Art Journal Good Times Happy Hour!

Who isn't art journaling these days?  You?  Why not?  It's exciting!  It's freeing!  It's such a fun process that really releases you to think more creatively.  Which helps you all around, right?  Right! 

Why am I talking up the art journal craze?  Because I've been on an art journalling craze- that's why!

In addition to my own 'personal' journal, I'm doing two art journal 'swaps.'   I'm a member of the art journal group at a local shop, Paper Crown, and I'm involved with a thru da mail version with a group of BFF's (as the kids say) from Scrapbook.com.  Speaking of my wimmins, we all met up, recently, to shop the town red- a couple were even from out of state!  What a commitment to fun is that?!   Here's a picture of us:

Aren't we classy?  Well, we are.  And FUN, too! 

Okay, back on topic:  At first, I was worried about doing pages in someone else's 'journal.' (And is it still 'your' journal if other people are doing pages in it...?   I don't know.  I'm not here to get technical.  I'm creative, dammit.)  I was worried about either not doing something 'worth it' or 'cool enough.'  Then, I thought, "KORY! Why WORRY?  You don't worry about wandering around the parking lot of your apartment complex, in your boxer shorts, to dig through a dumpster while juggling a Gatorade bottle* full of boxed wine SO WHY worry about your page not being 'cool enough'?!"

So I listened to whatever that is that presents itself as my conscience and I threw my worries, along with tons of Distress Paint, to the wind.

I would be lying if I said I don't plan anything out before starting a page.  I do have a plan of some sorts- usually a vague idea.  Sometimes, I do approach my worktable with a grand scheme but I surprise MYSELF and that blueprint is abandoned for something wildly new that is even better!  And that, people, is another reason (Is that just Reason #2? I lost count.)  as to why I love art journaling. 

I DO have techniques, of sort, to jump start an idea, however.   In the sliver of a chance that my technique will work for you, I'll share!

Project Number One:  My Paper Crown layout for April.

With this group, we're given a theme.  April's theme was 'Birds.'  The first thing that popped into my head was the ancient Greek comedy, The Birds.  By Aristophanes.  Remember him?   Immediately, I knew that I wanted to do some kind of 'scene.'

Before I did anything else, I started up my 'Art Journal Technique NUMBAH ONE!'

Art Journal Inspiration Technique NUMBAH ONE:  Pre-Art Inspiration Search! 
Take your inspiration word and head to Google.  It's kinda like when you play Dr. Google and try to diagnose your real or imaginary illness.  Only it works.  Instead of spending the day coming to grips with your freshly diagnosed terminal illness, you actually accomplish something. 

For example- the inspiration word was 'Birds.'  And because that inspired my inner-Google (brain) to think Arisophanes' Birds, that's what I typed into Mr. Google.  Then, either write down words or quotes or ideas that jump out at you from the search results OR click over to Google Images and see what kind of visuals/photos/drawings/colors grab your eye. 

From there, you'll be a bit more organized in your thoughts/ideas and when you browse through your box of collage clippings or stash, certain things you didn't think of before just might make sense to you!

Here's some close-up views of my BIRDS layout:

Looking at it now- I hate those flippin columns.  I jes' might come up with some idear to replace them, the next time our group meets up...

That was my Paper Crown layout- now, onto the 'PayDay Friday' art journal club!

There's no set theme for each round with this journal.  That kinda makes getting started a little bit tougher. 

Yeah, I know- I know.  A moustache.  I know what you're saying.  "Kory!  That moustache is OVER.  It's the new octopus and it's already old."

Well, to you, I say, "Oh, go sit your hexagon ass on a chevron.  I like the moustache.  Almost as much as I like the image of the guy flying around with his umbrella.  So there."

This page was put together without a plan at ALL.  I was digging through my plastic bin of collage materials and came across a stack of pictures of hideous food that I clipped from an old cookbook.  That reminded me of my second biggest fear:  eating so many Little Debbie's Zebra Cakes that firefighters have to tear a wall down and lift me out of my apartment with a crane.  What's my first biggest fear?  Eating so many Little Debbie's Zebra Cakes that Richard Simmons runs up to me and starts hugging me and crying.  How else to express these fears than with a moth/broken stature/jumping boy standing atop a mountain of 1960's food reaching toward a black pearl?

Here, above, you can see slightly sinister gingerbread men, climbing the food mountain.

Another of my 'no plan/no inspiration to begin with' pages.  Again, I'm obsessed with this little umbrella man.  He just looks so happy to be flying around with his umbrella and suitcase.  And moustache.  I applied him with the acrylic paint image transfer technique, over many layers of Dylusions spray inks, scraped blotches of paint, Distress Ink, and body oils.

I made a tag for the bottom right of the page.  On the way to an all-day technical rehearsal for the last play I was working on, I stopped in at Hobby Lobby.  I picked up Mr. Holtz's moustache die!  I love it.  I used it to cut grungepaper and heat embossed it with American Craft's Aqua embossing powder.  I added a couple of charms I had in my treasure chest.

Okay, I've got too much to do today.  It's May 2.  It's 38 degress.  And I need a jump-start.  You know:  a diet pill and a cup of coffee.  See you later!

-kory k

Encaustic-esque Good Times!

Last summer, I was so freakin' lucky to attend a class taught by Dina Wakley.  It was life-changing.  No, not becuase I burned my finger.  Because I REALLY learned things.  A ton of thing.  Yeah- a TON.  You know you love it when I exaggerate.  But I'm not this time- it was a TON of things...

The class was her 'Encaustic Tag Book' class, which I read (I think?) that she recently taught the class for the last time.  So if she taught this class near you, and you didn't take it- well, I hope you know how sad that is...

From the sound of the word, I thought 'encaustic' would surely involve some kind of toxic chemical- possibly some kind of explosive.  But it doesn't.  You know what it means?  Good.  Tell me.  I don't know, and I'm too lazy to research any further.  Just know:  it involves wax.  No, not that way, filthy pervert.  And no, not that way, either, Chewbacca.

From the bit of 'research' I did do- there's lots and lots of encaustic-ness going on-  there's painting, and there's collage... and.. well, collage is where I'm interested.   Also, while doing this 'research,' I came across this disturbing line:  "About a year ago, R and F came out with an Encaustic Gesso- it doesn't smell as bad as rabbit skin gesso."

WHAAAAT?!?! GESSO IS MADE FROM RABBIT SKIN?!

Immediately, my life flashed before my eyes-  I see each and every moment I've worked with gesso.  I see each and every moment that I've stuck a finger in my mouth to get a bit of Mother Nature's natural blending solution (saliva) and rubbed my fingers all over the RABBIT SKIN.

Just as a co-worker began to rush to my screaming side and offer assistance, I finish reading:

"rabbit skin gesso...and unline ACRYLIC gesso....."

Whew.  That was a close one.  I know for sure that my gesso is acrylic.  I remember seeing that on the bottle.   But WHAT sicko learned that gesso could be made from the skin of adorable little Peter Rabbit?!  Or all the Cottontail bunnies?!

Anyways.

I've somewhat adapted the way I do my encaustic collage and, mostly- it really is just the same.  Don't copy me- as it could be dangerous.  And when the firemen pull the one household object that survived your fire- don't say "BUT KORY SAID I COULD USE A 10.00 IRON FROM WAL-MART TO DO IT!"  Because I didn't.  And if your Mom didn't teach you not to jump off a bridge just because Kory does it, well, you deserve what you get.

Now that the disclaimer is out of the way, here's my latest, Miss Dina-Inspired project- 

AN ART JOURNAL PAGE!

Upper left:  Here's my 'altered book/art-journal in progress.'  Most of the pages have white paint randomly smeared across- and left, there's some blue Dylusions that soaked thru...

Upper right:  I began by tapping my Barn Door and Broken China Distress Paints on the upper part of the page.

Bottom left:  With a mini-mister, I spray the page a coupla times.

Bottom right:  Take an old Wal-Mart gift card and smear your paints down, across the misted page.

I decided to add a bit more color- so I add some MUSTARD SEED Distress Paint.  I LOVE DISTRESS PAINTS- aren't they bottled gifts from heaven?!  Yeahp. Just like vodka.

Then it just looked WAY too bright- so I add some white acrylic paint.  I smear it on with the gift card, too, and scratch part of it away with the corner of the card.  Colorful, isn't it?  It's my latest painting, "Muppet Steamroller."

Yayyy!  Misting!   I used two different number masks from The Crafter's Workshop, and two shades of DYLUSIONALS to mist some numbers on top.   With a borders mask, I add the two brown strips at the bottom- the triangles and the diagonal strips.  I've also added some Tissue Tape.

I picked out two stamps I like and stamped them onto tissue paper.  It isn't fancy tissue paper or anything- just Dollar Tree tissue paper.

Okay- here's where it gets dangerous.  Now, you SHOULD be using an encaustic iron or at least one with a thermostat.  Also, you should be using beeswax- not just a candle you pulled out of your emergency or earthquake kit.  But anyways, if you're anything like me, you will turn a blind eye to any and all safety precautions.  I got a ten dollar 'travel iron' from Wal-Mart.  I rub my candle on it's hot little bottom and then press it to my page.  This puts a layer of wax ONTO the paper.  It's magical. 

Press your tissue paper onto this wax and burn your fingers.  THEN- take your iron and rub the candle onto it again- and this time, iron the wax OVER the tissue paper.  See that?  The tissue absorbs the wax and it's embedded between the layer of wax under it and the layer now over it- and the tissue disappears, leaving your stamped image sort of floating.  It is a beautiful look. 

There ya go!  My finished page!  I added a sentence of lyrics, too.  I love it- fun and pretty.  And, for me, VERY colorful.  I'm as happy as a hooker in Vegas.

But why wax the tissue paper onto the piece?  Why not just stamp on it?  You have to see it in person, really, to properly get the full effect.  The wax softens everything and provides incredible depth.  Also, just stamping on those layers of paint, the image just wouldn't look like it does here-  see:

See that?!   Beautiful!

Okay- I've gotta get going.  I've got work to do, I can't just sit here and talk to y'all all day long!  Dang!

-kory

Altered Books and Art Journals and Random Artastic Fun

SO-

I recently began runnin' around with a new altered book club over at one of my favorite stores in town- Paper Crown.  We meet the last Wednesday of every month.  I had a great time at the first night, last January 30.  I had such a great time, that I can't wait 'til 27FEB!

At the class/club/whatever we're calling it, we each brought an old book.  We passed our books to the left.  We took the other person's book home and 'did a page.'  When we return, we'll pass our books again and continue.  I can't wait to see all the things that people will do to my book!

First of all- if you're one of the fun people from the class-  DON'T READ further!  Or look at any pictures.  You'll see it all on the 27th.  Okay?

I'm sure that ANY person reading this blog would know what an 'altered book' is- but just in case you don't, I'll try (my best) to explain:  

An altered book is a book that you alter in some way and/or many ways.  No, I'm not being smart.  You just....alter it.  With paint. Or collage.  Or saliva.  Or however.  Usually all of the above.  

I love the look and feel of an old book.  And a worthless old book (yes, they exist) that's been painting and glued and filled with interesting things- well, it's amazing.  And I had so much fun doing the page in the other person's book, I had to grab another old book and start a private/personal one, all for myself.

We were given 'Hearts' as our first theme, due to Valentine's Day.  Here's my very first page:

There is lots of stamping going on up there...   First, I 'glued' a few pages together on each side with gesso AND painted over the pages with more gesso.  I used the Kaisercraft 'Graffiti' stamp all over the page, stamped at alternating angles, to cover the pages.  Then some more randomly smeared gesso on top.  I cut the heart shape in the center out, except for a center hinge.  I painted the pages behind the cut pages with red paint.  Which, as pretty as red is, tends to always look like splattered blood.  I glued on a cut-out King and Queen of Hearts from a deck of Dollar Tree playing cards (I'm not ruining my classy deck of cards from Tiffany's on an altered book.  Not yet, anyways.) and stamped a crowned lion (from the dollar bin at Michaels) in the bottom left corner.  I found the wings at The Graphics Fairy.  If you aren't obsessed with the Graphics Fairy, I don't know what's wrong with you. 

There's a close-up on the crowned lion stamp.  Ain't he cool?  You can also see some of my random Distress Stain and penciled handwriting. 

There's a final shot, sideways- hoping it would show off the 3D aspect of the heart, folding out of the pages.  I don't think you can see in any of the shots, but I used some metallic Distress Stain to 'gild' the edges of my layout.

NEXT:

Since I work with Miss Chris, who is going to the altered book club with me-  we decided to 'trade' peoples books and do another layout before it's time to go back.  I wanted to do another heart page- and since this book belongs to my friend, Darla, I wanted it to be pretty cool:

Dangit.  Since I went with such a monochromatic look, here, you can't make out most of it...  I finally had an excuse to use my new Tim Holtz WORD PLAY die, to cut 'and love' from some chipboard.  There's some Mister Huey's splattered over my white and beige painted pages.  The heart is another freakin' cool find from The Graphics Fairy, and the penciled handwriting is lyrics from one of my favorite songs (Midnight Radio) from one of my favorite musicals (Hedwig And The Angry Inch).

The 'LOVE' stamp is from the dollar bin at JoAnn.  You can see some of Mr. Holtz's tissue tape peeking out on the right, there, too.

Have any of you altered a book or art journaled?   Show me!  I'd love to see!

-k