Blog: Art Journal

365 Opportunities – Art Journal

Love this – so uplifting when you think about it, right? 1 Year = 365 Opportunities. I used my new Cardboard Stamp Set for this art journal spread. I stamped the background with some of the stamps and then painted over some areas with acrylic paint and gesso to push them back.

Then I stamped over the painted areas again with different ink pads and repeated the steps.

I stamped some of the stars onto formerly painted deli paper and cut those out and applied those with Matte Medium.

Love the look of this – it is a fun way to create a background with a lot of visual texture.

Here are some of the supplies I used for this art journal spread – some links are affiliate links:


Wishing you a gorgeous day!

Nat

Comments (2)

  • Vicky

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    Love all the beautiful layers you created in this spread. Your new stamps are gorgeous and create such yummy visual texture!

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Peace – let’s work on it -Art Journal

Peace is my word for 2017 – I wrote about it here and as every year when I chose a word, I wanted to create an art journal page with it. I used my new Stroll Through the Hood Stamp Sets und stamped all of them right on top of the background. In fact …I had just gotten them and tried them out to be honest :)

Then I used some Golden High Flow Acrylics and scraped them with an old gift card over the stamped images. I love the highly pigmented and bright look and how it still allows for the imagery to look through.

Using the Artgraf Varco Charcoals I wrote the word Peace layering several colors on top of each other and then wrote over the word with a wet brush.

I also added some of the Charcoals here and there without adding water to keep the vibrancy and also the texture they create.

The journaling was added with a soft pencil.

I had so much fun making this spread.

Here are the supplies I used  – some are affiliate links :


Did you create something using your word or resolution for 2017?

Have a wonderful day

Nat

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Dream a New Dream – Tina Walker

Happy first Tuesday of 2017! My Creative Squad is starting the New Year with a new theme and a fresh batch of inspiring projects. Today Tina Walker is sharing 2 uplifting art journal spreads using my Chicago Positive and Negative Foam Stamp set and this month’s theme: Dream a New Dream. Let’s start the New Year with a focus on all the possibilities of a fresh start.  What are your dreams for this year?  Whether it’s art-making, family, travel, or work related, January is a great time to dream about what the future could hold.

Hi! Tina Walker here today with my take on this month’s theme, ‘Dream a New Dream’. There is something about the freshness of each new year that kicks my mind into overdrive. I think of all of the possibilities, dreams, and wishes for the next 365 days and what I can/will accomplish. 2016 left us with uncertainty and sadness, so my dream for 2017 is for everyone to live a healthy, happy, and joyous year. May all your wishes and dreams come true and that you plant the seeds of kindness and hope for many years to come.

I created two art journal spreads that includes words to remember for 2017.

For spread #1, I used ‘Chicago’, positive/negative Art Foamies for a fun and colorful background. This is about as simple as it gets as a starting point. I alternated the color for more interest.

I hand-drew three body silhouettes and painted around the shapes so that they were highlighted on the page. Yes, I painted over the super cool background I stamped, but it’s all about layers. Layers make art journal pages special.

I painted each shape with white paint then added my journaling inside. Done! How’s that for quick?

For my second spread, I randomly painted blocks of color. Over the blocks of color, I painted 2 girls who would be the highlight of my page. I embellished the girls with a quick stamp of the ‘Chicago’ stamp. In addition, I wanted to ‘frame’ the girls and journaling, so I stenciled over the color blocks, using the ‘Crackle’ stencil. It adds the perfect punch of black.

Do you have creative dreams for 2017? If yes, I wish that all your dreams come true!

Thank you for taking time today to visit us today. See you next month.

Thank you Tina! I love the subtlety of the backgrounds she created and the figures! In addition to semigloss Art-C paints in Blue, Bright Red, Yellow, Lime, Orange, and Black, Tina used these supplies – some links are affiliate links:

 


Play along with us! I love to see how you interpret our monthly themes. Email me how you used my stencils and stamps with the theme and email me an image – I would love to share your projects in my “n*Spiration From Around the Globe“.

Nat

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Return to the Light – Michelle Rydell

Today, Michelle Rydell from my Creative Squad is sharing an uplifting art journal page using my Toledo stencil for this month’s theme: “Return to the Light.” As we pass through the Winter Solstice here in the Northern Hemisphere, the ever lengthening nights turn to ever lengthening days. This ancient marker in the calendar has always been a celebration of light and the promise of a new day. Let’s Return to the Light with some bright and luminous mixed media projects!


 
There’s something very magical about the winter solstice for me.  It’s our darkest day, but it’s also a time of hope – a time where we acknowledge our slow return to the lightness of spring.
 
I decided I wanted to play with the Toledo stencil for this project…
 
First, I sprayed a myriad of colored ink thru the Toledo stencil …
 

 
Then, so as to not waste any of that beautiful spray, I turned the stencil over onto a blank page, and cleaned it with a baby wipe…
 

 

 
I looked at the result, and it reminded me of a sunset! I envisioned a raven looking up to the sun, acknowledging the returning light. So I went about making that happen.
 
First, I sketched a basic raven shape with pencil.
 

 
I went over the raven with a Sakura Glaze pen. I then filled in the design on the bottom part of the page with tombow markers, to differentiate the ground from the sky. I used a lid from some gesso as a template to draw a circle in the sky; and colored in the white areas with a gold marker to represent the sun.
 

 
The raven got a coat of black paint, and the ground got some turquoise, magenta and purple marker added.
 

 
I blended the ground area with water. When dry, a thin coat of matte medium was added to make it waterproof.  I knew I wanted to add a white title, and the matte medium barrier would allow the white to stay white.
 

 
And here is the finished page. The black words around the sun were added with Pitt Pen, and the white on the bottom with a Sharpie Poster Paint Marker.
 

I love how Michelle always creates a scene and story in her work!  This one is a beautiful reminder that Spring will return. Michelle used these supplies – some links are affiliate links:




Play along with us! I love to see how you interpret our monthly themes. Email me how you used my stencils and stamps with the theme and email me an image – I would love to share your projects in my “n*Spiration From Around the Globe“.

Nat

Comments (2)

  • Rosie Grey

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    This is amazing!

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Be You, Not Them …or In My Art Journal Today

kalbachajbeyou01

This art journal spread started out as a demo page in a workshop . I was showing how to use the positive and negative Santa Fe and Manhattan Foam Stamp Set with differently colored StampBuddies. (if you missed my short tutorial on this – check it out here) .  A lot of the pages I show techniques on are later a great starting point to turn into a finished art journal page.

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I like how much depth and dimension you get when stamping offset. I also love how stamping a second time without re-inking shows a lot of texture.

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And I had a good time playing with the graphites on top of the magazine image. He looks a bit ill – LOL- but maybe just because he isn’t himself ;)

supplies


Hope you have a wonderful day !

Nat

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Creative Ice Breaker – Morning Art Journal Play Video #6

In the mornings I play in my art journal to get myself into the creative groove and break the ice – so to speak- and get ready to paint. I recorded and fast forwarded my morning ritual for this video – and hope you enjoy it. Take it as what it is – a morning art journal play- not a tutorial.

I hope you enjoyed the little glimpse into my morning warm up play! Have a wonderful and creative day!

 

Nat

Comments (6)

  • ellenfisk

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    I am speechless! Have watched every Creative Ice Breaker in succession. I’m totally amazed. This gives me a world of ideas! Thank you so very much Ms. Nathalie!

    Reply

    • nathalie-kalbach

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      awe- thank you Ellen! This is a good reminder that I should pick this up again and do more :)

      Reply

  • jbonomo

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    I wondered how you used these stamps….your secret is out. Love the technique, Love the colors and love the message. Thank you! Looking forward to your classes in 10 days. So excited!

    Reply

    • nathalie-kalbach

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      Julie ;) NO secret :) I will show a couple more ways- and I cannot wait to see you at the classes in San Jose! have a gorgeous weekend!

      Reply

  • Kerrymay._.Makes

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    Awww I love it, what a great idea with the blotting sheet and then using it on the page xx

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Another YAWP Art Journal Page

yawpnatkalbach

I love this quote by Walt Whitman so much “I sound my barbaric YAWP over the roofs of the world”

I mostly used my Masks and Stencils which are part of my Bird Stamp Set for the background and kept it pretty simple. I printed out a photo of myself and painted it over with acrylic marker and pencil.

Hope you are sounding your YAWP out today as well !

Nat

Comments (2)

  • Nancy Faulls

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    Love it Nat

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Return to the Light – Cheiron Brandon

cs-december-theme

Today, Cheiron Brandon from my Creative Squad is sharing a beautiful art journal spread using my Buenos Aires stencil and this month’s theme: “Return to the Light.” As we pass through the Winter Solstice here in the Northern Hemisphere, the ever lengthening nights turn to ever lengthening days. This ancient marker in the calendar has always been a celebration of light and the promise of a new day. Let’s Return to the Light with some bright and luminous mixed media projects!

cheiron-dec-headshot

Hi there, Cheiron here with my December post on the Return to the Light theme. I am not a big fan of winter at all, and the only thing that gets me through is waiting for summer! I don’t look forward to the sky growing dark before I even leave work, and I look forward to any sunshine I get. I certainly don’t mind bundling up in some warn winter clothes and heading out for a walk in the snow just to get a little sun. My journal page this month reflects just that…a bundled up gal enjoying some sun while the ground is covered with snow.

 

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I started this page by creating texture and warmth with a lot of stamps and stencils in bright colors.

 

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I added a coat of snow to my page by adding white matte paint mixed with a bit of pearl and mica flakes to create a snowy scene.

 

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I hope this page gives you a bit of warm for the winter if it is cold where you are!

Thank you Cheiron for reminding us that winter is tolerable – as long as the sun is shining ;)  And I just love those bright colors all layered up using some of my stencils!  In addition to her art journal, a magazine cut out, and some alphabet stickers from her stash, Cheiron also used these supplies – some links are affiliate links:

supplies


Play along with us! I love to see how you interpret our monthly themes. Email me how you used my stencils and stamps with the theme and email me an image – I would love to share your projects in my “n*Spiration From Around the Globe“.
Nat

Comments (2)

  • shelley-rydellie

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    I love how you used the stamps and stencils to create such beautiful color and texture! It makes me feel warmer just to look at it!

    Reply

  • Gerrie Johnnic

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    Ohhhh, luv this spread! Color, texture and such a great feeling! Thanks for posting!!

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Live, Laugh, Love – Art Journal Pattern Play

versaillesstampset_natkalbach

For this art journal spread I played with my ArtFoamies Versailles Positive and Negative as well as with my Manhattan Border Stamp.

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I added different acrylic paint colors to each of the ArtFoamies StampBuddies included in the Versailles stamp set and then stamped first with the one stamp and then filled in with the other stamp . I love how you can use the stamps each just as they are or layer them on top of each other to get really intricate designs. I stamped around the border of the tag with the Manhattan border stamp.

versaillesstampset_natkalbach01

For the art journal background I used the same colors on top and stamped right into the journal- then added some green acrylic paint here and took some areas off again, while the paint was still wet. I wanted to have the stamped images show through the paint at places to give it a more layered and dimensional look.

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I adhered the tag to the background of the right side of the journal with some double sided adhesive and then used my new Varco ArtGraph to write out the words. I went over them again with a small wet brush.

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I love the result- it is a bit wild and yet cohesive as the pattern and colors get repeated. That was a lot of fun.

Here are the supplies I used- some of them are affiliate links:

supplies



Hope you have a wonderful day today filled with Live, Laugh and Love

Nat

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