Blog: Art Journal

Dreamed – Art Journal

“Remember that once you dreamed of being exactly where you are now!” Maybe you have also reached some goals in life and are now living them? Sometimes we are so focused on what’s next that we don’t stop to see where we are. And hey, it is in a pretty good spot :)

I used Liquitex spraypaints, gouache and acralic paint on the back ground and on deli paper. Then I sprayed with white and black over my brandnew Art Deco Summit stencil and the formerly painted background.

Then I added an ink drawing and used a Fude pen for journaling.

Here are some of the supplies I used:

Nat

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Love to be Home – Art Journal

“Oh, how she loved to be home!” – that’s me in the window ;)

For this spread I used acrylic paints and collage paper, but for the architectural elements I created hand carved stamps. I also filled in with some of my Fanfare stamps.

I’m so in love with our new home that it definitely inspired this page. So I put my Millie stamp in the window because every home needs some homebodies :) 

Here are some of the supplies I used:

Nat

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Greatest Discovery – Art Journal

“The greatest discovery of all times is that a person can change his future by merely changing his attitude.” -Oprah Winfrey

I love the opaque quality of Holbein Acrylic Gouache for a background, and used them here along with acrylic paint for one in lovely muted tones. Then I stamped some of my Stroll Through the Hood stamps. I sketched a trio of vintage style ladies using acrylic ink on deli paper and decorated their clothing with my Fanfare stamps.

Finally I added this awesome quote with a Fude pen. Hope I remember how transformative a simple attitude adjustment can be :)

Here are some of the supplies I used:

Nat

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Expect Nothing – Art Journal

“Expect nothing. Appreciate everything!” 

For the background I used a hand carved stamp inspired by a door I saw on one of my strolls through the hood. I stamped with Archival inkk over some acrylic paint, and then layered up my Manhattan stencil with spray paint.

I sketched in a figure with acrylic markers on deli paper so the background still peeks through.

And then my quote with acrylic markers :)

Here are some of the supplies I used:

Nat

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Who You Are – Art Journal

“Be happy with who you are!”

For this one I used bits and pieces I found on my workbench while packing up for my move and decided to make those work together. It included: my fan foam stamps and versailles foam stamps on deli paper… some old school excersises stamp that my friend send me…

And also samples from my Trace, Transfer, Transform online class, and even suminagashi paper from my session playing with that. Lots of leftovers together but an interesting challenge to make it all work together.

I journaled with a sharpie and think that the mash up kind of represents how we are all made up of so many parts and ideas. And when we can accept all that and love it, that is definitely something to be happy about :)

Here are some of the supplies I used:

Nat

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Untold Story – Art Journal

“There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.”

In this art journal page I made an effort to only use almost empty colors of acrylic paints right before our move – – it was a fun way to get a bit out of the comfort zone with lots of brown colors.

I also used my Exchange Place stencil and my Central Ave stencil, journaled with fine liners and added some extra color with Derwent Graphik Line painters.

Here are some of the supplies I used:

Nat

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Energy In Stress Out – Art Journal

“Cities make me breathe energy in and stress out… yes… told you I am weird.”

I used the “stamp kissing” technique for this page – I inked up a solid stamp and then pressed (kissed) the detailed stamp into the solid stamp to remove the ink. Then I stamped the solid stamp and you can see the design in there – pretty fun technique to play with. And I love the carbon paper effect.

I used my Solid Hex Large stamp and some of my Stroll Through the Hood 1 and 2 stamps.

The effect can be subtle or bold with how the detailed stamp shows. I think here it lends itself to a gritty city feel.

I finished off the page with some acrylic paint splatters for a little color, and did my journaling with a fude pen.

Here are some of the supplies I used:

Nat

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Turn the Page – Art Journal

“Turn the Page!” – Sometimes it is time to move on to the next adventure in life :)

For this art journal spread I built up a patterned background using some of my rubber stamps and a happy selection of ink pad colors. I started with my Fantastic Small and Solid Square Small stamps…

I alternated the direction of the fans as I went and filled the page.

Next I added one of the Hamilton stamps from the Floral Tile Small set…

And the finishing touch on the pattern was one of the Fanfare stamps – these are perfect for giving a pattern those little elements that bring it together.

Look at that lovely pattern! Well….

Oops. Can you spot the mistake? That’s what happens when you set your stamping block down the wrong way on your nice art journal background and it leaves a little ghost square. Oh well, it happens.

Time to focus on the positive :)

 

…Knowing we can always “Turn the page” in the end and start anew.

Here are some of the supplies I used:

Nat

Comments (2)

  • Sue Clarke

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    I love the pattern and the colors you used Nat. I never get stamps on the paper the way I want to. It is better when I stamp on a mouse pad or something like that but I’m just never satisfied with the final product. Yes, I see your creative “mistake”. ;-)

    Reply

    • nathalie-kalbach

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      Ha I know what you mean :) The key trick is to not strive for perfection LOL.

      Reply

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Ultimately – Art Journal

“Ultimately all the puzzle pieces fell together… they always do!”

I used the stamp kissing technique with this art journal spread – inking up my Solid Hex Small stamp, then pressing a patterned stamp (here my Grannies, Star Fish, and Blocks stamps) into it to remove ink, and then stamping the hex onto my paper. It’s a great way to use solid and patterned or textured stamps together.

Oh look who showed up to give his kitty inspection? Pretzel always likes to get involved in the studio lol

I tiled up a pattern using plain Solid Hex Small stamps with teal ink and then went back into some with the stamp kissing in black ink.

I love that the stamp kissing gives a bit of grungy effect – almost looks like static on an old black and white tv or an old pixelated photocopy.

To finish it off I did my journaling with Winsor Newton fine liners.

Here are some of the supplies I used:

And I hope you join me on Wednesday October 16th at 3pm EST for a Kaffeeklatsch chat on Facebook! I’ll be broadcasting live from my new studio and catching up with you on everything that’s been going on around here :) Stop by and say Hello!!!

Nat

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