My Doodle-Photo-Painted Papers Travel Journal

I've come home from Spain with a bunch of photos and an art journal I started in Granada, but didn't get very far on. The journal base, which I made before the trip is a modified accordion book style.

Thinking it through, I decided to combine a photo book and art journal of the adventure.  Here is the cover, standing, with some of the pages and the back cover showing:

The cut shapes on the top of the journal were inspired by the layers of civilization and buildings of Granada.  I cut and strips of painted tissue paper to put on the top building shape portion of the pages. Then I glued the strips on using a brush with matte medium. When dry, I cut around the tissue paper to fit the edges of the shapes. I like how it abstractly shows the layers of buildings in a similar way that I experienced them while in Granada.

My challenge was to mix photos from my trip, doodling, journaling text, cut edges and painted papers in a cohesive way. I also wanted the book to flow like my journey, up and down little alley ways and hills. I took many pictures of doorways and passages as well as patterns that inspired the arches and doodles.

The Arches and Patterns of the Alhambra are incredible! So here I went all out and echoed their shapes, cutting photos to fit, and even a window...

When I got home, I sized my photos in Photoshop and printed them with a laser printer (Epson) on matte paper. I then cut the photos into shapes and glued them on with "Yes" paste using an old plastic membership card. I like "Yes" glue better for photos than matte medium because it really sticks. The trick is getting it so there is not any glue left on the front surface because it is really sticky, even when dry.

The center, shown here was problematic for me because I first glued down the green tissue paper and then regretted it. It was a challenge to connect that part with the rest of the journal. I decided to  have those pages focus on the garden and journaling which I did a lot of in the garden, plus whimsical arches and ribbons. 

Choosing the photos and deciding what to include in the journal is sometimes overwhelming. What I asked myself was, "What are the highlights I want to remember or tell someone else about? Does this image or text represent that well?  That is how I decided what to include. 

The Alhambra pattern and architecture of the Nasrid Palaces is quite amazing! During my stay in Granada and on the plane I read Washington Irving's

Tales of the Alhambra

. Here is a line from his book - a fitting description of the Nasrid Palace:

"Everything here appears calculated to inspire kind and happy feelings,

for everything is delicate and beautiful."

This is a photo of the back cover of the journal, opened to show some of the other layers.

 A happy recording of the memorable experience...