Experimenting with distressed backgrounds and tags for art journaling.

Recently, I ordered some distressed oxide stamps and ink from Tim Holtz, some gloss sprays from Dina Wakley, and some Dylusion sprays. Yesterday and today, I have been experimenting with how to use them. The examples below are the results. This is the first time I have ever tried them. I am happy with the results, but I really had to build up the layers. I might eventually sell it in my etsy store as a downloadable. These would be especially good for art journaling and junk journaling, which I have been exploring, via video, the different styles. I purchased some supplies to make my own. I would like to incorporate modern, vintage, grunge, and floral. I think these art scraps hit all but the floral, but of course, I could draw or paint a few flowers. Maybe throw in an animal here or there? I saw this pink flamingo in my calendar that I absolutely love, and I want to capture it in art. Also, I want to find a place for my kitty and maybe some birds. I want a place to collect my art and keep my art, but take it in and out, so I decided that ring binders are the way to go for me. I would say my art looks more modern. My problem is that my mind goes in a million different directions. One theme only just doesn’t seem to work for me. I want something that’s going to reflect my life and my art. I tried to make journals in the past and got as far as 2 or 3 pages because I was always making art outside of it rather than in it. Also, I chose a math book to transform, and I’m not really into math. It’s what I had. So I need to bring the art to it – at least be able to. I think a junk journal would be the best fit for me. My style is a bit bohemian, but not excessively vintage. I watched some bohemian junk/ art journal videos, which had themes of old photos of different gypsy woman, and vintage lace and wall papers but it seemed honoring to the past ladies who lived, but not something which would be relative to my life now. It was very cool looking, but it wouldn’t be beckoning for me to want to make art in it or write about my life in it. It would feel like desecrating a grave if I did so. I thought it would be cool to make some of my own photos of my life look vintage. It would also be cool to make an art journal sometime, which reflects my ancestry and my roots and incorporates old documents and photos from family members from ancestry.com.

I especially love all the little pockets and secrets tucks such journals have and all the lace and ribbons. I made something once called “a magic heart box” to store momentos and things of comfort to help me process my trauma. I made all these other little smaller boxes, compartments, and folders to go inside and hold feelings related to especially troubling circumstances or memories and stored childhood photos inside. I incorporated colors I liked, textures, smells, etc. Peach or corral is my go-to color for comfort and peach tea. That’s such a comforting smell. That would be cool to incorporate in a journal, too, maybe one exclusively about my recovery.

First, I have to start experimenting with techniques. I thought it might be cool to start gathering what I would want to put inside; the art I would want; the patterns, textures, fabrics, ribbons, and papers. I bought some lace already, and a friend gave me some really cool scrapbook paper I really love. I’d like to make her a journal (once I learn how to do it). I thought I could make some tuck pockets and embellishments to put inside. Charms have to be there, too. Ha. What I love also is that I could print out scans of my art and turn them into pockets or embellishments! I told you my mind goes a million different directions.

In these scraps, I incorporated Caren D’ache neocolors 1 crayons and acrylic paints to get that resist. I meant to buy the water soluable ones, the number 2, not realizing the differences. I was disappointed at first and was going to trade it in for the one I wanted, but I decided to keep it. I’ve been watching videos of reviews and people using it for art making, and it really is quite amazing. You can use it for encaustic art as well, which I also want to explore! It was fun using these as a resist, but they actually do blend if you layer them and incorporate some shading techniques. They can actually do photorealism, too. You can incorporate linseed oil to blend them even more and get a painterly look.

I discovered the acrylic paints as a resist by accident. I just wiped off a brush on some watercolor scraps, then later sprayed and painted over it. I loved the results! I incorporated some stamps and stencils, but you can barely tell. I had fun, and I stayed up way too late as usual… My mind started to wander… I could print some of my other pictures of artwork and work them further with the distressed stamps and sprays. The possibilities are endless.

I still have a bunch of other collage fodder halfway in the making. Also, tonight, I made more faux rice paper. I even saved my clean-up napkin and will make some more faux rice paper with that.