Art Journal

Why So Scared – Art Journal

“Those who don’t know history are destined to repeat it.” – Edmund Burke

For this page I was working with one of those nice little collage pages from the Artist Almanac calendar (2023 version is in the works!). I still have a few giclee prints left of that original painting here in my shop. Then I added Liquitex heavy gesso onto stripes of canvas and pressed them onto the ledger page for texture.

After it dried I painted over it with some watered down Liquitex Blue Gray paint. For the skyline I stamped with Moonlight Duo ink and the Midtown and Midtown Mini foam stamp sets. To tie things together I used a Neocolor II in a rich magenta color.

Here are some of the supplies I used:

Nat

Leave a comment

Stars Gone Too Early – Art Journal

I made this page last week not knowing that yet again an horrific shooting took place. I made this page after the Shooting in Buffalo as I use my art journal not only to explore materials and techniques but sometimes also to work through thoughts and things that happen in the world. This was another very sad morning when I created it – the page does not really reflect my anger and helplessness about the horrible things that keep on happening here.

I cannot even imagine the pain the families of all those incidents have to go through. All I know is that this has to stop!

What kind of a society are we where we let this happen over and over again?

Quoting Amanda Gorman “What might be if only we tried. What might we become if only we listen.”

Nat

Leave a comment

Soaring High – Art Journal

“No bird soars too high if she soars with her own wings.”

This page started with one of those little calendar pages from the sold out Artists Almanac calendars. The calendar is all gone but the original painting for this page is still available here (or a nice giclee print here) and it always brings me back to when I first moved to Jersey City. Crazy where life can take you :)

I used acrylic paint and acrylic spray paint for my background, in colors to compliment the original painting and build a bigger skyline. The original painting has the Jersey City skyline in the background from back when I first painted it, and it’s definitely gotten much BIGGER since I first moved here. All the tall buildings by the waterfront and beyond.

To add detail and definition to the skyline I used Neocolor II from Caran d’Ache – love how saturated those water soluble sticks are.

I added my journaling with a Signo ball pen. Are you soaring anywhere these days?

Here are some of the supplies I used:

Nat

Leave a comment

Different Realities – Art Journal

“You never win a fight with someone who only lives in his reality.”

This art journal page is using a page from the sold out 2022 Artist Almanac – don’t dismay though, 2023 is in the works ;)

I started by rolling out yellow paint with a brayer to create some texture on the page, and added red acrylic paint onto a palette knife and lightly pressed it onto the yellow background, pulling it down or to the side. After it dried, I used water based spray paints, sprayed through an older Stampendous stencil (not available anymore sorry) – and my What’s The Point stencil (yes that guy is still available).

The only reason I used the old stencil is because I had used it on the background of the calendar page and I wanted to incorporate the form, but you could also make some paint splashes onto a thin piece of cardboard and then cut the form out to make your own stencil. Or if you are brave, make some big paint splashes right on top of the page. Next I adhered the calendar page with double sided adhesive.

The spray paint wasn’t perfectly dried yet and it wound up clogging up my sharpie ball pen which I love to use for journaling – a good reminder to be patient…

Here are some of the supplies I used:

Nat

Leave a comment

Common Sense – Art Journal

“I don’t profess to be profound; but I do lay claim to common sense.” — Emily Dickinson

For this one I used the same colors and the negative print of the Art Deco Wallpaper stencil from the Hope art journal page – I just didn’t mix the colors for the background when I brayered them on.

Then I stamped on top with some of my Cardboard rubber stamps and Ranger Archival Sepia ink.

Using a bamboo sketching pen I wrote the Emily Dickinson quote with copper Liquitex acrylic ink – the metallic inks have a lot of particles in them which makes the journaling slightly raised.

Here are some of the supplies I used:

Nat

Leave a comment

Hope – Art Journal

“Hope” is the thing with feathers –
That perches in the soul –
And sings the tune without the words –
And never stops – at all –

-Emily Dickinson

I painted the background with acrylic paint and a big flat brush. Then I layered the Art Deco Wallpaper stencil on top and sprayed with MTN Acrylic spray paints – using lime green, brown and white colors.

I added some marks with a thin brush and sepia acrylic ink and then used one of my Fan-fare stamps and brown Versafine ink to add some more marks. I layered the stamp up without going for a full image each time and I really like how it looks. I’m definitely using this stamp again for mark making.

It was simple to put together but I like it – simple is ok – not every page has to take ages 🙂

Here are some of the supplies I used:

Nat

Leave a comment

Order in the Chaos – Art Journal

“We adore chaos because we love to produce order.” – M.C.Escher

This is another spread using a piece of artwork that was part of the sold out Artist Almanac calendar (the 2023 version is in the works so sign up for my newsletter here for first news about that when the time comes). And although the 2022 calendar is long gone, the original painting from the page I used in this art journal spread (inspired by a trip to Buenos Aires) is still available HERE.

I picked the colors that I used in the original painting – well similar colors – and blocked in the background.

Then using my brush to make blocky marks, I began mixing colors and started discovering some pretty nice color variations and marks. It is a crazy vibrant page!

Just like in the painting, I used some charcoal to make marks and then brushed matte medium on top to seal the charcoal. Otherwise charcoal would be a bit of a problem to use in an art journal that will be closed.

The quote seemed kind of fitting for me as I was thinking about that particular neighborhood in Buenos Aires – La Boca – it seems chaotic but there is order in the chaos.

Here are some of the supplies I used:

Nat

Leave a comment

Mix Tape – Art Journal

I found this old photo of my view out of my old studio in Hamburg Germany and I was reminiscing about the different views I’ve had from my studio windows… often on the top floor, just like now again, but always different. All this while I was listening to a spotify play list …the modern version of a mix tape that a friend of mine just made for me with music he discovered during the pandemic and thought I would like. J. has always been my music guy since we both share a lot of the same taste, so I am excited! It also made me very happy and grateful for the wonderful friendship where someone takes the time needed and puts a tape together for you. Remember those olden times?

Anyway… LOL The background was stamped with Versafine ink with the wonderful Triple Play foam stamps Birgit Koopsen, Marsha Valk and I created for our workshop Beyond the Paper – check it out. I added some sun printed fabric which I show how to create in the workshop using the same stamp.

Here are some of the supplies I used:

Nat

Comments (1)

  • Sue Clarke

    |

    I love that sentiment…a friend really likes you when they make a mix tape/CD for you!
    Fun LO Nat.

    Reply

Leave a comment

Sometimes the Monsters Win – Art Journal

This art journal page came after an interesting conversation with friends about old houses and ghosts. We all agreed that the monsters and ghosts in our heads are worse, and I guess that is why Stephen King is doing so well with his books – LOL The quote is from him – “The Shining” …you are welcome.

I started this page with a leftover negative imprint from my “So Much Energy” page where I had just flipped the Chicago stencil over.

I realigned the stencil on top of the print, a bit offset, and sprayed over it yet again with black and teal.

Then I just added the journaling with a Posca marker.

Here are some of the supplies I used:

Nat

Leave a comment