Let's Journal! Part I

Welcome to my journal page class! I am so happy to see that you’ve joined us. Throughout the next 5 days I’ll be writing about how I make my journal pages. I would love it if you left a comment with tips and tricks you’ve learned in your journal making processes or of course if you have any questions, post away!

Disclaimer: I think that making a journal should be a personal experience. Certainly, you can apply these techniques to other art projects on any medium, but your page should come from your heart. After much frustration, I finally found a look that I am happy with. Why am I happy? I am happy because I stopped trying to have pages that look like someone else’s and I noticed that I like to do my own thing. I think about this all of the time…for a long time I thought to myself that I couldn’t draw. I finally realized the reason was because I was trying to draw things realistically…if I close my eyes and imagine what a cat would look like in my imagination for instance, I can draw it much easier than a cat I see on the steet. Same thing applies to the pages. Make each page your own.

Another point to note: The Color Binge has what I think are horrible pages in the beginning (They are all posted to the left, in the album), but more pleasing and complex pages towards the end. Why? Practice. I’ve been hitting the “Binge” every day since last summer trying to master paint and journaling. Am I a master? No…I don’t think so. But I am really happy with my pages these days! Let’s get underway!

To start, since most of you can’t see the book in person, I thought I would point out a few of the things I like to use on my pages. Sometimes I mention these things casually, and I realize some of you may not know what I am talking about, so here we go:

A: I love my pages to look imperfect and messy. This pointer shows some underlying paper that was not glued down perfectly. It came up and bucked after paint. Love it.

B:  I like to add borders around everything to finish them off and make things more defined. The smudgy-er the better.

C: The look of torn paper makes me happy. When I tear paper, I try and tear it so that the rough edge is on top. Tear a sheet of pattern paper- if you notice, depending on which direction you tear it in, one side is clean and the other is rough and torn. I’m sure there are probably technical terms for all these things, but I didn’t go to school for art…only gemology.

D:  Some torn text under the paint, peeking through adds interest. I have printed text of some sort on almost every page.

E:  Spray paint. I just started using spray paint and even though I like the look of black paint, it is a little too harsh and graphic on these pages. Solution? Apply it first, so it is under the paint., peeking through. Always think about the order of each layer and what can happen when the next layer is added.

F: Stamping. Another way to add a layer to your page. For these underlying background images, I never ink the entire image surface. I ink by holding the ink pad over the middle of the stamp and gently brushing the ink onto the rubber. To me, a stamp that is inked “all the way” is too dark and perfect for my style. (Notice for the stamped frames I did in fact ink the entire stamp..they are in the foreground and needed to be heavier.) Rough edges=good.

G:  Vintage paper. Your paper does not need to be vintage to add to this look. You can simply age paper to make it look vintage with walnut ink or distress ink. Something that bothers me personally is the mixture of new and old papers on the same page. If I am taking the time to age and mess everything up, a new paper would look out of place. I like things to match.

H: Scribble border. Use charcoal or black colored pencil (or regular pencil for that matter!) in short, uneven strokes. If your dominant hand is too obedient, then use your other hand to make these scribbles. I love it messy!

For the first part of our journaling today, we'll glue on some interesting base paper. We'll be painting over a lot of this paper, so the look of the page will change dramatically. You can use any paper you want for this step! The thought is that there will be some interesting texture and images coming up through the paint when we're finished.

On an old catalogue, spread glue stick over the scraps. Make sure the glue goes all the way to the edges of the scraps- that's what the catalogue pages are for; to catch the extra glue. When one page is sticky, turn to the next and start again. No mess!

Here's what my page looks like after the scraps have been added. Do you see where the camera focus is? I hope that word remains visible after we make a mess with the paint and ink... In my mind, I have an idea to write around the edges of this page, so I pushed the scraps towards the center. That's pretty much all I have thought of so far for this page, the other elements will pop into my head once I start adding them!

Are your wheels turning? I hope so! Tomorrow we're going to be adding paint. I love Golden fluid acrylics, but you can use any craft paint you want! I think working with acrylics is the easiest...the paint will allow you time to change your mind before anything becomes too permanent.

See you tomorrow, bring your paintbrush!

Edit: I use this book for my journal. The paper is just right for water and glue!

Comments

[Kim H]

This is so inspiring. All the tips are wonderful! I am trying to be happy with my pages and make them my own. I am going to go crack open my small art journal and work along with you.

[Thanh]

Ooohhh! Cant wait for tomorrows tutorial. Even before you announced the journal tutorial, I was thinking of starting one so this will definitely help me along the way. You'd be proud of me too, I picked up an issue of Sommerset Studio (Jan/Feb) issue. :)

[Teresa]

I love your pages, so I'm excited to be here as you post your tutorials. One thing I've already picked up is the multitude of layers you add to each page, and that you just go over things if you don't like how they turned out. There's always so much dimension to your work, I just love it! Bring on the next tute!

[Sandra]

Very cool, love the looks of this piece!
Sandra Evertson

[Susan Tuttle]

Thanks for sharing your process. Finding our own voice - that is the key - I so agree.

Susan
xo

[Seth]

This looks like it will be a great tutorial. Thanks for all the tips already. I am definitely playing along!

[JeriAnn]

Julie --
An online journal class -- what a great idea! I think Michelle's Crusaders who are struggling to begin a journal with their new kits would be so inspired by your class. As for tips, what you have here is so good I can only think of one thing to add -- no do overs. The idea that helped me the most was not allowing myself to consider anything that happened while creating a mistake. It's amazing where unexpected detours can take you!

[Andrea Forgnone]

Julie-Excellent. Very thoughtful of you to take the time to document all

Well done. Looking forward to tomorrow's post.

[Nette]

This is really exciting! I'm so glad I found you. I look forward to the next installment!

[Tami Bayer]

I'll be playing catch up tomorrow. Love the little tips on things I hadn't thought about, like when the paper buckles leave it alone. I'm always running the brayer over things trying to smoothe them out. Gotta learn to let it be. Good lesson in life, too :)

[Gillian McMurray]

Thank you so much for sharing this tutorial. I am quite new to collage and the like so this is a great help. I will be tuning in for the rest of it.

[LinLin]

Hey! I have no idea how I found you but man am I glad I did. I believe I picked your name from a blog list, it kinda stood out *BG*. I will now run and get my journal, catch up from yesterday and prepare for today's yummy paint segment. Thank you so much!

[tina]

fabulous tutorial julie. thanks for sharing your process. i find i am always fascinated by watching artists work. even with the same materials, the end product can be so different.

[Tipo]

Thank you for sharing your technic!
I join your class :)

[Emilia]

oh my...Julie thanks for sharing every tip you used in your fantastic journal!

and I think for me, as a card-maker, the-catalogue-pages tip are very helpful! LOL!!

[Kathy]

(with hand straight up in the air, anxiously bouncing in my seat), "Teacher, teacher! I have a question! ...What size book do you usually work in? I went to the linked site, but cannot even begin to decide what size to use... one looks too big and the other looks too small!" :D
Awesome job, Julie... and I KNOW how much work you've put into this project... thank you SO much for all your effort!

[Fiona]

Wonderful! I use old books too as the base of my journal - the old thick pages take paint well. I know waht you mean about drawing the idea of a cat, not the actual thing. I had the same revelation about faces. I'll play along...

[Laurence]

Okay, beginning with part I, so I understand you start from a plain, white book, is that correct? I won't make a journal, I've never been good at that, but I love to learn new techs and it seems I'll learn a lot, waouh! Off to read the following.

[Maddy]

I should like to comment upon your work............

I have a kiddy scrap book and every once in a while I remember to glue 'important' scraps in it, then I stick it back in the cupboard for another year.............................................

but clearly I am not qualified.
BEst wishes

[Dymphie]

Hi Julie, I didn't start a journal, but I did make some atc's following your tutorial. Thanks for the clear explanations!

[Barbara Hagerty]

OK, Julie, I'm hooked! I've been journalling since forever, usually have about 5 separate journals on-going simultaneously, have finished dozens, and I'm LOVING your tutorials! Your unique approach is very refreshing, and I'm picking up some tips and tricks that don't interfere with my style, but have me saying things like, "Oh yeah, that's how I could have made that page a little better. . ." I began my blog with a photo album of journal pages in the sidebar. You've inspired me to begin adding to that!! THANKS!!!!! I love this!!!!

[Julie Jacobs]

Hi Julie,
I just wanted to tell you how much I enjoy your blog. You are so creative and so inspiring. Beautiful work. I saw your blog in Artful Blogging magazine. Congratulations!! I look forward to your updates. Have a great weekend, Julie Jacobs, Boston, MA
p.s. I have a new blog but I'm still new to this. It's juliescreativetherapy.blogspot.com