Soul journaling: Day 18

A warm welcome to everyone who is just joining us! Please start at Day 1 and work at your own pace. Don't feel the need to rush to catch-up, just allow yourself to enjoy the process. :)

I also want to thank everyone for your kind emails and comments! I have not been able to respond to all of them but I want you to know that I do read and appreciate every single one. *HUGS TO YOU ALL* What amazing company I am keeping. I am honored to call you all my friends. :)

Some of you already know that Jared and my 10 year (non-wedding) anniversary is coming up Aug. 3rd. To celebrate Jared is whisking me off to NYC to soak up all the art and fun we can! I am over the moon excited but I do hate to leave you all. Today will be the last prompt I give you until I return on Aug. 7. I hope that you all continue working in your journals and we can have a "show and tell" when I return as I am also planning on taking my journal with me. :)

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Today's prompt-
Collage potpourri!

Page 5 and 6
Mix up this list!

-Write the Alphabet quick and Angry (use a permanent ink pen)
-Cut out a silhouette of a person’s face, ink or paint over (magazine stencil technique)
-Add a wash of paint in a new color
-Use something unusual as a stamp (like a piece of corrugated cardboard or a sliced green pepper)
-List everything you did today so far. (Include little things like: brushed my teeth and let the dog out)
-Gesso out a section of your work, don’t think about it…just do it. Add something new over it.
-Add something metal
-Add a drybrush of paint in a new color

Continue playing with these pages. Be messy and have fun. The cool thing about this is you could do this same basic list over and over again and get totally different results each time.
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I will show you my results from today's and yesterdays prompts when I return.

Homework: Assignment#1: Write somewhere in your journal about your experiences with Soul Journaling so far. What were your favorite and least favorite prompts? What exercises would you like to do again? What surprises have you encountered? Has this process changed anything for you in your life or in your art making? Has our "Fellow Soul journalers" community influenced the journaling process for you? How?

I would suggest not covering these pages up but instead using them as a reference of your experiences. Though, if something comes up that needs to be covered please feel free to do so. :)

Assignment#2: Go back and work on your "Taped page". No rules. We will have a show and tell when I get back!

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I love you all and hope that when I return on the 7th you are all still here and ready to begin the prompts again with me! XOX See you soon. Sarah

Soul journaling: Day 17

Hi there! Sorry I am posting so late today. I had a crazy morning. :P

Today's prompt is going to be similar to yesterday's:

More Collage potpourri!

Do all of the following things to your pages BUT: Mix up the order. You can go in any order you like EXCEPT the order they're already in. If you want: print this list out, cut out the tasks, fold them and shake them into a bowl and randomly pick what to do next!

Page 3 and 4

Mix up this list!

-Fill up the page with numbers (Draw, collage, or stamp)
-Blob acrylic paint in your book and close it (did you know that Frida Kahlo used to do this in her journals?)
-Trace the outline of your hand at least 6 times (Use a permanent ink pen or paint*)
-Add a wash of a new color paint
-Use a crayon somewhere
-Paint with a fork dipped in paint
-Stitch with a needle and thread OR attach something with thread
-Add some meaningful words

*I also used a “Wite-out correction pen” by Bic

Tip: Keep baby wipes or wet paper towels handy to move paint around or remove unwanted paint spots

I thought I would mix things up today and only give you a sneek peek of mine so i don't influenece your process too much. ;)

Continue playing with these pages. Use this list as a jumping off point. Be messy and have fun. The cool thing about this is you could do this same basic list over and over again and get totally different results each time.

My pages from today and yesterday are already speaking to me. This is my favorite form of visual journaling. Because the steps are random it forces you to turn some of the focus off the critical voice that double thinks everything and the choices you make are what makes art… art. Color, Composition, etc.

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I have gotten a few emails about this so I thought I would post a note about it here too.

A note about permanency: When you are doing layers of journaling like we are today you need all of your inks and pens, markers, etc. to be labeled “permanent” if you don’t want them to bleed. My favorite permanent pens are Sharpie markers, Faber-Castell Pitt artist pens (India ink), or Acrylic Inks with a fountain pen (such as Liquitex). My favorite Permanent stamping ink is Staz-On. I always buy refill bottles when I buy these as they dry out fast. You will also need Staz-On cleaner to remove the ink from your stamps.

Hope everyone is still having fun with this! See you tomorrow. :)

*HUGS*

Soul Journaling: Day 16

Today we are going to have lots of fun!

The first thing I did was take my paper dolls out and put them in a safe spot because they were making my book a bit bumpy to work on. Then I put waxed paper between my pages. Oh I forgot to mention that when I know things are going to get VERY messy I put a paper towel on top of my waxed paper to help soak up any extra paint. This is part of my set up process and I do it without even thinking.


Before we begin in our books today I want to demo a technique for you. I call it the Magazine Stencil technique. It's easy and looks great in journals. First, find an interesting body shape in a magazine. Pay attention to the negative space (space around the person) and the outline. This is what will show up when stenciled. The larger and less complex your shapes are the easier they are to stencil. Remember, don't do this in your journal yet...I'm just showing you how.



Hold your image still with one hand and use a make-up or other type of sponge to brush the paint over it.



Peel up your image. TaDa! Cool huh?



Now let's try it in the journal. We are gonna start working on the pre-prepped pages from yesterday. We will do one spread a day for 3 days.

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To start, number your pages. Draw, stamp or collage the numbers on.


Now for the fun! Welcome to my collage potpourri. :)

Do all of the following things to your pages BUT: Mix up the order. You can go in any order you like EXCEPT the order they're already in. If you want: print this list out, cut out the tasks, fold them and shake them into a bowl and randomly pick what to do next!

Working on Page 1 and 2
Mix up this list!
-Fill the page with descriptive adjectives (Use a permanent ink pen)
-Cut out a silhouette of a person and ink or paint over it (Use the Magazine Stencil technique)
-Add a wash of paint (use a color you haven't used yet)
-Write your grocery list or any other list somewhere (use your non-dominate hand)
-Add tape
-Use pencil somewhere
-Make some quick lines, fast and without thinking
-Drip and splatter at least two different colors of paint
-Dry-brush on some paint (use a color you haven't used yet)


Here is my journal with all of today's steps.

Continue playing with these pages. Use this list as a jumping off point. Be messy and have fun. The cool thing about this is you could do this same basic list over and over again and get totally different results each time.

*HUGS*

Homework: You will need a plastic fork for tomorrow! ;)

Soul Journaling: Day 15

Alright here is my finished Paper Doll family! YAY!

(we are a little pale...we don't get out much...LOL!)

Since we are on the subject of Paper Dolls I thought I would share these ATC Paper Dolls I recently made for Alpha Stamps.

See how they fold up to be ATC size? How cool is that? :) Now you can make these too!





Homework: Prep a total of 6 pages or 3 full spreads for tomorrow with random Ephemera or Dictionary pages followed by a dry brushing of Gesso on top. You guys are pros at this now! :)

(I know I use Gesso a lot but you gotta do it if you want to be able to work in anything you want. Altered book artists go through gallons of this stuff and will frequently prep entire books before they begin. ) Become one with your Gesso! hehe :)

Oh and you will need a fashiony type magazine for tomorrow....something with people.

Soul Journaling :Day 14

Well I have been working on my Paper Doll family all morning and I'm ready to break for lunch now. I thought I'd show you my progress before I do though. I got all of my people's bodies all finished and now I get to have some fun decorating them!

I started painting my dress and shoes.

Then I started painting Jared. I decided that it would be fun to put him in his Paramedic Uniform complete with accessories. His arms came out a bit wonky so he has a very "macho man" pose that makes me laugh! :)

Some cool ideas for outfits are adding buttons, lace, fabric, and of course accessories that fit your people's personalities! :)

Have fun and I'll show you my finished Family tomorrow. *HUGS*

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Oh and by the way if you have a huge family that won't all fit in your house...How about doing an extra 2 page School bus spread with a pocket as the side of the bus for all your kids? Or a second spread showing the interior of your house with chairs, tables, etc. that double as pockets for your extra people. I can imagine an entire book of pockets to have many adventures with! :)

Soul Journaling: Day 13

As some of you may have guessed we are going to be making Paper Dolls of our family to go inside of our house pockets. YAY! :)

"Family" means something different to everyone so please feel free to include immediate family, extended family, friends, pets, people from your past and present.

I am going to make my family using collaged copied photographs of our heads but please feel free to draw, paint, and collage your family any way you wish. These are totally up to you to interpret. I will be drawing my own doll bodies but there are lots of paper doll resources online if you wish to go that way. Here are a few links I found by typing "free paper doll" into Google.
http://tpettit.best.vwh.net/dolls/pd_scans/index.html http://100megsfree4.com/gogators4/Index.html


First thing I am going to do is measure the inside of my pocket to see how big my dolls can be without having their heads poke out the top of my book.


It looks like they can be a maximum of 8" tall for my pocket.


I measure the width too.


Using that information I drew a template on my watercolor paper of the size constraints I need my dolls to fit into. (8x4)


Then I drew a quick sketch to figure out body shape and placement. I am using very simple shapes for my bodies but you can make them as fancy as you wish.


I printed out some heads that I would like to use for my family. Here I am trying to see if the size will be OK. (when you cut out your heads make sure you leave a little extra neck room so that you can punch and add a brad later)



After I decided that these heads will work I attached them to my Watercolor paper using Matte gel under and over them and cut them out after they were dry.


Here is my body with my head attached by a brad. I cut out a leg shape leaving extra length for the brad but I am still staying within my size box of 8x4.


I started on Oliver's body and now I am drawing his legs. I put the paper under him so I can see how his paws will look. Again, I am leaving extra length to attach them. I added a brad to his tail too so it will wag. :)


Here is my family so far: Jared still needs arms and legs and Anna needs a body.


Looks like they will fit so far!

After I am happy with the basic body shapes I will take them apart and start to paint and collage their outfits on. Don't worry if your people look a little funny shaped. They are not supposed to be perfect. They are supposed to be fun! :)

I will post pictures of my progress tomorrow! *HUGS*

Soul Journaling: Day 12

I had lots of fun painting this morning. I hope you all are having fun too. Here are a few pictures of my process.

And here is my finished? painting:

It's hard to see here but I used some of my Micaceous Iron Oxide in my buildings and sky to give it a bit of extra sparkle.

Tomorrow you will need some small brads (you can get these pretty cheap from an Office supply store or even Walmart) and some type of heavy weight paper like card stock or watercolor paper.

Have a great day!

My Watercolor journal

I have had several people ask me where I bought my journal. Well good news, I finally found a store online that carries them. They come in two sizes. The smaller of the two is the one I have. :)

http://www.in2art.com/art-supplies/art-supplies/art-supplies/Global%20handmade%20watercoor%20book%20Punjab

Soul Journaling: Day 11

Today we are going to collage over some of our drawings. You can use patterned papers, tissue paper, dictionary paper, anything you can think of! Rip papers to fit windows, roofs, edges of buildings, etc. I attached mine with Matte gel over and under my papers but just use what you've got. Go over your outlines with a permanent ink pen.

I added a few little details that I don't mind getting paint on. I will probably add more later.

That's all I've done so far today, but I'm going to go ahead and tell you what I have planned for tomorrow in case you want extra time. We are going to fill this page with color! This can be paint, markers, crayons, colored pencil, etc. Continue working on these pages adding any elements you want. I will post pictures of my painting process tomorrow.

Note: as you are painting on the brown paper try and not use any water on and around it since it is unprimed.

Have you guys guessed yet what will eventually go in the pocket? ;)

Have a super, fabulous, wonderful, terrific, full of laughter day!

Soul Journaling: Day 10

Open to the next two blank pages. If you are not working on watercolor paper you will need to Gesso both pages before you begin.

Today we are going to recreate our home. This can be where you currently live or a home from your past where you felt happiest and safest.

To start I drew a basic house shape with a pencil. This is symbolic of my house and doesn't look exactly like it. I am drawing low on the page because I also want the base of our homes to double as a pocket. I used a brown paper grocery bag for my base/pocket. I feel that the larger sized bags are a little thicker and stronger than the small lunch kind but just use what you have. I love recycling paper bags for my art. Not only are they a great substitute for some of the expensive papers out there but it just makes me feel good that I am putting one less bag into the landfills. I will frequently make entire books out of recycled paper bags.






Without measuring I eyeballed the aproximate size of my house and cut out a piece of paper bag that was slightly larger.



I folded over the top of my pocket to give it a nice edge and allow for extra strength at the opening.






I left a bit of a gap when I glued it down to allow for room inside the pocket too.
(this is the page view upside down)


Now I want to mention again this is just to symbolize your home. Obviously the shape won’t be an exact representation of where you live. Mine isn't this tall or even has this type of roof. We are trying to draw our homes as we did when we were children. Everything should be symbolic. I want you to continue working on your home by adding the doors, windows, roof, and any other outside identifying marks so that you know it belongs to you. I added a large window and similar door to the one I have now.

On the next opposite page I want you to draw more houses or your "outside world". I chose to draw more industrial looking buildings to represent mine but it is totally up to you what kind of buildings or surroundings you draw. Don’t go into too much fine detail yet.







That's all for today! I had so much fun I can't wait until tomorrow!