five

Documented Life Project prompt from a few weeks ago was "five layers"...this is my interpretation on my art journal page...
The collage element was "one" layer :) which we created in my Creekside Studio Sew Fun Art Journaling class last week (stitching-both with a sewing machine and by hand-is super fun!  Try it!)

First, distress inks were applied directly to the paper, and also sponged through a hand-cut stencil.  Second, I spritzed black marker ink through the Tim Holtz spritzer.  Third, the journaling came next, in the "white" space created by the stencil...prompted by the word 'thrive' on the dictionary page and by Frida, my focal image...along with the doodling.  Fourth, I glued down my collage layer.  Finally, five!, I added a little acrylic paint grid for texture.  Easy, peasy, lemon squeezy!  :)

greetings

For you...

Hope you're having a good one!

playing!

Last month I had the chance to go to a workshop at Kuretake, a company that makes amazing pens, markers...things that make my heart flutter.  :)  (Thanks Sandy @ the Stamp Art Shoppe)

I was able to get some of the products that we used in the workshop and have been "playing" with them for fun...AND for new class ideas...can I just say...too much fun!!!

I wanted to try a "watercolor" technique using the Kuretake Zig Wink of Luna brush pens.

I always start by making a sample swatch to check out colors and "personality" of new supplies.

I thought it would be fun to show the "process" of one of those projects.  I started by wetting the watercolor paper then applying the blue, green, and light green inks to the page. Then I blended the color with a large flat brush...the pigment is so rich and I just love the hint of metallic in these.  I didn't like how "crisp" the edges looked so I spritzed the edges with water, and loved how the ink splattered and softened.  Then I journaled across the page using a medium blue ink that would show but not draw attention to itself.  I decided that I wanted some texture on the page but not collage, so I used the Zig Embossing Pen with a circle stencil and put circles here and there and embossed them...very subtle, and just what I wanted.  Next, I grabbed a Tim Holtz stencil and stenciled the wildflowers over the writing with black ink.  Since I had so much fun with the embossing pen, I drew some swirls on circles cut from dictionary pages and embossed that. Finally, I "grounded" the flowers with text paper and washi tape...outlined the text circles with the light green Luna ink...

 

Here is a slightly different angle...can you see the texture of the embossed circles?





Well!  That was fun!  I can't wait for my next "play date" with my new toys...I'll keep you posted.
By the way, Have I mentioned how good for you it is to "play" now and then...therapeutic even...try it...do something fun, I mean, good for you this week-end.  :)

art

I read this quote and have been thinking about it. (It is always interesting to think about why we are compelled to create-at least for me it is.)  :)  And then Joanne Sharpe showed this flower in Artfully Inspired Life 2015 and I figured I could do that.  So I decided to create a journal page...

I sketched out the layout...the lettering and the flower...in pencil first then I inked it all with my trusty Sharpie pen. When I was sure that the ink was dry I erased all pencil lines.  Now for the fun!  Using my Tombow markers I "loosely" applied color.  Then I took my waterbrush and "moved" that ink around, filling in and softening lines.  I love having the control of a marker, yet the look of watercolor.  I decided I needed just a little something else so I put a blue marker in the Tim Holtz Spritzer and spritzed here and there.  (It is a little hard to see this in this picture.)   Finally, using a Kuretake waterbrush filled with sumi ink, I brushed ART.  I absolutely love how very rich and bold that black-black-black sumi ink is...I definitely want to "play" with it in more projects.

Have a great day!  And go ahead...create something, make your soul visible!  :)