Art Journal

Doesn’t Hurt You – Art Journal

This one would have probably turned out a bit better if I had used different colors for the different stamps – maybe rainbow colors – but it was fun to explore and I really love some of the elements.

I used the Versailles stamps in the Floral Tile Small set with yellow and brown inks, the Solid Triangle Small stamp and the Amsterdam Triangle from the Triangle Love set, as well as the Valley Road stamp from the Large Circle Jumble set. I do think a different circle stamp would have worked better with the Versailles and Amsterdam stamps but I am glad I tried – I had lots of fun making this page. And even though you might not like it… it doesn’t hurt you! LOL

Here are some of the supplies I used:

Nat

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Judgement Day – Art Journal

“We need less people thinking they are the powers on Judgement Day”

I wanted to pick up the way I created the pattern for the Hypocrites art journal page, but this time I chose different patterns out of each stamp set – my Large Circle Jumble, Triangle Love, and Floral Tile Small rubber stamp sets.

I stamped right onto the background with black archival ink and then used Daniel Smith watercolors on top. This works because the archival ink is waterproof.

Then like the Hypocrite page I did a sketch with muted violet ink on deli paper, added some white acrylic paint into the ink to add to the face and make the background less prominent, after I added the deli paper to the background with liquid matte medium.

For the journaling I used the tissue paper-like strips with adhesive backing that I found recently. I still don’t remember where they came from and what they are. I wish I did as I am growing found of them LOL

Here are some of the supplies I used:

Nat

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Hypocrites – Art Journal

“People say ‘Keep your chin up’ while gently pushing down your head.”

Using a credit card, I put down some colors with different viscosities – heavy body Liquitex white acrylic paint, soft body gold and blue acrylic paint, as well as some yellow acrylic ink, picking it up with the card and scraping the colors partly into each other. The white heavy body paint stayed wet and pliable for a longer time making for some really nice grungy marks.

After the paints dried I added different stamps, my Large Circle Jumble, Triangle Love, and Floral Tile Small rubber stamps, to create a pattern.

Then I sketched with a bamboo sketching pen and muted violet ink on deli paper.

As the background was very dark and prominent – unlike in the Things Change art journal page – I added some white acrylic paint mixed into the violet ink in a thin manner so that the background would still look through but not take over and “hide” the sketch. I adhered it with gel fluid medium.

Here are some of the supplies that I used:

Nat

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Things Change – Art Journal

In this page I was just reminiscing that sometimes friendships change throughout the years and that is ok, it doesn’t lessen the good times, it is just a different path.

I started out the background with layering some of the architectural stamps I had carved a long time ago, using versa fine ink to stamp with them. Then I added a bit of yellow and light blue acrylic paint in some of the gaps to brighten it up. Next I stamped a pattern with my Fan-tastic Small rubber stamps and archival ink in black and added a sketch in ink done on deli paper. As you can see, I had a bit of a nose job struggle …but I am cool with it LOL. You just have to let go sometimes.

I adhered the deli paper with Liquitex matte fluid medium. I love when the background fades a little bit behind the deli paper but still comes through.

Here are some of the supplies I used:

Nat

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A Fire Looms – Art Journal

Again I used the sold out Artist Almanac to begin my page. Although it’s sold out, the original painting is still available here ;)

When I unpacked my art supplies in the new studio I realized I hadn’t used my wax water soluble Neo Colors and Derwent Artbars in a while and thought this calendar page would be the perfect inspiration piece to use these vibrant, highly pigmented supplies with.

I started by just layering some of the shapes and forms I saw in the page and that was just to get me going. I layered more and more color on top, blending the different colors with water and making some marks. I used the ATC Mixup Stencil and rubbed some of the color over it and used my finger to work it.

I left some space for journaling as I know that it is not a good idea to write on top of the waxy material – just doesn’t go together, and found this wonderful poem and decided to use a part of it:

“A Fire burns in the evening sky

Breaking like an egg in a pan

A sea of yellowish orange spreads in accordance with divine plan

Vibrant paint drips to the edge of ashen clouds drifting past

The sun is a messy painter

Every brush stroke is massive and vast’’

Justin Wetch – Bending the Universe

Here are some of the supplies I used in the page:

Nat

Comments (2)

  • Robin Seiz

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    I love the bright colors in this!

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Creative Squad: Lost in a Book – Judi Kauffman

Hello from my Creative Squad! Today we have a post from Judi Kauffman who is sharing a nifty project for all you bookworms out there! She’s using my ATC Mixup stencil and kicking off our new theme for us: Lost in a Book – What is one of your favorite books (from childhood or as an adult) or a book that you recently read and really enjoyed? Create a project inspired by the characters, plot, or any element of the book that really stuck with you.

I’ve been getting lost in a book since I was 4 and started to read! To this day you can always find me with a stack of books spilling out of the night table by my side of the bed, and another pile next to the easy chair in the living room, right next to the jars with colored pencils and pens. I can remember reading HEIDI over and over and getting my first library card was like winning the lottery!

Instead of focusing on a single book for this month’s Lost in a Book theme, I decided to create some library pockets to put into my Traveler’s Notebook. I can record the title and author of each book I’ve been reading on the insert cards and add a few notes so that I can remember and recommend my favorites!

Instead of plain vanilla (or, more accurately, manila) I duded them up with inks and Nathalie’s ATC Mix-Up stencils!

Cover work table with newsprint or other paper. Lay purchased, die-cut or hand-cut library pockets and insert cards on the table and sponge on two different inks as shown or as preferred.

Tear newsprint into a variety of shapes and strips to act as masks. With masks in place on the front (bottom section) and inside of the pocket (top section only)…

…sponge on the third ink.

With masks still in place, stencil patterns onto the pocket and insert cards.

Remove masks. Fold and glue the sides of the pocket if a purchased pocket wasn’t used. Write on the front of the pocket and on the insert cards.

Thank you Judi – love this way to record what we’ve read and wow those colors look great together with the ATC stencil patterns!

Give it a try: you can find all my Stencils in my Online Shop and here are some of the supplies Judi used:

Looking for more projects? Follow the Creative Squad on Instagram here.

Nat

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Pack of Dogs – Art Journal

“Sometimes I feel like a fire hydrant looking at a pack of dogs.”

As I was moving, packing and unpacking my studio, I swore to myself to use what I have which includes the huge stack of collage material in one of my letter press drawers. So here I am… sticking to my self made promise.

The background is from a gelli plate print – lifting off paint I had applied to it with my Hydrant foam stamp.

Next I added some collage paper I made in the Time Traveler workshop with Birgit and Marsha, one of the techniques I show in the workshop that resembles old peeled wallpaper. Then I added some sewing pattern paper and stamping with my Triangle Love rubber stamp set.

As for the journaling, that is a reflection on a recent phase… Happy to say the fire hydrant made it and is not drowning ;)

Here are some of the supplies I used:

Nat

Comments (1)

  • Sue Clarke

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    What a fun page Nat.
    We have fake fire hydrants at our dog park and we joke that the dogs from MA have to teach the dogs from NH how to use them.
    Most areas in NH do not have fire hydrants (our fire engines suck up water from local ponds to fill their tanks).

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Unsettled – Art Journal

In this one I was reminiscing about what home means, while seeing the coverage of the Ukraine on the news. While the colors are pretty exuberant, the thoughts and ideas behind the page are of course very emotional and upsetting.

I added in a painting on canvas which I cut up and saved the part with the house. That part I originally created using acrylic paint, markers, and chalk.

I used some acrylic inks on the background, sprinkled with Holbein pink gouache. The stamps in the background are from a wooden stamp set with months, weekdays and numbers.

I did my journaling with a fine Posca marker.

Here are some of the supplies I used:

Nat

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Finding Peace – Art Journal

“You cannot find peace by avoiding life.” – Virginia Wolf

The paper I used was self made marbled washi paper – you can see how I did that in this blog post.

Then I took my Solid Hex Small rubber stamp and used the so called kissing technique – you ink up the stamp and then press another stamp on top of it to lift the ink, then stamp. Here I used different stamps like my Cardboard and Embroidery stamps as well as the Numerals stamp. As you can see the Numerals stamp is mirrored, so be careful when you use it with numbers or letters. I still wanted to use it and I like it.

I also used the part of the Numerals stamp with the triangle to make some marks and repeat the pattern in the middle of the hexagon pattern. I adhered it all with double sided tape.

Here are some of the supplies I used:

Nat

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