Hi Everyone.

Slowly but surely winter is coming... We have been having such a nice warm autumn, just feeling the chill in the evenings and mornings.  

Ever since this Bloom Stamps by Jamie Dougherty for Prima Marketing was released I wanted to try it out and I absolutely loved it!

Instructions:

1. Tim Holtz’s tag tutorial for March 2015 inspired my art journal page.  I started off by adhering Tim Holtz tissue tape to the background.
2. Apply Distress Paint in Abandoned Coral, Squeezed Lemonade, Spiced Marmalade, Broken China, Cracked Pistachio & Picked Raspberry.  I kept the layers of paint moist by spraying it with water and then when I laid down all the colours allowed it to run and blend into each other.
3. Create a mask of the image to cover the stamped face while applying texture paste to the background. Stamp the face with Archival Ink on wax paper, dry and cut out.  I also used the mask to decide on the placement of the image.
4. Stamp the image with Tea Dye Distress Ink to create a soft outline – this will avoid harsh lines in and around the image and allows me to blend the outline into the face.
5. Use repositionable adhesive spray to temporarily adhere the mask over the stamped image.
6. Use masking tape to keep the Butterflies 1 stencil in place and apply Ranger Texture Paste with a plastic palette knife.  This Texture paste is creamy and light and so easy to apply – my new favourite product!  It also absorbs colour and can be dried with a heat tool.
7. Use Ranger Snowflake Embossing Powder over the wet Texture Paste and melt with a heat tool.
8. Use Derwent Artbars to add colour to the image.  The Artbars can be used directly on the image and then activated with water or use a water brush to pick up the colour from the Artbar.
9. Add highlights and shadows and remember to let layers dry before adding more colour.
10. Add more vibrant colours to the image with Derwent Inktense pencils, the pencils also allow me to add finer details like the patterning on the butterflies.  The Artbars have a soft watercolour effect, while the Inktense pencils are vibrant and bright.
11. Use Dina Wakley Matte Gel Medium to activate the colour on the butterflies, this will give a shinier effect to the images than water and will also create a different texture.
12. Add more detail to the hair with different sepia tones and activate with gel medium.
13. Shave small pieces of flesh coloured Artbar with the Shave ‘n’ Save and mix it with gel medium to make your own paint and apply to the face.
14. Keep on adding layers of colour to the face making sure that the layers dry before adding more on top.
15. Use silver Heritage Artist Acrylic metallic paint to add a touch of silver to the butterflies, this paint is very translucent, almost a glaze which will allow the underneath layers to show through.
16. Add final touches to the face with Posca Paint pens in white and black, as well as Inktense pencils activated with gel medium.  By activating the Inktense pencils I make sure that it is permanent and won’t blend with any colour added on top.  The Posca paint pens have some open time to blend, but will also dry permanent.
17. Outline the butterflies with a Posca Paint pen in silver.
18. I was not happy with the butterflies that was cut in half by the mask and decided to rather have the butterflies going on top, so I applied the texture paste and embossing powder.
19. Writing the title with the white Inktense pencil allows me to remove it if I am not happy with the placement or size. Once I am satisfied I will go over it with the Silver and White Posca Paint Pens.
20. Outline the Texture Paste butterflies with the Silver Posca Paint pen and lastly add the date.

PRODUCTS USED:

WATCH THE VIDEO:

MAGIC FAIRY GIRL ART JOURNAL PAGE

INSTRUCTIONS:

1.       I fell in love with this image ever since I saw it in the Summer Brochure of Poetry.  I scanned the image into my photo editing program and changed the colour and wiped out the background.  I resized it and made a laser printout.

2.       Apply Omni-Gel Transfer Medium over the front of the image with a foam brush, any acrylic gel medium will work.  Let each layer dry naturally and completely in between, also change the direction of the application each time from up and down to side to side and up and down again – I applied 3 layers. 

3.       Do no try to speed up the process by drying each layer with a heat gun, as this makes the image quite brittle and easily tears when removing the paper.

4.       Spray water on the back of the image and carefully wipes away the paper.  I used as soft brush to wipe away some of the smaller pieces of paper.  As more paper are removed the image will be clearer and clearer. 

5.       While I wait for the image to dry, I make a start on the background in my art journal.

6.       Apply Bundled Sage, Evergreen Bough and Pine Needles Distress Ink with an Ink Blending Tool to the background. 

7.       Spray water on the Dots stamp from the Dylusions Basic Background Stamp Set and randomly stamp on over the background.  This will create some subtle dots to the background where the Distress Ink reacts to the water.

8.       Use the flower and stem images from the Dylusions How Does Your Garden Grow Stamp Set and stamp with Barn Door and Salty Ocean Distress Ink.  Spray with water to create some interesting blending.  Remember this ink is not permanent and will always re-activate with any medium that is applied on top of it.

9.       Use the Festive Berries Distress Stain to create blotches on the page by dabbing it randomly on the background.

10.   Apply Lemon Heritage 3D Crystal Acrylic to the background with a rubber kitchen basting tool to create texture.  This 3D Crystal Acrylic is transparent and quite thick, it is also very glossy and tends to stick pages in your art journal together.  That is why I will always use this medium in my bottom layers or add matte medium on top.

11.   Dab some Mowed Lawn and Mustard Seed Distress Stain on a craft sheet and mix with white Gesso.  Apply with a brayer to the background to mute the bright colours.  My background images was disappearing so I wiped some of the gesso away with a baby wipe while it was still wet.

12.   Apply Mowed Lawn and Mustard Seed Distress Stain to the background and blend with some water and a paintbrush.

13.   I sprayed my background with White Linen Dylusions Ink Spray from a distance – this thin layer of white ink will blend with the Distress Stains underneath.  Use a baby wipe and wipe some of the Dylusions Spray away through the Loopy Flowers Stencil.

14.   Cut out the image of the girl from the dry image transfer.

15.   Use the Butterfly 3 stencil to create wings for the fairy.  Mask off the parts of the wings that will be behind the fairy with masking tape.

16.   Apply Faber Castell Glass Bead Glitter Gel through the detailed part of the stencil and leave to dry naturally, as this gel mediums tends to bubble and stay sticky when dried with a heat tool.  As the gel becomes dry it will turn transparent.

17.   Attach the image with Heritage 3D Contour Paste, I used a thick layer of medium as I wanted to lift the fairy of the page a bit.  This was a mistake as there was a lot of air trapped underneath the image and it took a long time to dry.

18.   Apply a layer of matte medium to seal the background and all the water-soluble mediums.  This will enable me to add more layers without worrying about the mediums underneath.  I wiped the matte medium and mix of distress ink from the wings of the fairy with a baby wipe.

19.   Add solid wings with the Butterfly 3 stencil and Ranger Liquid Pearls in White Opal.

20.   Add subtle colour to girl and wings with Faber Castell Big Brush pens – this ink is transparent, easy blend able and permanent once dry.

21.   Add some shine to the wings by applying Heritage 3D Crystal Acrylic Glass with a paintbrush.

22.   Add Ranger Liquid Pearls in Lavender Lace to the wings to create a delicate change in colour as the light catches the wings.

23.   Use the Big Brush pens to add some more colour to the wings, I constantly wipe my fingers on a baby wipe as to not blend the colours together.  Also add some Diamond Ranger Stickles to the raised areas of the wings.

24.   Add a border of flowers with the Cherry Blossom stencil and Barn Door Distress Paint.  Add a thin layer of paint with a Stencil brush.  Add dimension and subtle change of colour to the flowers by lightly dabbing Spiced Marmalade and Mustard Seed Distress paint to the centre of the flowers.

25.   Use the Cherry Blossom stencil and Posca Paint Pens to add leaves to the page.  Add interest to the flowers and leaves with Posca Paint pens.  These pens are water-based Acrylic Paints and is opaque and permanent once dry.

26.   Add shading around the images with Big Brush pens.

27.   Add the quote along the stem of the flower with a Pentel Brush pen. The quote is quite small and reads: “Those who do not believe in magic, will never find it.  – Roald Dahl.

28.   Lastly add the date.

Watch the video:

Hi Everyone,

My first art journal tutorial for 2015! I hope this will be a exciting year with lots of amazing adventures for all!

I titled this page: NEW BEGINNINGS

 

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Decide on the placement of the face and lightly draw the outlines.
2. Start writing thoughts down on the page, I am writing down all my ideas and plans for 2015.
3. Randomly stamp the background with clear embossing ink and emboss with embossing powder to create texture.
4. Apply Gel Medium through the Dahlia mask and stamp it randomly on the background – this will act as a resist once you add the PanPastel colours. Make sure that the gel medium is dry.
5. Add extra dimension to the background by layering PanPastel colours through the stencil.
6. Seal the background layer of PanPastel with Matte Gel Medium – apply a thin layer with a brayer. I used my soft rubber Speedball Brayer.
7. Use the Sporty Girl stencil and draw the outlines with Big Brush pens.  Blend the harsh lines and add colour to the whole face.  Also add shadows and highlights with the Big Brush pens and blend each time.
8. Apply a dark colour of Acrylic paint (Dina Wakley Heavy Body Acrylic Paint – Night) with a sea sponge around the face to draw attention to it.
9. Pull everything together by brayering a thin layer of white Gesso over the whole page.
10. Use Acrylic Letter Stamps and acrylic paint to stamp the title of the page and add highlights by slightly offsetting the stamp and stamping in white.
11. Add Shadows and highlights to the word with the Big Brush pens in Warm and Cold Grey.
12. Lastly outline the word with a black marker once the paint has dried and add the date.

PRODUCTS USED:

 

WATCH THE VIDEO:



 

Hi Everyone,

If you have been following me, you will know that I just love colourful backgrounds.  For this Art Journal page I decided to challenge myself and try to stick to just a plain white background.

 

 

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. I covered my page with white acrylic paint so that I have a nice, smooth surface to work on.  You can also use white gesso if you prefer.  Make sure that the page is completely dry before you carry on.
2. Use a charcoal pencil and draw the outlines of the birds on the Birds-in-a-Row stencil. 
3. Use white acrylic paint to pull the charcoal from the outlines of the birds to create a grayscale image. This also "fixes” the charcoal so that it does not smear and allow you to add more layers on top.
4. Draw one of the birds on the stencil on patterned paper and cut out. I used wax paper that I created with foam stamps and acrylic paints.
5. Use the Birds-in-a-Row stencil to adhere the image of the bird with matte medium next to the other birds. Make sure that it lying flat with no air trapped underneath.
6. Use the stencil to add details to the birds with the charcoal pencil and blend it with white acrylic paint – this will give it a more painterly look and soften the rigid pencil lines.
7. Do the same with the coloured bird, but you use a Derwent Inktense pencil.  I used a lime-green acrylic paint to pull the coloured outlines into the image.  This will give you a graduated coloured look from dark to light.
8. I used yellow and blue acrylic paint to create some interest and details to the bird.  Remember to add a small white dot in the each of the bird’s eyes – now they will look alive.
9. Print out the quote and use transfer paper to transfer it to your page.  Use markers (I used Big Brush pens) to write over the “pencil” lines.  I used the same technique for the grayscale birds and used my charcoal pencils and white acrylic paint to create the word “copy”.  
10. Add some interest and details to the words and the birds with different colours of markers in different nib sizes.
11. Use the Swirls 1 stencil and the Teal Green Derwent Intense pencil to draw swirls behind the row of birds.  This will anchor the birds as it looked like they were floating in the air.
12. Use a water brush to activate the Inktense pencil and go over it with a marker when it has dried.
13. Remember to add the date.

 

Download quote:

Quote Birds Art Journal Page.pdf

Watch the video here:

 

ART JOURNAL PAGE – CHANGE IT, YOU ARE NOT A TREE!

     INSTRUCTIONS: 

1. Spray Dylusions Ink Sprays in Postbox Red, Squeezed Orange, Pure Sunshine & Bubblegum Pink though the Polka Dots stencil. I always clean my stencils and left-over paints and inks in my telephone directory.  This paper is perfect for collage. Make sure that each layer dries properly before adding another.
2. Tear a piece of Island Dots patterned tissue paper large enough to cover the whole background and adhere with Liquitex Matte Medium.  Only adhere small sections at a time as the Matte Medium dries very quickly.  As the Ink Sprays are not permanent the tissue paper will absorb the ink underneath.
3. Apply a layer of matte medium on top of the tissue paper – this will ensure that the ink sprays are sealed so that more layers can be added.
4. Apply Dina Wakley Media Heavyweight Acrylic Paint in Ruby and Lemon with a palette knife.  The thick creamy consistency of this paint makes it easy to add texture and marks to the background.
5. Apply Umber, Blackberry Violet & Lapis through the Tree stencil with a palette knife.  You can temporarily adhere the stencil with repositionable adhesive spray if you do not want any paint to seep underneath the stencil.
6. Apply Blackberry Violet, Lapis, Lime, Turquoise and White paint with a paint brush to the tree – the thick consistency of the paint allows you to create brushstrokes.
7. Randomly add dots with a sponge dauber – I used Turquoise, Magenta, Tangerine, Lime, Lemon, Lapis, Sky & White.
8. Write the quote in pencil and when you are satisfied with the placement – write over it with the black Edding Paint Marker.
9. Used the Edding paint markers in various colours and add outlines and details to the paint dots.
10. Add a layer of Indian ink with the Faber-Castel Big Brush pen in Deed Scarlet Red over the quote to make the quote stand out against the busy page.
11. Outline the word of the quote with the white Edding Paint Marker and lastly add the date.

PRODUCTS USED:

Strathmore Bristol Smooth Visual Journal 9x12

Dylusions Ink Sprays - Postbox Red, Squeezed Orange, Pure Sunshine & Bubblegum Pink

Stencil-Art Stencils - Polka Dots & Tree

Patterned Tissue Paper - Island Dots

Liquitex Matte Medium

Dina Wakley Media Heavybody Acrylic Paint - Ruby, Lemon, Umber, Blackberry Violet, Lapis, Lime, Turquoise, White, Magenta, Tangerine & Sky

Edding Paint Markers - Black, White, Orange, Dark Blue, Light Blue, Yellow, Red, Purple, Pink & Green

Faber-Castel Big Brush Pen - Deep Scarlet Red

Watch the video on Youtube:

Hi Everyone,

Happy Spring! I am so glad that winter is over, although we are still waiting for the Highveld Thundershowers.  With this page I really enjoyed playing with some new stencils and my latest obsession - Derwent Artbars.

POPPIES ART JOURNAL PAGE

 INSTRUCTIONS:

1.     Start by colouring the blank page with Derwent Artbars in Kiwi, Spearmint, Turquoise, Orange and Process Yellow.

2.       Adhere pattered paper towel with gel medium to the page and seal it with gel medium over the paper towel.  Let dry thoroughly otherwise the paper towel will tear.

3.       Mix Dina Wakley Heavy Body Acrylic Paint in Turquoise, Lime and Night with water to create a wash and paint a thin layer over the paper towel – the previous layers must still be visible.

4.       Mix Dina Wakley Heavy Body Acrylic paint in Lemon & Night to create green and use to a brayer to apply a thin coat.

5.       Use Ellen Vargo EEV06 stamps by PaperArtsy with Heritage Crafts Free Flow Acrylics in Dark Blue and Green Field to add texture to the page.

6.       Rub the Inktense block in teal over the page and apply Liquitex Mattte Medium over it.  The layer of Inktense block will dry permanent and unify all the previous layers.

7.       Grate the red Inktense Block with the Derwent Grate ‘n Shake and mix it with the Liquitex Blende Fibre Gel.  Lightly mix in a small amount of dark red, orange and yellow to create a slight variation of colour.

8.       Apply the coloured Fibre Gel through the Poppie stencil and let it dry overnight.

9.       Use the Quotes 1 stencil and apply black Heritage Crafts Dimensional Fabric Puff Paint through the stencil with a palette knife and dry it with a heat gun or hairdryer.

10.   Carefully draw in the stems of the poppies with the Poppies stencil and the black Edding 750 Paint Marker.

11.   Use the red Edding 750 Paint Marker and fill in the gaps in the poppies left by the stencil. 

12.   Add leaves to the stems with the Swirly Leaves stencils and the black Edding 750 Paint Marker.

13.   Use the black Faber-Castell Big Brush pen to add shading around the poppies and add dimension to the flower leaves with Deep Scarlet Red around the outer edges and the Orange Glaze to the insides.

14.   Add yellow Edding 750 Paint Marker to the insides of the Poppies.

15.   Thicken the stems of the flowers and add dashes to the stems and outline it in white. Also add detail to the leaves in white.

16.   Outline the words of the quote with the white Edding 780 Paint Marker.

17.   Use the puff paint to add seeds to the centres of the open poppies.

18.   Remember to add the date to your page.

PRODUCT LIST

Derwent Artbars - Kiwi (A18), Spearmint (A32), Turquoise (A15), Orange (A04) & Process Yellow (A01)

Papertowel (Woolworths)

Liquitex Gel Medium

Dina Wakley Heavy Body Acrylic Paint - Turquoise, Lime, Night & Lemon

PaperArtsy Stamp Set - Ellen Vargo EEV06

Heritage Crafts Free Flow Acrylic Paint - Dark Blue & Green Field

Derwent Inktense blocks - Teal, Red, Orange & Yellow

Liquitex Matte Fluid Medium

Liquitex Blended fibres Texture Gel

Stencil-Art Stencils - Poppies, Quotes 1 & Swirly Leaves

Heritage Crafts Dimensional Fabric Puff Paint - Black

Edding 750 Paint Markers - Black, Red & Yellow

Edding 780 Paint Marker - White

Faber-Castell Big Brush pens - Deep Scarlet (219) & Orange Glaze (113)

Watch the video:

Hi Everyone,

I planned to start this blog entry by saying" Happy Spring!", but here in Johannesburg we skipped spring and jumped right into Summer!

I had so much fun playing with the Mermaid Stamp by Prima Marketing.  I absolutely love the Derwent Artbars,  you will most definitely see me using them a lot in my art journal.  I also discovered that I can stamp with the Derwent Inktense blocks and that once activated with liquid the stamped image is permanent.

Instructions:

1. Place bleeding tissue paper circles on your page, spray it with water and leave to dry naturally.(See the video on how to make your own bleeding tissue paper below).
2. Apply a wash of Topaz Blue Heritage Acrylic paint and water over the circles and dry with a heat tool.
3. Dab Heritage Free Flow Acrylic Paint in various colours though the Fishinella stencil randomly over the background.
4. Tear strips of bleeding tissue paper and adhere it to the background with Gel Medium to form sea grass.
5. Spray White Linen Dylusions Ink Spray and then water over the background and dab it off with paper towel to mute the vibrant colours a bit and bind all the images together.
6. Spray Dylusions Ink Spray in Polished Jade and Dry Martini through he Sea Damask and Sea Creatures stencils and let the background dry while you stamp and colour the mermaid.
7. Rub the Prima Marketing Mermaid Stamp with an orange Derwent Inktense Block and stamp it on a slightly damp page of Daler-Rowney Heavyweight Paper. The image will be permanent once dry.
8. Colour the mermaid with Derwent Artbars by picking up the colour with a water brush - I used my Pentel medium water brush.
9. Cut out the mermaid when it is dry and adhere it to the background with Gel Medium.
10. Paint a piece of the Heavyweight paper with a mixture of Heritage Pearl paint and Dylusions Callypso Teal Ink Spray and stamp the seashells included in the Prima Marketing stamp set.  Cut out and adhere over the bikini top of the mermaid with Gel Medium.
11.  Apply Design Memory Craft Glass Bead Glitter Gel through he Blowing Bubbles stencil with a palette knife and let dry on its own. 
12. Write the quote in pencil and when satisfied with the placement go over it with a black Faber-Castell PITT Artist Brush pen and once dry with the silver Edding Calligraphy pen.  I later went over it again with Edding Fine tip blue paint pen and added highlights with the Edding white paint pen as well.
13. Use a white Gelly Roll Glaze pen to add scales to the mermaid's tail and some swirls to the background with the Fishinella stencil.
14. Add shading and details to the mermaid with Design Memory Craft Big Brush pens in various colours, as well as the Glass Bead Glitter Gel bubbles.
15. Adds some Pearl paint to the mermaid for a subtle touch of bling.

Watch the video:

How to make your own bleeding tissue paper: