Celebrating Summer Art Journal ...
This summertime journal makes me happy. It was my demo journal in the Art Journaling Weekend Workshop in June.
Helpful Tips for Making a Short Art Journal:
Having a theme. It can be either an object, such as trees like I have here, or a state of being like praise, joy, sorrow etc. or both. I think this journal has the feeling of hope and praise in the context of nature, specifically trees.
Picking a color palette to work with. I usually pick five colors with 2-3 as dominants. That way, no matter what is done on each page, the colors used tie the journal as a whole together.
Repeating a shape. The simple leaf shape is repeated throughout the journal. Placing the leaves like the wind blowing them through each page in various ways gives the idea of movement, wind, spirit.
Having relevant quotes and verses printed out to write on the pages. The quotes provide visual prompts as well as inspire imagery for the pages.
Using stencils gives shapes and provides interest to backgrounds and/or theme pages.
This is my favorite page and the favorite part was making these bright whimsical trees. They are surprisingly easy. In the workshop we painted papers with solid colors of our chosen palette. I used some of my papers to cut out the tree shapes and glued them onto the lightly stenciled sky background, then added the other collage elements. A handmade leaf stencil was created and I also used the "Swallows in Flight" small leaf stencil. The leaves made it come alive. The text was added last.
Below shows a detail of the opened journal of the front and back cover. On the left portion is part of the back cover. The stenciling was left pretty much as it is. The strip in the center (the small front flap) shows more layers and colors of leaves, pen, and paint stenciled and drawn on top. I like both styles, which is one great thing about using stencils. The style can be developed in different ways. Behind the new swag stencil flap is another stencil by StencilGirl Artist Cecelia Swatton. It makes a great background! See the stencils and links at the bottom of this post to find out more and get links to the stencils.
Making an art journal is a way to reflect on what is going on in life. For me, being able to make art gives me such a sense of gratitude and awakens my senses to beauty around me. This journal did exactly that.