Monday 25 June 2012

Start of a "real" art journal!

I finally did it. I started a "real" art journal.

Not that I didn't have any journals before. I have several actually. But I use them mostly to sketch or work things out. Sometimes I paint in them, but usually when it comes to painting I grab a canvas.

But I was always admiring other people's journals. The colors, the looseness, ... And I wanted it for myself. Just didn't know how to start. Until the 29 faces challenge in May. I was fascinated by the journal pages of Courtney, who made an art journal of an old book. And then I discovered Orli Avineri, and became even more eager to try it myself. And last but not least, I went to the papercraftshow in Brisbane, and saw Jane Davenport. She had her gorgeous journals spread out on her table for us to look through, and oh my, I was almost literally drooling over it.

So I went to a thriftshop, bought an old book with a hardback cover and googled how to turn it into an art journal. I took some pages out, glued some pages together and put some collage in it.

Then what?

I had no clue how to start. Tried putting gesso on some pages, tried drawing with a paintbrush, tried to loosen up and just paint a face, which I quickly covered with gesso again. I even ended up putting the book back on the shelf.

I must say that art journaling is way more difficult than it looks ...

But last night I flipped through the pages again, and decided to MAKE something. ANYthing. Loosen up.
On one page there was a collage of a little body, so I just put a face on top of it. And went from there.

It's by no means anywhere near the quality of the 3 people I just mentioned. But at least I had fun. And didn't feel like throwing the thing in the bin anymore.

So who knows? I might become a "real" artjournaler.

Here's my first page. Don't know whether it's finished, but for now it'll have to do.

Played around with ink in an old-fashioned pen. That was fun! You can make really fine lines with it. Bit more difficult to handle than markers, but I'll definitely try some more with it.

And here's a sneak peek of my box ....


Tomorrow it's summer of color-time again. This week the color is Baseball Nut ...

Thanks for taking a look! So nice to have you here :-)



5 comments:

  1. I like your art journal page. It's colourful, bright and fresh.

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  2. Beautiful Denthe... how lovely to have an art journal... and begin a page... I always think the first page of a new journal is the hardest to begin... love what you have done... and fabulous colors in your painted box... how wonderful to see Jane at the paper show... my girlfriend was also there... I can only imagine how beautiful her journals must be 'in real life'...

    Hugs
    Jenny x

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  3. Hey guess what, you ARE a real artjournaler! Love what you've done here; the layers, colours, drawing and quote. I'd love to see the book you've made into an art journal......

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  4. great 1st page in the art journal and i loooove the very colourful box

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  5. Hi! Looks to me like you are already an art journaler! I really like your page and your mint chocolate chip entry! Gorgeous...

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