Hi Everyone, we are still enjoying pretty warm temperatures-in the 50's f during the day-loving that.
Thursday a very long long day driving to get labs for Hubs and then on to Springfield for a follow up appt. He should be starting his cardic rehab very soon, once the in home nurse discharges him. They finally seem to have the medicine correct now.
Progress on my cushions-for these cushions I bought the cushion foam online and chose firm-these are for sure very firm. I had to really struggle to get the covers on them-they fit pretty good, corners not perfect but I don't think anyone will really notice. I am doing the hand stitching now for the sides that are open to be able to get the cushion in. Even if I would have put a zipper in these-I will not be wanting to take them on and off. I will give them a good coating of scotch guard instead.
I am thinking of joining in on some of the Art Journal Journey challenges next year. I need something to add to my art-craft journey and to help keep my creativity and mind busy.
I checked the rules and it says nothing smaller than 4.1 x 5.8 inches so I will probably go larger as I don't like working small. I am thinking mixed media means I can also use fabrics with the papers, stamps etc?
I have another question-do you create each page seperate that is not in a journal type book-or do you work in the book itself?
I was checking amazon and they have lots of choices in spiral bound form, which I thought might be nice to have it all in a book-but then perhaps more difficult to work in? So thinking do you put your art journal pages into a book later or do you work in the book?
Also on the gesso-to seal the page first-do you use clear or white? I even saw black but I don't think I would want then now.
Thanks in advance
As one of the administrators of AJJ, I am glad you are considering joining the challenges next year. Mixed media includes all of the items you asked about. It also means crayons, pastels, watercolors, and eye shadow!! For embellishments, you can use buttons, shells, rick rack, ribbon, beads, you name it.
ReplyDeleteI have three substrates I use (in case you aren't familiar with the terminology, a substrate is the part you work on, like a canvas or cardstock, etc.). I mostly use 8.5 X 11 inch cardstock (CS) that I buy at Sam's. I also use used file folders my foodie friend Sally gave me when she retired. I cut them down the middle. However, I also work in altered books a LOT.
If your substrate is heavy enough, like CS or file folders, you don't need gesso. You also don't need gesso if you glue two or more pages together in an altered book. If I've started a page using CS and find I want to turn the CS and use it sideways, that's when I like to work outside the book then add my completed page to the book afterward.
Laurie is a real artist. She sketches and draws, which I don't, or at least she did before she lost her sight. Her drawings are phenomenal. However, unless you are great at drawing, her art journals will look a lot different than yours and mine.
I'm pretty low tech. I use a LOT of magazine images in my art. I don't have a lot of the fancy tools and equipment a lot of people have. And I seldom use gesso. I only use it for things like pastels that need "tooth" in order to hold on the page. I sometimes use it when I'm adding paint to a page in an altered book. I don't feel the need for gesso when I'm adding paint to CS or file folders. They are heavy enough they don't need gesso because the paint won't seep through. Gesso is good for adding texture, though. I've never used anything except white, but I've seen beautiful pages made with clear and black gesso as the base.
Old books are great to work in. If you get a used school book, They are the best. Most books will do, BUT, the book MUST BE SEWN, not glued to the spine. I suggest you check out this post:
http://alteredbooklover.blogspot.com/2012/02/so-you-want-to-get-started-making.html
Old books are cheap, much more so than anything you will find on Amazon. Just make sure the book is sewn, not glued to the spine. For my CS and file folders, I save those in old three ring binders I've had for ages. Like I said, I'm very low tech and use what I have before I buy anything.
Continue asking questions, Kathy. This is just the beginning of your art journal adventures.
Nice question to today. I do both Kathy. Lose pages are nice in that you can work on many at a time, especially when you need to let them dry. But then you have to figure out what to do with them as they are not bound. Journals are also nice as they are all bound, but when a page is wet you can't really move forward until it dries out. I guess it depends what kind of media you chose to use and how many you plan to make. Good luck deciding. Hugs-Erika
ReplyDeleteI'm so happy to hear your husband is continuing to recover :) It sounds interesting to branch out and participate in a new challenge. I'm just the opposite in that I like working small :)
ReplyDeleteYou asked "have you ever used thick cardboard to perhaps use as a back and a front to hold journal pages together? we always have cardboard boxes around so thought of that as a way to re use and recycle some of it and I also found an old calendar I had made years ago with my own photos and made one for me and for my Mom-the pages are spiral bound and very very thick and sturdy pages-I am thinking would be perfect to play with for making journal pages-and keep the photos on top but alter the calendar page-it would hold to gesso I think. I am inspired to make another altered book too-so am on the hunt for one, discovered we have a used bookstore near by."
ReplyDeleteCardboard is PERFECT to use for making your own art journal. That is ONE PERFECT place gesso would come in handy. Use it to seal the cardboard. The calendar is another place to use gesso. Anytime you want to cover words/numbers, etc., that is the perfect time for gesso. Be careful with the cardboard, though. It bends really easily, so I suggest you cut the cardboard so the LENGTH of the book is cross grain to the corrugation. You'll be less likely to bend the book through handling.
Feel free to check out the tutorials I wrote on altered books. They're on my right sidebar. I suggest Lesson 2, supplies; Lesson 3, Prepping cover (you can avoid the niche); Lesson 4, Glue and Gesso; Lesson 8, Color and Paint; Lesson 9, Backgrounds; and Lesson 10, Magazine images. You might be interested in the lesson on fabric, too. I hope that helps and ask anything, anytime. I wish we lived closer and could talk instead of writing.
Glad to hear that your hubby is recovering well! So pleased that you are taking up Art Journaling too, you are so creative and I can't wait to see your pages! I use a spiral bound mixed media pad for my pages. Pages bound in a book works for me as I'm often inspired by things I see and do so pages run in chronological almost like a journal of my life events. There is no right or wrong way if you chose a book or loose sheets, just use what you have for now and experiment to see what you prefer as Erika says there are pros and cons for both bound book pages and loose sheets. As I use mixed media paper I don't gesso my pages every time, however you may wish to do this depending on the paper you chose/have to use for your pages as it is good at strengthening the page before adding mediums especially if they are heavily embellished. I use white gesso the most (even though I have both white and clear gesso in my craft stash). With regard to mixed media, yes anything goes so fabric, stamps, paper are perfect! Hope this proves helpful 😁. Wishing you a happy weekend! Hugs, Jo x
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