, so my tutorial today is a colourful Art Journal Page… in Valentine’s mood 🙂

Start covering a piece of tulle with gesso on your page. Let it dry and then pull the tulle apart. It will give a beautiful texture to your page.

Cuchy's art journal for Valentines day

Pour some paint and spread it with a wet baby wipe. One colour at a time.

Cuchy's art journal for Valentines day

 

Cuchy's art journal for Valentines day

 

Cuchy's art journal for Valentines day

Once the art journal page is dry, stamp around the edges. I used one of my hand carved stamp

Cuchy's art journal for Valentines day

On a book page, draw a heart, stamp over it and colour it with watercolour. Cut it out

Cuchy's art journal for Valentines day

Glue your heart to the page and add a shadow with a charcoal pencil

Cuchy's art journal for Valentines day

 

Cuchy's art journal for Valentines day

That’s it! This gorgeous art journal page is complete! Hope you like it.

Cuchy's art journal for Valentines day

 

 

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M. Carmen Sánchez – Cuchy

A mainly self-taught mixed media artist who loves to play with textures and layers

Member of the Kuretake’s Design Team -manufacturer of writing supplies- Design Team Instructor of Stampers Best -american manufacturer of rubber stamps and cling cushion mounting foam- and contributor and guest designer in various Spanish and international blogs, she taught several workshops in Madrid and Barcelona and loves to teach from her own experiences, and encourage the students to think outside the box and put their inner self in everything they create, to achieve a personal and unique result.

You can find more on her blog Hecho a mano.

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