Transform Your Life – Journal Page

 

This journal page was developed over several months. It started with packing tape transfers using stencils. You can find these Artistcellar Signature Series Stencils by Jill K Berry here:

http://www.artistcellar.com/stampstencil/acSignatureSeries.html

Later I added the collaged text. Another day I painted the background. Finally I added the collage elements. I am not sure if it is finished. It certainly gives me another perspective looking at it on a computer screen,

And Out Like a Lamb.

At this date the title of this journal page is only wishful thinking. This is a continuation of theme from my previous journal page “March Came in Like a Lion”.  I found the bird that had escaped from the cage. I looked for spring flowers and these sprouted. The March lion hasn’t completely left, he is gnawing on some spring flowers. I chose the metal chair for it’s geometric qualities. The chair legs from the chairs on the previous page for added continuity.


Next I added several washes of a mixture of Golden pthalo blue and burnt umber. The lamb has appeared without planning, do you see it?


A rough outline first and then I begin to work on the eye.


The finished journal page! I really enjoy working this way. Starting with collaged elements take me on an artistic journey I would have never traveled by drawing alone.

March Came in Like a Lion

 

My journal page which I completed last night. This reminds me that I need to date this page! I started with the idea “March comes in Like a Lion”. The long Winter has weighed heavily on my creativity. It is past mid-March and the snow has yet to release it’s stronghold on the surrounding terrain. No Winter thaws this year! Just a few spots of brown grassy earth peeking through so far.

I was at an antique mall looking for old black & white magazines to work with. Poor condition was a plus because I always feel a bit guilty repurposing old ephemera. A magazine with two lion cubs on the cover reminded me of my earlier journal idea. At a price of $1.75 I couldn’t resist. Inside I also found the photograph of the lion. An image of some interesting metal chairs from another magazine were placed upside down on my journal page. I painted washes, over the entire page, of a mix of Golden Dioxazine Purple and Quinacridone Nickel Azo Gold in various opacity. The bird cage attracted my eye and reminded me of the birds of spring that are still missing. The text at the bottom right corner caught my eye and is just the advice I needed to see. “If we were asked to specify the most important thing the _____________ amateur or professional, can possess in his work it is that of an active mind. A stagnant mind gets us nothing and nowhere.” I covered the word photographer to have it be more pertinant to myself, even though I do consider myself a photographer too.I applied washes of paint to the bird cage and text to blend them with the rest of the page.

Next I drew a lion with Prismacolor pencils, building up several layers in some places. The text was added after the majority of the pencil work was done.

Maybe I will work on my “lamb” journal page today.