Get up. Get Dressed. Paint. The Completed First Journal

This journey began on the 21st of March this year.  The goal was to learn to paint by setting aside my fear of not being good enough.  To show up once a week, enjoy the process and learn something new with every page.  I gave myself permission to not to like each page but whether I liked it or not, no matter what happened, I had to finish it.  Following along with Rae Missigman's 15 MINUTES OF MIXED MEDIA™ I looked forward to my early Saturday morning painting sessions.  Yes, there were days of frustration - when I first used acrylic inks - and days of triumph - when I was able to draw and paint a vase of flowers free hand -  and pages I hated - using glossy black page to cover up what I just painted.

This week I completed the journal, painting the last two pages and the cover.

For this spread she showed a new technique for laying down paint on a blank page; put small dots of paint on the page then use a brayer to spread the paint.  This was a quick and fun way to get rid to that white page.

 the carnage

 the completed page

This page is a bit busier that I like and I'm reminded how much I do not like using black to paint in areas of white.

 I found I was much more confident freehand drawing the flower using a waterbrush filled with India ink.

I forgot about this technique; painting in the loops of your writing.

What I learned

• To get rid of the dreaded blank white page, put several dots of paint down then brayer over them - instant background!
• While she uses Dylusions spray ink in a waterbrush, I found I could use the plastic dip tube to place dots of ink where I want it then use a thin brush to paint in the area (note the yellow in the photo above). 

Two other pages I completed:

 I enjoyed free hand painting this big, bold flower.  Her page found HERE.  I noticed the pink paint came up through the white paint in the flower petals and numbers making them a pale pink.

Using yellow spray ink to add a burst of color

I learned to stamp the remaining ink on a stamp onto book page for later use.  Her page found HERE.

 

The cover

Unlike many artists, I save the cover for last.  Mainly this is because I admit to being messy whether it is with paint or glue.  I don't want to spend time creating a beautiful cover only to get stray paint or globs of glue on it.  

For this pulled out all my favorite paints and stencils and I used some of the techniques I learned from her that I enjoyed.

The dark burgundy cover fell off from the stress of so much paint

Covered with gesso and allowed to dry over night

Completed cover

 I am proud of the fact that I painted this on my own, not using any videos or Pinterest pages for inspiration.  I created  following my own intuition.

I practiced writing the title before taking a huge breathe  

and writing it on the cover.

Using the same waterbrush filled with India ink to outline the flower.

What I learned from this journey

•  I can paint even though it is not in the traditional sense.
• Rae taught me that it is okay to not like a page.  Keep it and move on.  Before I would have thrown it out or painted over it.
• to accept my handwriting (BIG step!)
• The most important: No matter what the project, even its for play or leftover paint, use a best journal you can afford!  You never know what will happen while creating.  Something fabulous may come out of it and you don't want it to be on cheap paper.
• I do not like black paint on my page!
• Have a journal handy to spread left over paint and ink in then use those pages as a starting point to paint
• Techniques I learned:
• Spread leftover paint out on deli paper to use like a gelli print.
• Cutting out scraps of paper and gluing them down on a page adds texture and an element to paint around.
• Use a Stabilo pencil then go over it with a water brush
• use paint on a stamp and accept that the paint will blur the image somewhat
• Use a white gel pen to outline or circle something to make it stand out
• Drip acrylic ink down a page
• mark making
• use the hard end of a paint brush to scratch designs through wet paint
• stamp an image using permanent ink them paint it in to add color
• New supplies I learned to use:
• Stabilo pencils
• acrylic ink
• waterbrushes
• fine tip waterbrush filled with India ink (my favorite)
• stencils
• Paper Mates 1.3mm mechanical pencils
• Elmer's paint markers (love - hate relationship with these: love them when they work, hate them when they don't)
• Dylusions paint and Dina Wakley heavy body acrylic paint

Joining Paint Party Friday where having paint under the fingernails is the norm.  What colors are under yours?