THINKIN INKIN THURSDAY - ART JOURNAL MY WAY

Hello to you all, Virginia here with a quick post about my current style of art journalling.

I know lots of people love art journalling I also know a lot of people haven't tried it yet.  My style of art journalling has changed and altered quite a lot over the years but I find most of my pages now use very simple supplies which don't cost the earth.  Paper, paint and an image creating the page below. 

I'm often asked how I achieve the paint effect and when I tell people there honest answer is that I must have some secret trick up my sleeve so here is proof that I don't.  

So this is the finished result - a journal page completed somewhere to put down my thoughts and feelings on the day, I find the time putting the page together means I have time to think and reflect and being able to do that is quite a therapy in itself.  Now don't get me wrong I don't always document difficult days I document whatever mood I'm in it just so happened that this day had been particularly tough. 

I usually find obtuse images from magazines and books, sometimes printed images from my own collection, whatever I find lurking at the time.  When I was completing this I page I'd had the image sat on my desk for quite some time, thinking I would never use it 

So first of all I tear the image out, I don't cut with scissors as I find the torn edge much easier to deal with 

Then I stick it down with a glue stick, using a bone folder to really make sure it's stuck down well, that way I know when the paint comes out I'm hopefully not going to end up with too many edges moving away from the page. 

Then I gather my supplies, I tend to look at the image to pull out the main colours I can see in it in this case the colours of dark blue, black, white and a hint of green came to mind, but later on I also used a hint of yellow because the grey had a yellowish tinge.  Don't stress about the colours just keep working with them until you are happy. 

Then I set to with the paint and yes they are blobs all over the page straight from the tube

Then I start painting - with my fingers, yes you heard me right - not a paintbrush in sight at this point in time - now as you can see as I start the mix isn't perfect, but by adding little bits of blue and little bits of black the page starts to come together

Honestly - then I keep working the picture until I've covered the page from this 

to this, I often make the edges of the page darker with paint, it seems to make the page bolder 

and this is the proof of the paintbrush I used - it's really rather liberating if I'm honest! 

Once the page is a bit drier I sometimes extend the image, now before you all sigh and do the 'I can't draw and I can't paint' - the answer is neither can I - but you can look at what's before you and extend it a bit giving the illusion - and that's all it is 

See a close up - not perfect - it's not meant to be its supposed to be art - so enjoy it! 

Then I played a bit more by adding a title 

and then I added wiggly lines and coloured them in and put down my thoughts and feelings and there we have it the completed page.  

So next time you've had one of those days (or even if you haven't), find yourself an image and throw some paint at it - you'll be amazed at what you can create! 

Comments

[Lynne]

Gorgeous page, it's lovely to see how you developed it.
Thanks for sharing.

[Mandy]

I really enjoyed seeing the process you went through in making the page. I love messy medias and smiled at the thought of finger painting because I love it too! Tfs.

[Carmen]

Ah Virginia, as someone who is lucky enoug to own some of your work, this is such a fabulous post to read. Your images are so full of depth and the magazine pages seem to melt into the paint making it look like they belong there.

Great post xx

[Debbie]

Fantastic post I am going to definitely have a go at this, I love the results x

[Joanna]

This is a brilliant post, Virginia. I too am lucky to own some of your artwork and I have looked long and hard at it, trying to work out how you did it - the image blends so well into the paint.

Great tip about tearing the image rather than cutting out with scissors.

Thank you!

x

[Eleanor]

Wow, a deep meaningful page, with great techniques that really work. Marvellous.
E
xx

[Sarah]

Love fingerpainting :) and you do it so well!

[Leanne]

Really impressed x