Art Journal Thursdays: Unknown

Under the heading of trying new things, this page started as a cast-off. I used this page as a place to wipe off excess gesso or paint. Then I found this photo of an unknown child. The idea that there’s no way of ever finding out what happened to this child, if she lived a happy life or if she ever grew older was captivating. Since the photo was similar to the cast-off page, I wanted to make it the focus of the composition. The rest of the page just came together. 

A little diluted gesso around the photo to make it a focal point.

I also used the diluted gesso to write the words.

A wash of raw umber acrylic paint was applied to a coffee sleeve. When it dried, I sprayed it with rubbing alcohol and wiped the paint off to add depth.

A black Faber Castell Gelato was used to frame the page and remove the white edges that were left after my haphazard paint application. I smudged the black with a baby wipe.

Art Journal Thursday: Perseverance

Most people don’t look for struggle; it’s unpleasant, messy and requires a lot of energy. It is hard work to look at our problems and work to resolve them or learn to live with them. But there is a promise of reward. Perseverance, character and hope are the rewards from what sometimes seems like senseless pain and effort. (Romans 5:3-5). I wanted to explore perseverance from a more hopeful perspective.

I printed the word using a computer font and then traced it onto the page with carbon paper. I then painted over it.

I first added layers of torn ephemera to the journal page. Then gesso. Hope is a shiny thing so I decided to add a pearlescent, metallic feeling to the page. I applied that paint using some random strokes. Using Tim Holtz’s Bubble stencil, I added some texture. I also had a left over plastic piece from a sticker that I applied brown paint to and used it as a “printing plate” to add a little more interest. In another place, I used the sticker leftover as a mask.

I wanted the broken heart to stand out so I painted it red using red and black Gelattos. I used a baby wipe to lightly blend.

Perseverance and hope are not just pretty things. They are the result of heartache so I placed the jagged, broken heart (my design) over a Tim Holtz Ornate Frame Sizzix die. It is cut out of card stock and painted with a silver metallic acrylic paint.

I used Martha Stewart’s pearl acrylic paints to add shine to the page.

If the colors got too intense, I would mute them by adding a little ivory/gray pearlescent paint and quickly wiping the majority off with a baby wipe.

I painted a scrap of muslin with acrylic paint and then added various stitches with embroidery thread.

To add a little more depth and because my attention gets drawn back to needlework (one of my other true loves), I added some stitching. A little cross stitch, a running stitch and some French knots and I had a rustic, embroidered side bar to my work.

Perseverance and hope are the rewards for struggling through all that life has to throw at us. I wanted to share a page that I worked on with these themes in mind. I’d love to hear what you’re working through with your art.