A couple days ago I showed a tutorial on how to create an easy background in your art journal
and I promised to show what I would do with the result later. I just added a bit of stamping over both pages to tie it together, added the image , painted it with markers and then added the journaling. It was a quick but liberating art journal spread.
Here are the supplies that I used after I created the initial background:
I hope you liked seeing the transition :) Have a wonderful day
“Remember that sometimes not getting what you want is a stroke of luck” – Dalai Lama
And sometimes you won”t find out about that until much later… ;) For this spread I wanted a layered look to go with this quote. Let me share with you how I worked on this art journal page
I chose three vibrant but close red /pinkish Liquitex Soft Body Paints: Naphthol Crimson, Fluorescent Red and Hibiscus and dry brushed and blended them together on the blank page.
Using the Art Deco Wallpaper Stencil I designed for StencilGirl Designs I spray painted here and there a second layer with Cadmium Red Deep Hue 5 onto the spread.
The result was very subtle as I used the same color scheme as for the background but exactly that gives it so much dimension and depth. So I grabbed my Lilly Wall Decor Stencil and sprayed over it with Cadmium Red Light Hue.
I just love the crisp stenciling effects with those spray paints!
For my next layer I wanted to tone down the brightness a bit and was going for a white. But I also didn’t want a shiny white to not pick up on the brightness of my background and so I chose Gesso instead of Acrylic white paint to use with my Batik Stencil.
I used only parts and bits of the Batik Stencil here and there.
For my next layer I picked up the Lilly Stencil again – Repetition of Patterns is also a good way to layer and I had already used the Lilly Stencil AND I knew I was going to use my Elephant Stencil that has the Lilly in a smaller form as a pattern too :)
I used Iridescent Bright Gold and used a cosmetic sponge to stencil through. BTW the sad looking foamy thing on the right is the cosmetic sponge. It looks like this because I use it several times cutting off the tip for new colors to make the most of it.
And since I was talking about repetition : As the Elephant Parade Stencil also has small parts of my ornament stencil included, I pulled out the Ornament Wallpaper Stencil and stenciled with gold here and there.
I wish the photos could do the gorgeous golden color justice…but you just have to take my word for it…it is amazing in real life! Then it was time to get the big guns…eh Elephants out. My Elephant Parade Stencil.
I mixed some gesso with a drop of Ultramarine Blue and stenciled through the Elephant Silhouette part.
I may repeat myself…but remember …I was talking about repetition? Using the patterned Elephant part of the stencil showing parts of the Ornament and Lilly Stencil I used the leftover paint and stenciled some of the images here and there onto my art journal page.
Then I layered the patterned elephant stencil part over the area where I created the elephant silhouette and sprayed over with three different spray paints – variating the pressure and areas to get color graduation and more dimension. I used: Parchment, Phthalo Blue and Neutral Grey.
To get a bit contrast in I knew I needed some black in the page and since I do love to make a mess…I grabbed my Splatter tool and some black acrylic ink. To make sure that I was not getting any splatters into my elephant, I shielded it off with the elephant mask that is also part of the Elephant Parade Stencil. YES…three in one : Mask, Silhouette and Stencil – pretty pretty cool- if I dare to say so ;)
And then I used my new found Love… I had tested the Derwent Graphik Line Painter already in spring at NAMTA and I couldn’t wait for it to finally be available. LOOOOOVEEEE – I am a nerd for a really good black journaling pen and this one writes beautifully and without any problems on dried (!) acrylic backgrounds and it is permanent once dried. Awesome journaling and sketching pen – the black is one numbered #18.
Here are some details of the finished page
Hope you liked the little layering tutorial – I won’t lie – it takes some time and usually …I would even go for more layering before adding the final focal points on my spread :)
Here is a list of all the supplies and colors I used
Have a gorgeous day:)
In September I was a featured guest designer for Lindy’s Stamp Gang – and here are the samples I made using the Lindy’s Stamp Gang Spray Inks for their blog.
My favorite way to use Lindy’s Stamp Gang Spray Inks is in conjunction with Liquitex Acrylic Paints. I just love how the two working together make the colors pop.
I used some acrylic paint colors with some of my StencilGirl Products designs for a background.
What product did you use to write in white letters?
Kerry – a signo white Pen http://lm.inlinkz.com/go.php?i=341007&c=121242
The one thing that gets in the way once in a while- I think we all have a good fair to deal with this :) If not- kudos to you – LOL
Lot’s of texture with Gesso on the background – then scraped lightly some Soft Body Acrylic Paint over it to have white peek through and also to reveal the texture more. Stamped and Stenciled with Soft Body Paints and then played a bit with markers :) Fun – easy and a good way to have a short creative session on an otherwise busy computer day . Not all projects you do need to be super elaborate – allow yourself to just play for a couple minutes.
Here is what I used
Have an amazing day today!
yep, i agree, self belief can sometimes be tidal, waxing and waning…
Nat, did you use real Scrabble tiles? It’s hard to tell on this pic.
Hi Sue, no those are actually out of a magazine- but you could def use real ones from an old discarded game for other projects. I fear they would be a bit to thick in dimension for an art journal.
After seeing your gorgeous textured page, I’m going to go break out the acrylics and my new Liquitex markers, right now! Have a fun Sunday :)
woohooo- so cool!!! hope you had a fun time. Have a great start into the week!
I love living in this old Pencil Factory. There is always something new to discover when you walk around here. You see old chimneys, walkways that connect the buildings, old safes in the basement, screws and bolds, and traces of times long forgotten. Recently I found some old office chatter publications from 1927 from the old factory in the Public Library. You wouldn’t believe the things they used to write about colleagues and bosses . Pretty Mean – I am glad that doing this in print is not acceptable anymore.
I wish I could ask Mrs Heather about the red and white onions though…I have no idea what the wow-factor could possibly be.
Reading these things make me always wander off in my thoughts- all the stories that are part of these buildings. I find it fascinating.
These and my own stories that I connect with those buildings go through my head while I am painting. It makes me feel connected with them.
Here is a supply list of what I used in the painting:
Wishing you a day that is filled with awesome stories :)
Great canvas! I’ve been enjoying seeing your paintings emerge. Now, those sayings you ran across? Whoa, those are something else!
LOL- Funny huh? Thank you!
Hi Nat–I absolutely love your paintings of buildings and cityscapes! This one is so good.
Yes, I like to make up stories for the folks who used to be in an area where I am now. Beautiful canvas and the story-making reminds me of The Whatevers. Have a brilliant day:-)
Sue, yes- I guess thinking about these stories is something I find very intriguing ;) You should write those stories you make up down, Sue, I bet they are good :)
Fabulous painting Nathalie! And I love the post! geesh- some people can be very rude indeed!
What fun it must be to live in such a building- I envy you for your city life!! hugs Jackie
Thank you Jackie. I know- insane about the gossip section. Don’t envy me about the city life- there is many things that are to be envied off living not in the city!
There is no one way to art, there is many ways, there is YOUR way!
I was experimenting a bit with a different color combination here and I really like the outcome.
I used Liquitex Soft Body Paints: Titanium White and Mars Black to mix a grey, and mixed the Bright Blue with the Titanium White to mix a lighter blue. I also added Iridescent Bright Gold to the page. I love how it came out.
I did sculpt the plants a bit with the brush – most of the background texture however comes from the masking tape that was layered to the paper.
Here is the supply list
I am using grey a lot lately- is that a color that you often use?
Nat
I bet this is really striking in real life with that gold iridescence! Great color combo and texture. I love grey. I wear it all the time, but don’t find myself creating with it too often. That needs to change!
Glad I made you think about using grey in your creative projects ;) have a wonderful week!
Love the handling of the background! Now you have to go check out the Cy Twombly piece on display in the Morgan Library: Treatise on the Veil. It’s 33 feet of delicately worked gray. And when you’re finished taking in all the gray, they have a lovely sun drenched cafe area :)
Awesome tip- Kim! I will put this down as a NYC on the bucket list must :) have a great day!
sounds like you like grey a lot- I am sure it will find it’s way soon on a layout too :))) thank you for leaving a comment, nat
Just breezing through blogs and this totally caught my eye! I’m so attracted to the background colors with the pops of white….do I use grey? Not very much on my layouts but I love it elsewhere. My whole livingroom is painted a warm grey against white….yum!
This page is so different for you and I love it.
I never use grey and I love these colors together.
Thanks for the reminder to try something completely different!
Thank you Sue!
I too thought you were using a stencil. I love how this page turned out!! It’s really beautiful. I love the colors especially that pop of gold. I am going to have to play with this palette!! I think you need to lay this one down on canvas :)
mmmhhhh- on canvas- that is a really good idea I think I will try this soon. Thanks for triggering that idea, Laura ;)
Aaah, love love love! At first I thought you’d been using a stencil for your plants! The colour combo is so great! I hardly ever use grey or if I do I often end covering it with more intense colours. I’m sure you had a great time doing this.
Thanks muriel– LOL- nope no stencils used. And yes, as you I usually tend to be drawn to the more intense colors- but this was fun!
One of my favorite views in Jersey City at Liberty Landing . At least the view is accessible for everyone :)
I played with different paint viscosities to achieve a different kind of texture. Fun.
Here are the materials I used:
What is the place with your favorite view?
Nat
Hallo Nat, – super eingefangen. Ich sehe mich schon wieder auf dem Boot, die Skyline abfahren – LG Ursula
Absolutely gorgeous – you get better and better!
thank you Gina :)
Nat, Absolutely stunning is what I have to say!
My favorite view is from a bluff over looking Lake Ontario- up North of where I live- I’ll send a picture next time I go! “)
That sounds like an amazing view!!!! Yes I wanna see :)
Nat, das ist ein wunderbares Bild! Tolle Farben und die Boote sind der Hit! Es passt einfach alles! Toll! Liebe Grüsse über den grossen Teich, Stephanie :-)
Stephanie, vielen lieben Dank :) Ganz liebe Grüße zurück über den Teich- hoffe der Herbst lässt sich gut an :)
There are no words coming to me that adequately express to you how much I adore your amazing city scapes!!
Thank you SCL :) have an amazing week!!!
Here is another of my new Stencils with StencilGirl Products . 9 x 12 Batik Stencil: Early in 2014 I taught workshops in Malaysia and while exploring Kuala Lumpur I was truly inspired by the batik art that you could find in traditional clothing and fabric. With this stencil I wanted to create a pattern that can be either used as a whole for a background or single images for mark making in your art work. Here are two art journal spreads where I used the stencil- but I will show more in the upcoming weeks:
I first painted the background with acrylic paints. Then I placed the Batik Stencil over the background to the right, sprayed with Liquitex Spray paint over it and then flipping it right away over to the left for a negative imprint .
For the next page I used the stencil only partly here and there.
I used the border of the stencil to frame my art journal on the top and on the bottom.
I spread a bit gesso with a credit card over the background and then stencils with a light acrylic paint through the stencil. I used this space to later journal my thoughts.
As you can see, I also flipped the stencil over to use the excess paint from the front of the stencil to create a negative imprint.
I hope you like this new stencil. Here are the supplies I used for these art journal pages
Have an amazing day and a great start into the week!
i think this is my fave of the new ones!
Thank you Stephanie- glad you like it :)
This is a must have! I’ve always loved batik clothing and blankets.
Wohoo- so glad you like it Sue!
Fantastic, what a cool stencil
Thank you Kathy :) – glad you like it!
If you close your eyes the rain sounds like applause.
I stenciled and stamped the background with acrylic paint. Using my Stampendous stamps and the included templates. Added a translucent yellow acrylic paint over it and then stenciled and stamped some more on top. The quote is written with a bamboo sketch pen and acrylic ink.
Here is a list of supplies :)
And remember – close your eyes when it rains…it might just sound like applause ;)
I use the Mish Mesh round stamp all the time.
It is very versatile.
Nice layers and I’ll have to try working with multiple shades of the same color for a change. I must search for that new black pen as well.
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