Blog: Art Journal

People Are Scared – Art Journal

I recently found a vintage book of a collection of prayers by Robert Castle – Prayers from a burned-out city – 1968. Castle was a Reverend at St. John’s Church in my neighborhood in the 60s and very involved in the Civil Right’s Movement of that time. His prayers feel so unbelievably timely. I wrote one of them down on my spread:

People are scared

A whole lot of people are scared, Lord, just plain scared.

You know why?

The “Man” has got a lot of people thinking scared- brainwashed into thinking they can’t do anything to change things

like changing schools, jobs, houses,

the cops, City Hall, and just lots of things.

Making people think they are nobody and powerless is the work of the devil, Lord.

That’s what we call the “Man” lots of times, Lord – the devil.

I’m praying real hard and loud that we are all somebody. You’re in us, aint you, Lord? I can just feel yo in me. Lots of time I get in your way but I feel you.

And I feel you getting to me and saying:

No more being scared.

The Lord ain’t scared – never has been – never will be.

No more scared.

I got the power, Lord –

I got you and I’m someboday.

Oh Lord,

I’m somebody so damned special and important, that I’m on my way.

I’m on my way up to the “devil man, ” Lord,

and I’m going to wrestle him down like you did.

Remember?

You remember!

And I’m going to win the “Man” like you won the devil.

The angels are going to come and minister to me. Bless those angels, Lord.

Amen

I painted the building as study for a later painting using spraypaints, acrylic paints, and acrylic markers. The building is on the same street as the Church and the former home of Reverend Castle and I thought of how he must have passed this house many times walking around, maybe thinking about his prayers and sermons. 

Here’s a closer look at some of the details.

I added journaling and then painted over it to have only bits and pieces come through. I used my Broadway Fan foam stamps and my Triangle Love rubber stamps.

Here are some of the supplies I used:

Nat

Comments (4)

  • Sue Clarke

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    Nat, I love the prayer and your painting.
    Thanks so much for sharing.

    Reply

  • ARHuelsenbeck

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    Thank you so much for posting this prayer and your thoughts about Rev. Castle. Very inspiring and hopeful–exactly what I need today. Thank you.

    Reply

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Stencil Layering Fun- Art Journal

“If you can’t fly, walk. If you can’t walk, crawl. But move!” MLK

This was an art journal spread I did for StencilGirl here on their blog that I’d like to share with you today. It is with my Art Nouveau Wallpaper and Art Deco Summit stencils and spray paint, showing how to layer them up with cool dimensional effects.

Check out the video I made:

I designed these stencils with just this layering possibility in mind – they share the same fan design and scale and can be used together nicely. They also both include open areas for adding more of your own personal style through stamping, colors, or hand drawn elements.

Here is a close up of the page:

Here are some of the supplies I used:

Nat

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Just an Opinion – Art Journal

“Impossible is just an opinion.” Love this quote :)

For my background I used acrylic paints, my Mini Motifs stamps, and versafine ink. I layered two of the motifs in some areas – the Craftsman Motif and Jugendstil Motif, and then used acrylic markers and a signo pen to add some color and detail.

The figure is an image transfer, again given details and color with posca and liquitex markers and a white signo pen.

Here are some of the supplies I used:

Nat

Comments (2)

  • Vivian

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    Love this page!! I purchased these stamps from you and have worked with them many times but never stacked them.

    Your page is very effective. The quote is a GREAT thinker!

    Thanks for your MANY inspirations!

    Reply

    • nathalie-kalbach

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      Awe-thank you so much Vivian!!! I would love to see what you did with the stamps – hope you share some time :)

      Reply

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Welcome Back – Art Journal

“It’s OK. You just forgot who you are. Welcome back!” Happens to all of us every now and again and it is ok :)

I’m pretty happy with this background – the colors, the layers, the grunge. I used acrylic paint and my Jewett Fan foam stamps and my Art Nouveau Wallpaper stencil. 

I used a transfer technique for the figure with acrylic paint and some posca markers to add line and detail.

Here are some of the supplies I used:

Nat

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Power to Act – Art Journal

Art Journal Page using Chicago Stencil and Motifs Rubberstamps by Nathalie Kalbach.

“Hope gives us the power to act.” – Remaining hopeful on so many levels and trying to act as well :)

Detail of spray painted background - Stencil Chicago and Mini Motifs by Nat Kalbach

I used spray paint and my Chicago stencil over a colorful background to tone it down a bit. Then I stamped one of my Mini Motifs rubber stamps to give the pattern some more intricacy.

painted street scene in Jersey City

I used acrylic paint and posca markers to sketch the buildings and add my quote. I splattered a little white to unify everything.

Detail of street scene in McGinley Square in Jersey City

Here are some of the supplies I used:

Nat

Comments (2)

  • Sue Clarke

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    I love the message and really like how the colors came out. The background screams London to me.

    Reply

    • nathalie-kalbach

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      thank you Sue – oh that is so funny – I wonder what it is that screams London to you …mhhhh – maybe it reminds you of the underground???? fun!

      Reply

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Owning Your Story – Art Journal

“Owning your story is the bravest thing you will ever do”

I started with some acrylic paint on my background and then created the all over pattern with my new Mini Santa Fe foam stamp and black ink – love this little repeating pattern.

I used little mini alphabet wooden stamps – stamped on printing paper and cut out the words and glued them down with a glue stick.

Here are some of the supplies I used:

Nat

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Change is Permanent – Art Journal

“There is nothing permanent except change.” Hard to accept sometimes but oh so true.

I created a repeating pattern using Moonlight Duo ink pads and some of my rubber stamps – the Triangle Love set and my Solid Square Large. 

I used a Fude pen for my quote and added some details with a white Signo pen.

Here are some of the supplies I used:

Nat

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Vitamin Sea – Art Journal

I need some vitamin Sea! How about you? I was inspired by our Creative Squad theme this month – Under the Sea. Are you longing for the ocean too?

I used acrylic paints for my background and posca markers with my Kyoto and Star Struck stencils. I also threw in my Wabi Sabi rubber stamps with archival ink so a little play with changing up scale with the same design elements.

I tried out a new set of Posca markers and really like the colors and pastel shades of them. You can find those in the links below.

Here are some of the supplies I used:

Nat

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Perfect vs. Great – Art Journal

Perfect is the enemy of Great  …something to keep in mind when you are struggling to get something just right. Maybe it doesn’t need to be perfect…

My background was a bit of a struggle on this one. I had added leftover acrylic paint from another project to my art journal since I do not like wasting paint and in the process the background just became a bit wild and dull. In order to push the background back – well where it belongs :) I then  added my Art Deco Summit stencil and that began to bring it together. Next I stamped one of my Mini Motifs stamps with the white side of a Moonlight Duo pad – it fits nicely in the stencil pattern – and then one of my Fan-Fare stamps. I finished off the pattern with some new Posca markers I am loving – you can see the link for those below.

It’s a pretty wild background! I added gesso in the quote area and finished it off with a signo and fude pen.

Here are some of the supplies I used:

Nat

Comments (1)

  • JoAnn Campisi

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    Love the colors?

    Reply

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