Recycled Projects - 'John Lewis' art Journal

How many times have you come across a catalogue that you were not really interested in the products, but the paper that it was made from?  Not to say that I don't like John Lewis products, but when I came across this catalogue I thought that I would put it to use.

You can make a journal out of anything, putting the pages together for yourself and creating to your hearts content.  The fun lays in taking something made for one use and totally changing it, and seeing what each page will eventually become.

My use for this journal is as a jump start to get my creative juices flowing using some of the pictures as inspiration and for when I have a limited supply.

I first set out to decorate the front using paints, stamps, modelling paste, and markers to remind myself that its purpose was to inspire, not get overwhelmed with what I wanted to create, but just play.  

On the back cover I wanted to create a painting but it also had to be durable as it would be taken around, thrown into bags and experience rough and tumble.

Using tissue paper glued randomly to the back, applying paint and then sealing it all in means that it is a journal that will stand the tests of time, or there about.

I proceeded to stick several of the pages together to create a strong surface that would take paint well, and then I see what images inspire.  Each page has a selection of beds, bedding and household furniture and I either use the room settings as the basis for the page, or draw something totally unrelated. 

Here is a page that I chose to do create a scene with, after it is chosen and I start to draw round the items I want to keep in charcoal. 

I get a sense after a while of the characters that may be present in the room, and this young man found his way in the room, and decided to jump all over the bed.

Using gesso I block out those areas that I don't want to keep and think about either adding additional characters or thinking about paint.

This little girl couldn't resist joining the little boy to jump all over his parents bed, and so that's how I have been using the journal to think about ideas and stories about the lives of the people that join me on the pages of the journal.

I have yet to finish this page, but finishing is not the main objective or motivation, it is to continue to take the time to be creative if possible every day.

Here are a few other pages that I have started, and work on bits when the mood takes, and I look forward to working on them.

On some of the pages I have been working on, stories waiting to be told.

Some stories tell of hope and looking to the future.....

thinking about the past, and being present.......

But most of all working in this journal has been a fresh way of looking at things, often those things that we see day after day and making something new.  I really do encourage you to look at some of the things that you can recycle and use for creative purposes.  Check out some of the other Recycled projects that I have made.  Over the next few weeks I am looking forward sharing other recycled art journals, and ones that you can also make and bind yourself.  Until then stay blessed!

A Bit more play - Shining light

There is always room for a bit of creative play.  Where you can just put colors down without having an agenda, and then going with what you see. I have been trying to do that every day depending on my location, and I do have a travel kit that serves me well outside the studio.

Making my gelli plate was one of the best things I've made so far, and it provides a quick and easy method of placing color in a random way - you can see how I use it HERE. This is one of a selection of paintings that I have done.

This is how it began, after I had laid down some color on the plate, I continued with some stamps and also added some doilies that had been painted 

I started sketching a vague image using charcoal

Then she started to take on a life of her own,

I love using color

Remembering that it is just about play I continued to add color and she continued to emerge out of the paper.

Working in the studio

Once I had finished my play, she was ready to stand on her own two feet, I might leave it at that, use it for another piece of work, we'll see.

Shine your light - Mixed Media

For now she will continue to shine her light. and inspire and I will continue to play.  

Tutorial Tuesdays - Faith in the process

Every now and then you have to unleash yourself on to your supplies.  You have to throw out what you think you know and just spend some time playing.  Forget technique and rules, and what should be placed where, or what goes with what and let your hair down.

I took a break from the courses and decided to play with my supplies, which included decorated paper, paints, modelling paste and whatever else I could lay my hands on and started to lay down colour and texture on the surface.

The more I let go the more that started to be revealed. I wasn't focused on the finish product but making my way on a journey of discovery that needed a bit of faith.

With each stroke it can help you relax and take your mind off all the stuff and clutter of the day, it is a necessary process to tap into your creativity, 

Giving yourself the time, space and the freedom to play allows you to find some special surprises as they emerge from the page.  I dare you to try something, take a leap of faith and have fun with your tools, and remember to play!

Faith - Mixed media Art