Beginning My Celtic Travel Journal

Last month I mentioned that I would be taking a break from my virtual life and going on a pilgrimage and anniversary celebration. So it seemed fitting to share a bit about the journal preparation for the trip. From my last post, I bet you can guess where it is: Scotland and Ireland, and a quick visit to England. In preparation for this trip I looked over my Celtic art books, reviewed relevant lettering styles, researching and drawing Celtic knots, and have been looking at historical reference such as the Book of Kells. I love historical ornament! It's one of my my biggest inspirations for ideas and doodling. The Celtic style is a personal favorites. Using the smaller grid paper moleskine journals, I made three reference books for my Art Journaling. I shared some of the the Doodle Arabic Style in previous posts. I enjoyed it so much, I started two more, one for alphabets and another for Celtic Style. The little journals are so easy to take anywhere, and add to anytime.

Practicing Celtic knots in the little Celtic journal is easy and low risk. I encourage self talk by saying it doesn't matter if I make mistakes there. It is a safe place for exploring the possibilities. The process in the little journal inspired the knot on the cover of the Celtic Journal. After I drew the Celtic Cross in the grid journal, I put the piece of painted paper cut in the shape of the gothic window under the cross drawn on the grid paper. Then I put a piece of transfer paper between them. Next I traced around the grid cross. With the transfer paper, it transferred the drawing onto the painted paper. Then I outlined and shaded the Celtic cross with a Lyra Dark Gray Pencil. I chose that because it looked well with the aged look of the old hymnal cover I am using as the base for the journal. Then I sealed the Celtic knot paper with gloss polymer medium to look more glass like. I glued with paper onto the book cover with "Yes" glue.

As in the Granada Spain reference journal, I played with the lettering of the names of places we would go:

I will take the little Celtic reference journal with me and add to it on our trip. I won't take the journal cover but will take the inside pages in case I get inspired to work in it and have some time.... more about that part of the journal in the next post.....