I'm starting a new art journal reflecting a new phase in my life. I'm throwing out any rules. I'm not starting at the beginning. I'm going with the flow. Here is a step-by-step process for a two-page spread from the middle of this journal in progress. 

After loosely coating the pages with gesso I added paint with quick broad strokes of 

raw umber and transparent red iron oxide 

while the gesso was still wet.

After the first layer dried I added a wash of Manganese Blue Hue around the edge

 and blotted it with a paper towel. When it dried I went through my pages and put ideas with post-it notes.

Then I cut strips of

 painted papers, along with 

map and music pieces and placed them along the bottom edge.

TRUST is my theme for this page so I traced around a stencil and cut the letters out. 

Then glued them on with matte medium.

I outlined the letters with a permanent drawing pen and wrote the text. 

It came together pretty fast after that by adding paint around the letters and some dabs of watery paint making some circles and loosely outlining them with pen. 

Here is the other side of the two page spread. 

I treated it exactly the same way for the background. 

Then I traced around a stencil I had made of myself.

Then I traced and cut the same shape out of some music.

Next I used a torn paper technique using matte medium and masking tape 

that I learned from

Claudine Helmuth

This page was finished like the one across from it with pen outline and paint. 

Then I added some stamped words. 

These are some of the techniques I teach in

my art journaling workshops.

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