Painting & Art Journaling

I spent a very inspiring Saturday with my friend Junko - we were neighbors for a few years, we went to the same middle school, high school, and college... even the same study abroad program in Rome. Junko is an awesomely creative person. When I heard she was in town, I happily made plans to have lunch with her. We had a buffet lunch at Araya's, a vegetarian Thai restaurant we both love, talked forever, and ended up walking around the University Village. While browsing around, we came across "The Art Study," a small, well curated art & art supply shop. They sold Moleskine journals, which Junko highly recommended, and I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to begin my own art journaling. I first heard of and saw it on Jenny's blog (she did a great post on art journaling basics here). The shop also had practice canvas boards for $1.25, so I picked up one of those.

I have been itching to do mixed media/paint collages and art journaling, but to be honest, I was intimidated by the paint. I am not particularly good at painting (and very much admire those who are). Brushes don't feel comfortable to me - I like control too much, and I just don't have the skills (or the right brushes, probably) to feel like I'm in control. But sometimes, with lack of control comes freedom. Last night, I was a combination of a few things: inspired by my day with Junko, ready for some art journaling, stressed out by everything I need to do in the next few months (the home I purchased is in the closing process, I am launching a new website, I have to move, busy at work, etc.)... and you know? I felt like I needed it. Needed to let myself just be, let out some stress and the pent-up creativity that's been constantly on my mind lately, stop worrying about what I'm good at and what I'm not, and just... experiment. And see how it goes. So I started with the canvas.

I picked a piece of pretty scrapbook paper out of my ridiculously massive collection. Cut it to size and used mod podge to "glue" it to the canvas.

Then... I just did what felt right. Added blue washi tape to the right border. Mixed up some paints and painted in the borders blue, gold, and pink. Painted a peacock feather stamp hot pink and stamped my piece. Stuck a gold scrapbook border sticker to the bottom. Added 3D flowers with rhinestones glued in the middle. Used mod-podge to attach shimmery pink paper-punched swallows.

Added glitter. Painted a heart. Stuck on a butterfly. Added more flowers and rhinestones. Stuck a blue & gold border sticker on the left side. Secured everything with more mod podge. Glitterized lots of it.

Added a little rhinestone trail for the butterfly. More random paint touches and pink glitter glue.

And... this was the result. I wouldn't say it is the best piece ever, but you know what? It was me. It was how I felt at the time. I only felt comfortable using paint as an accent this time, but maybe I'll start experimenting with paint more in the future. I've always been a fan of mixed media, so this works for me. I glued a piece of baker's twine to the back of the board, taped over the glue with washi tape (the back of the board deserves to be pretty too) and signed it.

By this point in time, it was probably around 2am, but I was feeling inspired. I itched to create more, so I started my very first art journaling endeavor! I cut another pretty piece of scrapbook paper to size and attached it to a page spread in my new journal.

Then... let's be real. It was late and I couldn't think of anything clever to say, but I felt strongly about doing a piece with text. So I googled quotes. First "art," then "dream," then "imagination." Bingo. I found a Picasso quote: "Everything you can imagine is real." Loved it, so I just changed it a tiny bit and began painting. I had my stencils out (see upper left corner of the picture below), but then I thought... Don't be afraid of the paint or the brush. Text is simple enough - you can do it, and it will feel more real and cathartic if you paint the words yourself.

I will admit that I actually meant to keep his quote exactly as is, but I wasn't reading the quote when I painted. I had it in my head as "we," and it came out as we. And I like it.

The "Real" text looks like it's pockmarked, but I promise it's really pink glitter!

It was 4am by the time I was done. Again, I wouldn't call this the most brilliant art journaling in the world, but I loved it. It was practice. I have bigger, better ideas for next time. I need to make time for this kind of thing, because otherwise it grates at me, eats at me not being free to just do whatever the heck I want, creatively. I love, love, love making jewelry and I am beyond excited to be launching my jewelry collection. But while I like having uniform collections with themes, it is hard for me sometimes because I just want to make things, whatever comes to mind, whatever I feel like that day, and sometimes that doesn't fit into a box or collection. So I need to make time, whenever possible, for personal art and art journaling, because I need it to stay sane and focused. I need to learn to not be afraid of painting and sewing and all of those skills that sound so daunting... but that I really, really want to learn. Things take practice, so that's what I'll be doing.

Expect to see more of this in the future! Do you enjoy doing personal mixed media/painted pieces or art journaling?