Let's Journal! Pt III

Well, thankfully I was able to get rid of the "pepto pink" I gave myself...I'll tell you how!

God's gift to the dirty journal page lover is "walnut ink". Walnut ink spray in a spray pump is fantastic. I use it everywhere. If I could touch up my roots with it, I probably would! The spray will take to old papers really strongly. Before I use the spray, I always spray water all over the page first. This will dilute the walnut color and allow it to move around a bit instead of looking like a harsh brown mess. After I spray the ink on, I blot it with my rag. Not dark enough? I repeat the process until I am happy. Blotting with the rag gives you different results every time.

If you don't have any walnut ink, you can replicate a similar result with any of the Distress Inks (Ranger).  Rub your ink pad face down onto a non-stick craft sheet or wax paper. Spray on water to make the ink bead up and then blot the wax paper to the journal or the journal to the craft sheet. Repeat the process until your ink gives you the color you desire, allowing the layers to dry in between each round.

My next step to darken the bright pink was to add some white spray paint. You can mimic the look of spray paint through a stencil by using the dry brushing technique I mentioned in Lesson II or with chalk ink. (Tip: When you're using things other than spray paint with stencils, they can bleed a lot easier. Make sure you tape the stencils down really well or have your friend put their hands in harms way by holding the stencil in place while you ink.) When I pulled my sequin scrap out of my bin, two of them were stuck together as shown above. I just went with it! Out to the garage...under the car for the spray session.

Here's how we look after the spray paint. Nice? I like it. But alas, I am fickle. More walnut ink to simmer that pink down still...you get where I am going with this? You can go back and repeat, skip, repeat whatever you want. You don't have to follow directions at all! Do what you feel.

(Were going to move on to focusing on some little details in the aging process now...I've switched over to my macro lens and a flash. There is no sheen on the pages, just flash reflection.)

I used my scallop punch to make a little border out of some vintage paper I have. Using a black colored pencil (not charcoal this time), I used short strokes to make the page border and then the border on the scallop. I like to outline the elements to give them more definition.

I don't like clean lines, so I use my finger to rub rub rub the lines. I love to smudge! At this point, I also gingerly outline the torn paper to make it look like there is a slight shadow. Smudge these lines too. Rub hard.

Even though that scallop paper is from 1895, it's still too "white" for my taste. You guessed it, more walnut ink. (Be carful when your watering vintage paper like this. Make sure the glue stick has thoroughly dried before you add the water spray..otherwise, it will buckle and bubble. It's also a good idea to work very fast with the walnut ink and blot up the moisture as quickly as possible!)

Here's where we ended up after today's steps:

Get your pens ready! Tomorrow we're going to doodle away!

How's it going so far?

Comments

[Kathy]

Julie! This is WONDERFUL!!! You do so many things I never would have thunk of myself! I own gallons of walnut ink, but do you think I've ever tried it from a spray bottle to age paper?!? And I LOVE the idea of smudging black colored pencil to make shadowy outlines... have all the tools for that, too! Thanks for all the effort you are putting into teaching us in the blogosphere... I really appreciate it! xoxo

[Andrea]

Great tutorial Julie or should I call you smudgie. What's this about having to go under a car to spray paint? :) I like this scallop punch alot. I need to shop at home first see if I own it.

Have a great day!

[Kim H]

WOW WOW WOW....this is great...maybe my page will get to looking ok. hmmmm not sure I have any spray paint...but I will go look in the shop...ok I am off to do my page!

[Rina]

Oh, Julie!!!
I really enjoy reading your tutorial!

Yes! I have a Walnut Ink! I have to try it right away:)

[gwen buchanan]

Love viewing the steps in your journaling techniques. So Informative in viewing your pages, your past work & your thoughts of why & how you do things ... makes me feel as if I know you.
Thank you so much for sharing yourself, gwen
ps I found you through Seth's Altered page, which is totally amazing.

[Gina]

JUST what I was looking for! Saw your comments on the group at Zine and came for the offered information.

[Jacqueline]

I am following this with interest! I have never used acyrlic paints in my life. TFS

[Diane Clancy]

Hi Julie,

This is so cool to see this in process .. thank you!!

~ Diane Clancy
www.DianeClancy.com/blog
www.YourArtMarketing.com

[Tami Bayer]

woo hoo hoo! That's me doing the happy dance. I'm all caught up for the first three days. What a ton of fun. Doodling makes me soooo nervous.

[Susan Tuttle]

Walnut ink and the Ranger Distress Ink are two of my staple products for aging as well.

Beautiful work!

Susan
xo

[Cindy Jones Lantier]

Do you happen to remember where you got the punchinella with the large holes? I have plenty with the smaller holes, but where to find the larger holes is a mystery to me; I'd love to have some of it. Thanks so much for the tutorials and for putting yourself out there. These are really great. I can't wait to try it myself. Next week, when life calms down a bit, I'll be back, journal in hand, to try out some of your techniques. Woo hoo!!!

[Laurence]

Wow, it looks great, I want to read the rest to proceed myself, lol!

[Laurence]

Wow, it looks great, I want to read the rest before to proceed myself, lol!

[Seth]

Great tutorial. Thanks for all these great new ideas and reminding me of some old ones I haven't used in a while. With every new step my page looks so very different!

[Maralena Howard]

This technique is beautiful.
I love the stenciled dots... and the color so soft.

[Hagit]

Hi, your blog is very inspiring! I've been meaning to ask for a long time - where do you get sequin scrap? I always see online artists using it, but have no idea how to get my hands on it. :) Many thanks!