This art journal page was created inside a friend's book (as part of a swap for the Australian Art Journal Swap group) using the theme, All About Me. So I've "painted" a beautiful garden of daisies, I've used Dylusions Acrylic Paint with various stencils and my favourite colour, green.
... Dirty Martini, Cut Grass, Lemon Zest, Pure Sunshine, White Linen, Slate Grey, Black Marble
- Dylusions Stencils
... Squares, Flossie (you could use Maisie, Martha, Ben or any other mask), Its Raining Cats, Keyholes, Spring Bloom (large and small)
- Tim Holtz Stencils
... Organic
- Darkroom Door Stencils
... Wildflowers (large)
- Finnabair Paint Brushes
- Ranger's Mini Ink Blending Tools and Foams
- Tim Holtz Idea-Ology Embellishments
... Snarky Stickers, Chipboard Quotes, Metallic Quotations
- Dylusions Glue Stick
- Washi Tape or Purple Painters' Tape
Sometimes its useful to see exactly how a page begins so I've included a photo showing you the blank slate.
The colourful border around the paper is scrap paper that I've put underneath, protecting the other pages in my friend's book. I've also placed a strip of book tape (its like translucent washi tape) along the spine. This gives a smoother surface and helps stop paint from leaking into the spine.
Before you get started, gather your favourite colour paint for the background with the other main colours. Aside from look fabulous on the table, its useful to have the colours you're using nearby. Also gather all the tools you need so you don't have to go searching later. The stencils I gather while waiting for paint to dry as often, what I want to use changes with my mood or ideas that fly around my brain!
Using a paint brush or ink blending foam tool, paint or blend (also called smoosh) Dylusions Acrylic Paint diagonally across the page... I started off with Dirty Martini (earthy green), then on the rest of the page, Cut Grass (bright green). I worked in circles but it doesn't matter what it looks like at this stage, you're just creating a base coat.
Important : Dylusions Acrylic Paint Housekeeping ... don't forget to put the lids on your jars of paint so the moisture doesn't evaporate while you work. When you've finished for the day, spray clean water into each colour (1 or 2 pumps will do), put the lid back on and give it a little shake. This puts back any moisture that escaped when you weren't looking, ensuring the paint is beautifully smooth and creamy for next time.
Add another colour of paint over the page lightly (so not covering every inch) using a sea sponge, blending tool, texture tools or roller to create subtle texture. I've used Polished Jade with a coarse synthetic sponge roller.
The next step is to wait for the paint to dry. Sometimes the hardest thing to do!
Once dry, attach a temporary tape to the back of a mask or stencil and place on the page. This mask keeps an area of the page in its original colour. I missed a photo at this point, but you can see the mask of a girl underneath the squares above :)
This mask is named 'Flossie', a silhouette of a girl by Dyan Reaveley. Dyan's current designs are Jay, Ellie, Ben, Maureen, Martha and Maisie. Each set has both the inner and outer (positive and negative) of each character in various sizes. I've used the middle child :)
To make a double sided tape from single sided tape... Wrap the temporary tape in a loop with the sticky side out, place on the mask and press lightly onto the surface, just enough for the mask not to move.
Also, if you're worried the tape is too sticky, simply press it down onto a piece of fabric (not a fluffy piece!) and lift off again. Depending on your tape, it may need doing a couple of times.
This is a great way to hold stencils and masks that don't have enough room for fingers, if you have limited mobility, or want to add multiple layers without it moving, like we are here.
If I didn't tape Flossie down, she'd end up leaving paint marks every time she was nudged. Not that it would be the end of the world as you could fix that by saying its just how its mean to be or doodling around the image after it was dry :)
The easiest way to get started it to begin... I sound like Mary Poppins or Maria from Sound of Music! lol :)
Anyway, I began by blending Dylusions Lemon Zest paint through the Dylusions large stencils, Squares and Its Raining Cats. I've used a clean foam on my Mini Ink Blending Tool to keep the yellow fresh.
To choose stencils, use those that either compliment your theme or simply make you smile!
Next add a large simple design in a contrasting or shadow colour (I used Dylusions Slate Grey). This is the Darkroom Door large stencil, Wildflowers. Can you see Flossie?
Shown above is the background drying while I was deciding which other stencils to use... I chose the Dylusions small Keyholes and Tim Holtz Layering Stencil called Organic. They were added wherever there was a large gap between the squares and cats, using the Lemon Zest and again, the ink blending tool.
Just a quick note : I grew up using stencils with a stencil brush. Its a bristly rough round, flat ended brush that always ended up pushing paint under a stencil. It wasn't the brush's fault as I do use a fair bit of paint when I work but since discovering these marvellous round foams, it hardly ever happens. The bristly brushes are now only used when I want to stipple, create spotty patterns or add splatters.
The next step of adding all the white flowers needs to be done after everything is dry so the white paint doesn't blend into the other colours.
All the daisies were added using both the large and small Dylusions stencils called "Spring Bloom". First the larger ones then the smaller ones to fill holes or grow the garden higher. I've used Dylusions White Linen acrylic paint and an ink blending tool (a clean foam as its white!).
After one coat of paint, it dries to a semi-translucent finish. Leave them to dry.
Once dried, painted all the larger flowers and some of the smaller ones with a small round paintbrush (round no.4), again using White Linen. Leave some unpainted so they appear to be further away.
Adding white spots everywhere gave the garden a whimsical look. Hold the paintbrush vertical and simply dot the surface using a different pressure for different sized dots.
The centres of all the daisies were created in the same manner using Dylusions Slate Grey acrylic paint and the same paintbrush.
Starting off a flower centre with a neutral colour helps guide the size and shading. It can easily be painted over with another colour, whether lighter or darker if you want to change their spots.
So that the flower spots don't blend together and remain as little round spots, wait for each colour to dry. Don't worry if your spots aren't perfectly circular... some spots will appear squashed while others look like round speckles... just go with it. There are no mistakes in art!
The spots for the centres were painted in this colour order... Slate Grey, Pure Sunshine, Lemon Zest, White Linen and lastly, Black Marble.
Keeping the black to just around the bottom area of each centre while the white spots are towards the top left of each centre, helps give an impression that its a raised rounded shape.
Carefully lift off your mask. Don't forget to wash the paint off before it sets but don't panic because you can always use a mild soap with a soft nailbrush to wash these stencils as they're a durable plastic :)
To emphasize Flossie's shape that was left behind from the mask, paint a wash of black to add shadows on the inner edge of the shape. Just like the flower centres, this gives the eyes an idea that the shape might be rounded.
You can create a wash with 5 parts matte medium with 1 part paint (use gloss medium if your paint dries shiny).
Or if you're not fussed about exact quantities ... simply use a paintbrush to put a spot of paint on a palette or craft mat, then add matte medium until its a puddle of very translucent black paint. It will look watery as if there's not much black in it at all.
Use the small round paintbrush to blend around the inner edges of one side of the marks (I've chosen the right hand side, as if the light is from the top left).
Quick note on shadows ... Unless you're a movie star where light comes from all kinds of directions so there are no shadows, lighting is usually from one direction. I usually always end up creating shadows that appear as if the light is from the top left corner of a page. One day I'll mix it up and move the sun so I can have the shadows somewhere else! lol :)
Other ways of adding shadows are to use markers, pencils, crayons, watercolour markers or watersoluble crayons. Make sure you wait 12-24 hours before using pencils and markers. The paint needs to be completely cured so the pencils don't tear the paper and the markers don't get blocked.
The main thing about shadows is to ensure its not a solid coverage of black. That it allows the colours to show through, softly blending into the rest of the shape. If you look at most shadows, you'll see most have soft fuzzy edges - unless its a very bright light.
To finish off the page with some thoughts, why not use stamps, your own handwriting or stickers?
I used a mixture of words from Tim Holtz Snarky Stickers, Chipboard Quotes and Metallic Quotations.
I've applied Dylusions Glue Stick to them all, even the stickers, so they're there forever!
So this is me... Dreamer of dreams, feeling free to fly while creating art from the heart in my happy place! The little frog in the corner is a sticker too, making this page about me complete (I love frogs!).
Tim's Snarky quote in the top left hand corner says "We never really grow up, we only learn how to act in public." - who says we have to grow up anyway? lol :D
Thanks so much for reading and checking out my journal page. I hope it makes you smile and encourages you to have a go. I'm here if you need help anytime :) Have fun!
Have a wonderful, happy creative day!
:)
Jenny
Arty Treasures used ...
- Dylusions Acrylic Paint... Dirty Martini, Cut Grass, Lemon Zest, Pure Sunshine, White Linen, Slate Grey, Black Marble
- Dylusions Stencils
... Squares, Flossie (you could use Maisie, Martha, Ben or any other mask), Its Raining Cats, Keyholes, Spring Bloom (large and small)
- Tim Holtz Stencils
... Organic
- Darkroom Door Stencils
... Wildflowers (large)
- Finnabair Paint Brushes
- Ranger's Mini Ink Blending Tools and Foams
- Tim Holtz Idea-Ology Embellishments
... Snarky Stickers, Chipboard Quotes, Metallic Quotations
- Dylusions Glue Stick
- Washi Tape or Purple Painters' Tape
All available at the 'Art by Jenny' online shop
The Background...
The colourful border around the paper is scrap paper that I've put underneath, protecting the other pages in my friend's book. I've also placed a strip of book tape (its like translucent washi tape) along the spine. This gives a smoother surface and helps stop paint from leaking into the spine.
Before you get started, gather your favourite colour paint for the background with the other main colours. Aside from look fabulous on the table, its useful to have the colours you're using nearby. Also gather all the tools you need so you don't have to go searching later. The stencils I gather while waiting for paint to dry as often, what I want to use changes with my mood or ideas that fly around my brain!
Important : Dylusions Acrylic Paint Housekeeping ... don't forget to put the lids on your jars of paint so the moisture doesn't evaporate while you work. When you've finished for the day, spray clean water into each colour (1 or 2 pumps will do), put the lid back on and give it a little shake. This puts back any moisture that escaped when you weren't looking, ensuring the paint is beautifully smooth and creamy for next time.
The next step is to wait for the paint to dry. Sometimes the hardest thing to do!
Once dry, attach a temporary tape to the back of a mask or stencil and place on the page. This mask keeps an area of the page in its original colour. I missed a photo at this point, but you can see the mask of a girl underneath the squares above :)
This mask is named 'Flossie', a silhouette of a girl by Dyan Reaveley. Dyan's current designs are Jay, Ellie, Ben, Maureen, Martha and Maisie. Each set has both the inner and outer (positive and negative) of each character in various sizes. I've used the middle child :)
Also, if you're worried the tape is too sticky, simply press it down onto a piece of fabric (not a fluffy piece!) and lift off again. Depending on your tape, it may need doing a couple of times.
This is a great way to hold stencils and masks that don't have enough room for fingers, if you have limited mobility, or want to add multiple layers without it moving, like we are here.
If I didn't tape Flossie down, she'd end up leaving paint marks every time she was nudged. Not that it would be the end of the world as you could fix that by saying its just how its mean to be or doodling around the image after it was dry :)
The easiest way to get started it to begin... I sound like Mary Poppins or Maria from Sound of Music! lol :)
To choose stencils, use those that either compliment your theme or simply make you smile!
Just a quick note : I grew up using stencils with a stencil brush. Its a bristly rough round, flat ended brush that always ended up pushing paint under a stencil. It wasn't the brush's fault as I do use a fair bit of paint when I work but since discovering these marvellous round foams, it hardly ever happens. The bristly brushes are now only used when I want to stipple, create spotty patterns or add splatters.
The next step of adding all the white flowers needs to be done after everything is dry so the white paint doesn't blend into the other colours.
The Daisies...
Daisies are my most favourite flower ... all kinds including Gazanias, Sunflowers, Marigolds, Gerberas, Chrysanthemums, Dandelions - they're all such friendly flowers.
After one coat of paint, it dries to a semi-translucent finish. Leave them to dry.
Starting off a flower centre with a neutral colour helps guide the size and shading. It can easily be painted over with another colour, whether lighter or darker if you want to change their spots.
Keeping the black to just around the bottom area of each centre while the white spots are towards the top left of each centre, helps give an impression that its a raised rounded shape.
You can create a wash with 5 parts matte medium with 1 part paint (use gloss medium if your paint dries shiny).
Or if you're not fussed about exact quantities ... simply use a paintbrush to put a spot of paint on a palette or craft mat, then add matte medium until its a puddle of very translucent black paint. It will look watery as if there's not much black in it at all.
Use the small round paintbrush to blend around the inner edges of one side of the marks (I've chosen the right hand side, as if the light is from the top left).
Quick note on shadows ... Unless you're a movie star where light comes from all kinds of directions so there are no shadows, lighting is usually from one direction. I usually always end up creating shadows that appear as if the light is from the top left corner of a page. One day I'll mix it up and move the sun so I can have the shadows somewhere else! lol :)
Other ways of adding shadows are to use markers, pencils, crayons, watercolour markers or watersoluble crayons. Make sure you wait 12-24 hours before using pencils and markers. The paint needs to be completely cured so the pencils don't tear the paper and the markers don't get blocked.
The main thing about shadows is to ensure its not a solid coverage of black. That it allows the colours to show through, softly blending into the rest of the shape. If you look at most shadows, you'll see most have soft fuzzy edges - unless its a very bright light.
Adding Thoughts...
I used a mixture of words from Tim Holtz Snarky Stickers, Chipboard Quotes and Metallic Quotations.
I've applied Dylusions Glue Stick to them all, even the stickers, so they're there forever!
So this is me... Dreamer of dreams, feeling free to fly while creating art from the heart in my happy place! The little frog in the corner is a sticker too, making this page about me complete (I love frogs!).
Tim's Snarky quote in the top left hand corner says "We never really grow up, we only learn how to act in public." - who says we have to grow up anyway? lol :D
Thanks so much for reading and checking out my journal page. I hope it makes you smile and encourages you to have a go. I'm here if you need help anytime :) Have fun!
Have a wonderful, happy creative day!
:)
Jenny
Fantastic Jenny!!
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