“If I would have known what I know now, would it have been easier to endure?”
Again for the backgrounds on this one I was using papers that I had previously stenciled using my Signals and Space Age Modern stencils, RubberMoon ink pads, and a blender tool. I just pasted them into my art journal and then used deli paper to sketch out the figure. I was working on the back of the deli paper, layering my Wabi Sabi stamps with black archival ink and then painting over it. I cut it out and adhered with a glue stick.
Hello from my Creative Squad! Today we have Maura Hibbitts sharing an art journal page with us that shows off some of her favorite art making tools – both supplies and ideas that get her creativity flowing. She is using my Mini Motifs foam stamps, Mini Motifs rubber stamps, Space Age Modern stencil, and our new monthly theme: My Creative Playlist – Your favorite mixed media supplies are like your favorite songs: they lift you up, inspire you and just feel good to groove to. What are your favorite supplies? Use them in a project – YOUR Creative Playlist that always gets you going.
We are creating a list this month of our favorite creative supplies, and I realized that not all of mine are physical items. Some of the things that really super charge my creativity are color and pattern, as well as nature, books, and my ever present imagination. In all honesty, there are a LOT of supplies that I love to work with, but some of my favorites are paint, ink, stamps and stencils…anything that I can layer up and get messy with. Oh yes, I am a messy artist!
I headed to one of my large journals to start working on my creative playlist. I started with a round gel plate and yellow and pink paint. (Not my usual colors, but I have to play with other colors nicely too.) I blended them a bit on the gel plate with the brayer, then laid the Space Age Modern stencil onto the plate. I pressed the journal directly onto the plate to get my first impression.
To get the second impression from the gel plate, I took the plate with the stenciled image on it and pressed it onto the book. For the third impression, I pressed the stencil with the paint on it, into the journal. Now I have three unique impressions from one use of the the gel plate.
Once again, I blended some pink and yellow paint, and pressed the Mini Motif ArtFoamie into it, then began stamping the image in the center of one circle. I took a second stamp and applied paint to only a portion of it with the brayer, and stamped that over the first images.
Use the previous method with the Craftsman Mini Motif stamp and apply to the four sides of another circle.
Next stamp the Mission Motif into three corners of the pages with the paint blend.
Apply turquoise paint for contrast, to the gel plate and brayer. Take the rubber Arts and Crafts Motif stamp, apply the paint, and stamp four times to create a circular pattern. Repeat two more times across the pages.
Hand letter your words around one circle with the turquoise paint pen, and also use it to embellish the stamped designs.
My creative playlist is filled with color, pattern, paint, stamps and stencils.
I need to be creative and express myself through color and design, it brings me joy and fulfillment. Our art is an expression of who we are, our thoughts, and our emotions. I think these pages are full of light and a sense of coming together. What do you see?
Be well and have a lovely February, Maura
Thank you Maura – we definitely see light and optimism in this beautiful page!
“Every time a woman looks in a mirror and criticizes her body, a girl is watching.” -Gloria Steinem
For the background I used my Space Age Modern stencil on both pages – with embossing powder and acrylic paint. I love all the texture and I think it’s a nice balance with the white showing through too.
I sketched the figure with ink and kept it very loose in style.
And here my quote with a bit of color too to tie everything together.
Hello from my Creative Squad and today we are happy to have a post from Jennifer Gallagher to start us off this month. Jennifer is using her artistic Super Power – Layering, along with my new Space Age Modern stencil and this month’s theme: Super Power – this month we are joining Creative JumpStart 2020 and exploring our Artistic Super Powers. It could be your unique technique or style, the way you like to use a medium or tool, or maybe your way of approaching artmaking. What is yours and show us how you use it.
I am so honored to kick off a new year of Creative Squad posts with this month’s theme, in honor of Creative JumpStart,with my artistic superpower – Layering! Understanding how to layer your paints, inks and sprays will help you create delicious texture and design that can be used in your art journals, card-making, and other mixed media projects. A lot of people are intimidated by layering and think there must be some magic formula, but I promise you it’s super easy. This tutorial will lead you through creating an art journal page with many layers of acrylic paint and art spray perfect for learning the basics of layering. Let’s get started.
In my small dylusions journal I started by laying down a thin layer of white gesso. You can work in your dylusions journal without this step, but I find that it adds a little bit of tooth and texture that I like. Once dry, I dipped a good size paint brush into water and dropped a very small drop of fluid acrylic paint in Diarylide Yellow onto the pages. Spread the paint around with your wet brush.
While the paint was still wet, I gently rubbed a baby wipe across the surface to remove some of the depth of color.
Next, I dipped a large palette knife into white acrylic paint and scraped it across the pages. This step beats back some of the depth of color and gives us some of our white space back.
Another great way to add texture with layering is foam stamps. Here I’ve used Nat’s foam stamp Signals with Diarylide Yellow to add the dashed lines across the pages.
Next, I stepped up the size of the foam stamp design to a larger pattern. Using Nat’s foam stamp Far Out, I applied a darker yellow being sure to vary the pattern by turning the foam stamp in different directions.
So far we have a great textured background. This is when I add my main background design with a stencil. I’ve picked Nat’s new stencil release, Space Age Modern. Using a small blending tool, I applied LIquitex Basics Acrylic in Bright Aqua Green through the stencil. This color is the perfect compliment for our background.
Looking at the page I decided that I should apply a light metallic to the page to push the green into the background a little more. I laid the Space Age Modern stencil back down and sprayed Marabu mixed media art spray in gold here and there.
I still had the hand made triangle stencil I used for last month’s Christmas card tutorial lying on my desk and decided it would be fun to integrate it into this art journal page. With a small blending tool I applied Liquitex Basics quinacridone magenta through the triangle stencil. I used a small amount of paint. I was not trying to totally cover the background but apply a thin coat of paint and allow the background to shine through.
I applied a black edge all around the art journal spread pages with black acrylic and then added some doodling around with a black gelly roll pen.
I stamped Nat’s Millie stamp on the right hand page in black ink.
Using a black fudeball pen I did some journaling around the triangles.
I hope you have enjoyed this tutorial. It’s a new year that will be filled with tons of creative inspiraton from the Creative Squad so be sure to follow along and share what you create.
Thank you Jennifer – just love how the magenta is transparent and changes the colors underneath. Gorgeous page that really shows off your Super Power :)
Feel inspired? Playing along with Creative JumpStart and the Creative Squad? Working on something yourself that you’d like to share? I love to see how you interpret our monthly themes. Email me how you used my stencils and stamps with the theme and email me an image – I would love to share your projects in my next “n*Spiration From Around the Globe“.
“I think my problem is that I have many fantastic bad ideas!” – but I guess that is better than no ideas lol
For my background I used acrylic paint and my new Space Age Modern stencil, along with collage material from old gelli prints.
There is a hand carved stamp in there and then my figure on deli paper with ink. I used acrylic markers for the journaling.
Here are some of the supplies I used:
And don’t forget – time is running out to get Creative JumpStart 2020 for just $50. Sale ends on December 31st!!! Join us in the classroom when the workshop begins on January 1!
I’m enjoying your blog. I’ve already registered for jumpStart. On January 1, 2020, where do I find the program. Attached to your blog? Site of it’s own? Have not seen that, a supplies needed or curriculum. Have I missed these somewhere?
I’m excited about seeing this faculty!!!!!
Mary Boyd
HI Mary, you should have received an email right after you signed up with all the information. I am sending you an email now again and hopefully it will reach you. Check your spam folder in case not. Please email me with further questions – I am happy to help. nat
I’m enjoying your blog. I’ve already registered for jumpStart. On January 1, 2020, where do I find the program. Attached to your blog? Site of it’s own? Have not seen that, a supplies needed or curriculum. Have I missed these somewhere?
I’m excited about seeing this faculty!!!!!
Mary Boyd
Reply