Tuesday Tips and Techniques: 2012 Art Journaling

There are only 46 days left in 2011, so now is a good time to be thinking about where you want to take your art journaling in 2012!

Try something new!  "Something New" can be as simple as trying a different type or size of journal.

Maybe this is the year that you'll really get into making some of your own journals.  There are many different FREE tutorials on both the Internet and YouTube to get your started in the right direction.

My Thursday Art Journaling Class will start the new year by making a Teesha Moore inspired fabric journal.  That will be something new for all of us, and I can't wait to get started on this one!  I also have some other handmade journals to be finished.  I dare say I'll have plenty to keep me busy as the snow flies!

Unexpected gifts are also a good catalyst for taking your art journaling in a direction you may not have thought of.  Last night, I was gifted by my sweet hubby with this beautiful, sketch journal.  I have decided that I will use this journal for only that - sketches.  I will do a sketch a day using only charcoal, charcoal pencils, and black pens and markers.  (OK - MAYBE a light wash or two!)

Keith also gifted me with this Pentel Pocket Brush Pen on Sunday night.  (Yes, I'm a lucky gal!)  I thought I had run the gamut on black markers and pens (ruining more than I care to recall).  Leave it to my hubby to come across a pen I have never seen, and I have to say I LOVE IT!  It's easy to control the line width and the ink flows very nicely.  It writes amazingly well over thick acrylic paint, and the one he gave me came with two cartridges.  It will definitely be a new staple in my art box!

BIRTHDAY  GIVEAWAY!

So what's up with the tiara on my head and the gifts two nights in a row?  I thought you might ask.  Well, yours truly has a birthday coming up this Saturday, and my dearly beloved officially declared that, "The Princess should have a Birthday WEEK!" on Sunday night!  (I just LOVE him!)  I never give my age much thought, but for some unknown reason, this year's birthday is making it difficult for me to maintain the delusion that I am perpetually 18.  Knowing this, hubby decided to make it extra special for me.  SO - I digress.

The real reason I'm telling you this is because I've decided to share the birthday excitement with YOU, my faithful readers and journaling friends.  I'm having a BIRTHDAY GIVEAWAY!!!!   How do you enter to win? It's easy.  Simply comment on each of my posts between today and Sunday at midnight EST.  Your name will be entered for the drawing each time you comment (up to 6 times).  Keith will select the winner by random drawing on Monday, and I will announce the winner in next week's "Tuesday Tips and Techniques" post.

WHAT'S THE PRIZE?  I thought you might ask that, too, but what's a birthday without surprises?  I will, however, give you a couple hints: 1) Prize value $65  2)  "La semana de mi cumpleaños"  


I hope this post inspires you to start thinking about your 2012 art journaling and I hope
you're having a wonderful week as you "Celebrate, LOVE, and Create!"


PHOTO OF THE DAY

Keith captured the moon peeking between the clouds and trees one night after full.

Same Old Story

"fate comes a-knockin', doors start lockin'
your old time connection, change your direction
ain't gonna change it, can't rearrange it
 can't stand the pain when it's all the same to you, my friend.."
~Aerosmith  "Same Old Song and Dance"


I'm having a great weekend all hunkered down from the cold and flurries and hanging out with my hubby.  I spent yesterday journaling and strategy planning to get through the horrordays, er, holidays.  NOT my favorite time of year, but journaling is a great way to navigate around potholes and dodge shrapnel.

I've been forced to revisit some dark, unpleasant places over the last week, and I've been fortunate to have journaling as an outlet for my thoughts and emotions.  Journaling has mostly become a  fun exercise in creativity and experimentation for me, but I never underestimate it's usefulness as therapy.

My new journal gives me almost twice the unlined area that I've grown accustomed to with my Composition Notebook journals.  I began this spread by adhering some magazine photos to my pages. (Fuchia colored mountains and a slate blue/black stone looking pattern)

This spread initially started as random shapes created with water soluble crayons.  I then applied a light layer of super heavy gesso on top of that, and then I finished with artist acylics. Muliple layers are conducive to deeper therpy. 

I'm enjoying my new journal.  The larger format is inspiring me to try new approaches and techniques even though my holidaze, er holiday subject matter is the same old story, same old song and dance.  I used Mod Podge to adhere lots of torn paper to the left side, and horizontl strips of paper on the right.  There's a lot of texture that's difficult to see in the photo.  Doodling the hair was very therapeutic.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend, and whether for fun experimentation or emotional release, I hope you pull out your journal and favorite art supplies for some  "Happy Creating!"