Outside The Book

Watercolor Paper

I've been so busy with journaling that I've been side tracked from painting LARGE.  I was browsing Connie's blog, Dirty Footprints Studio, and through a labyrinth of surfing I can't repeat, I came across Chris Zydel and her Creative Juice Arts website and was moved to paint LARGE. (You really must explore both of these sites and be truly uplifted and inspired!)

I went into my studio and rummaged through my paper stash and found 2 full sheets (22" x 30") of Strathmore Gemini watercolor paper that seemed perfect for my outdoor paint-a-thon. I love the deckle edges and the feel of the paper.  I gathered my supplies - large (for me) paintbrushes, left over paint that I had from a mural project, and a white plastic tablecloth tarp to protect the deck. I was ready to paint LARGE with a journal mindset!

A beautiful, sunny day, a silly me, and I'm ready to paint! I can't believe I'm posting such a horrible pic of myself! LOL

I'm going to paint a random shape - I can't believe orange is my first  choice of color!

Hmmmm.....look at this luscious red! I'll put some here....and maybe here....

Where there's red, there's purple....at least on THIS deck!.....Speaking of red & purple...

Look at how nicely my deck window box has filled in with red begonias and purple impatiens!

 Look at this yummy blue and green! It's fun to use this red pail of water to clean my brushes!

I would love to show you more stages, but guess what?  My camera battery died just after I took this picture and there was NO way I could stop painting.  I had no idea how I was going to develop this page until I looked at it from a different perspective.  Here's the result....

This painting, "Red Sky at Night",  represents the restless nights I've been having: bed at 11:30, bathroom 3:30, tossing/turning until 4:30 and then wide awake and on the computer.  It gives me additional time to look at some of the wonderful images by my creative friends here on the net and time to catch up on world news. And what emerged on my second sheet as I began to randomly apply paint?  Here it is:

A painting that represents the memory of wonderfully cooked meals by my mother, grandmother and aunts over the years, all prepared with love and a happy heart.  Most of them are gone now, and those who are left are too far away for me to drop by for an afternoon.  I have named this painting "God's Kitchen" because the love and laughter that I experienced in those kitchens and the wonderful meals that I enjoyed from all those women are a part of who I am and their spirits remain with me always.

I hope that your journaling experiences have given you the desire to journal "outside the book" and paint LARGE. I hope you can recapture the free spirit of the child within you and allow yourself the pleasure of playing with paint and expressing your essence in "Happy Creating!".  There's only one YOU - set yourself free and come out and play!

Something Old, Something New

Now that I have a YouTube channel, I've spent a considerable amount of time looking at other art channels and I have come across some wonderful eye candy and a wealth of information! I never tire of watching how other artists create their works of art and I always come away thinking, "Wow! I want to try that technique!", or "Wow! I have to get some of those!"

One such video that I came across was "Teesha Moore's Amazing 16 Page Journal".  Talk about exciting!  I was really drawn to making my own journal and she made it look so easy!  One of the things that impressed me most about the making of her journal is that there is NO waste of paper.  (I'm really big on not wasting art supplies or any other materials, food, etc.)  My almost totally right brain would have NEVER thought of using a sheet of watercolor paper in this manner.  Here - have a look for yourself!



Isn't that great?  Be sure to watch part 2 to assemble and she also has subsequent sections on her different layers: paint, collage and pen work. ( Just double click on the video above and it will open a new window direct to YouTube.)

I immediately headed out to my studio later that day to see what kind of watercolor paper I had.  I really wanted to try one of these journals and I am always looking for ways to refresh my work and nurture my creativity.  This project was screaming my name!  I found just what I was looking for as I rummaged through my sleeves of paper; 2 sheets of Lanaquarelle watercolor paper with beautiful deckle edges!

That was the beginning of my handmade journal, "Teesha Moore style".  I've had a great time playing with my journal using Teesha's techniques.  Here are a few pics of what I've done so far.  It's going to take awhile for me to complete so I'll post more pics as I progress.

This is my cover and the inside left flap.  The flap isn't complete yet. (click to enlarge)

These pages aren't complete either, but I like where they're headed.  As I'm working in this journal, I'm quickly realizing that I really don't have a whimsical spirit.  I see more of a macabre side emerging and I'm having a great time with it - I've even started assembling a second journal as I feel my own style meshing with this technique.

Like Teesha, I used watercolors for my backgrounds using only one color per page.  In the new journal I'm assembling, I've blended 2 and 3 colors per page.  In both cases, I applied the paint BEFORE I assembled my pages.  I did this because I'm impatient and wanted to be able to lay the sections out and paint lots of them at once.  This method is working great for me.  You'll have to determine which method works best for you.  Another thing I changed was the binding thread (I don't remember what Teesha used).  I used hemp cord because that's what was available to me.  It seems to be working fine but I'm keeping a close eye on the knot to make sure it doesn't work loose.  I know I can also add a drop of super glue to make sure it stays knotted!

I hope you'll try some new journaling techniques.  It's not about trying to duplicate the look of another artist but it's about stepping out of your comfort zone and keeping your work fresh.  For me, my normal journaling method is like eating a perfectly prepared 5 course meal; every bite savored and quietly enjoyed to it's fullest.  Teesha's method is like a food buffet to me; lots of choices and flavors to explore, a taste of this and a taste of that.  Both meals are enjoyable but a steady diet of either becomes boring and predictable. 

Step outside of your comfort zone and create in a way that's different from your norm.  Look through your supplies and see how you can take something old and use it in a new way.  Try making an "Amazing 16 Page Journal" and as always,  "Happy Creating!" 

To see more of Teesha's work, visit her website full of eye candy!