Technique Tutorial for Art Journaling or Bible Journaling

There are so many beautiful art journal pages out there and videos showing you "how-to" create or recreate techniques.  I'm still learning to do the layers of mixed media, but I am having fun with drawing and stamping.

I learned to do art while watching my mother and grandmother work with oils and with oils, you do a lot of blending, so I like to blend my colors to get just the right effect.  But with colored pencils and markers, even acrylic paints, that's hard to achieve sometimes.  I want my drawings in my bible journaling to be more than just coloring book pictures.  So I'm practicing and learning how to "blend" with colored pencils.  (My next project is to get colored watercolor pencils...but for now, I'm using what I have.)

Here's the page I was working on.  Below it is a video showing how I did this and even the problems I had doing it....trial and error are always the best teachers.

 

Link to Karla's Etsy shop: https://www.etsy.com/shop/karladornacher

I thought I would show a picture of the wall in front of my work-space and would you believe, that I found a set of small alphabet gel stamps that would have been perfect, but I had forgotten I had them.  So they will be added to my wall!

Hope this helps and encourages you in your bible or art journaling.

Vintage Bible Page with Art

I may be having way to much fun making videos!  This one is how I add art to a vintage bible page and then to canvas.

Adding Paint to Art Journal Pages

I'm still new to the whole art journaling craze, but I love it...okay, I'm obsessed with it right now.

For my journal I wanted to add some keepsakes that I've been holding on to and yet do something a little different with them.  So to the journal I go:

Keeping in mind, that the I'm using a repurposed blank bible as my journal, the pages are very thin and need to be prepped before I can add acrylic paint to them.

Using Liquitex adhesive (sorry the picture is blurry) I spread a thin layer of glue between two pages using a large paint brush.  Protect the other pages by putting wax paper under the pages you are working on.

 This gives a textured feel to the pages which enhance the look of the page when paint is applied.

 Using small dots, I put the paint directly onto the page (no gesso applied this time).  Then I smear it with a plastic gift card...used of course...get the gift first!

I dry it with my heat gun so that I can continue working on the page. 

 

This little card started the idea for the page.  It's been a long time since someone sent me a Valentine's Day card and it meant so much to me to be remembered by such a sweet friend.  The card is 3-D and has three layers of this cute little girl.  I pealed off the top layer, along with the cushioned tape for my page.

Sorry, I didn't take picture of this process.

 

After applying the pink and white paint to both pages, I added some tiny pieces of netting that I received some chocolates in from a lady at church.  I wanted to use it to add texture in the paint, but it was too small, so I just glued pieces on the pages.  I have this little stone that I've had for years saying "You're Loved"  with Romans 8:39 on the back.  I wasn't sure if it would be too heavy for the page or not, but it's doing just fine.  I tore a portion from an old, falling apart bible, of the Scripture and added it to the page.

 

I stamped some hearts, added a pre-cut butterfly and a heart cut from cardstock.  I painted the heart first with a deeper pink acrylic, wiped off the paint with a baby wipe, drew some outlines of the flowers and glued tiny red beads on the heart.  I hade to put the glue on pretty heavy for the stone and the beads.





 Here's the back of the page (two pages glued together).  No bleed through.

 

I'm pleased with the outcome and now I have a memory of several things on one picture.

The love of friends and the love of God.

Romans 8:39

Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able

to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Lace & Closures

An art journal begins to get thick over time because you are adding so many different mediums into it.  The paint and water color, glue and added pages all make for a journal that no longer stays closed properly.  So I've added some closures to my journals.

 This is what my journals look like before I add any art to them.

 I use Jim Holtz Idea-ology closures and chains.

Here's the supplies I used, although I forgot to add the leather hole punch. 

 Using the leather hole punch, I measure approximately half way on the back cover and punch a hole to match the eyelet I'm using, which was 5/32 inch, Dritz Eyelet Kit.  The eyelets come in all sizes and colors, but I found Dritz had them large enough to take the hook I was using. 

 Place the eyelet through the hole (from right to wrong side) and align the tiny anvil underneath and the tool on top and hammer gently.  This will spread the end of the eyelet over the edges of the opening, holding it in place.

 

Now for the closure:

Using jewelry pliers, I spread the jump hook and add the closure to the chain.  Then I do the same thing with any charm I'm adding and attach them to the chain.  I then add a dot of jewelry glue to the hooks to keep them from spreading open again.

You can add as many charms as you like that makes it personal to you.

Here are some more journals with crocheted lace covers to hide the wording on the spin.

 

These are for sale on my Etsy shop, Piney's Needle.

(I'm in the process of adding them now.  So check back often for different styles.)

 

New Creative Outlet - Art Journals

It's hard to get past a blank page wither you're writing or creating.  Sometimes it helps to start the creative process with a little help. 

I recently became acquainted with a group of people doing art journaling and bible study together...literally adding art to their bibles based on what they were studying.  While doing art with my own bible study, I was reminded of how much I love art, drawing and painting.  I started watching some videos on mixed media art journals and had to make some for myself.

My daughter, Sally, was an awesome inspiration.  She's been creating altered books and art with books for several years, so she was happy to see her mother doing something she did.

Working for a bible publisher, I has access to blank bibles.  The sales reps use these during presentations to show new cover designs for the upcoming season.  Once they are done with the sales presentations, these mock ups get trashed.  They've been giving them to me and Sally has been selling them on her Etsy store as repurposed journals.  I decided to do a little more to the ones that I have and have redesigned the covers and done some inspirational art to encourage the buyer so they won't be stopped by the blank page. 

I added 2 journals to my Etsy shop yesterday.

Today, I wanted to make one for myself and like I hear so many people say...I got stuck on the blank page.

So I started with redesigning the cover by covering up the spin and the wording with an old doily.

I ended up using the Liquitex medium to glue the doily down, however I may do some touch up around the edges with Yes.  I'll have to see how it will hold up as I handle it on a regular basis.

Putting a piece of wax paper on my workspace, I painted the glue to one side of the doily.  I used a larger paint brush once I got started.  The little one didn't work as well giving an overall coverage.

 

I used my embossing heat gun to dry the glue quickly.  I also use this to dry any art I do in the journal.





 





I'm pleased with how the cover looks and now I'm ready to start some art journaling.  I think I will recreate some of the art I did for the journals for sale. 

The Frances Lewis Art Scholarship

This is an article that I've submitted to several newspapers and organizations asking for support in promoting the sale of prints from my mother's oil paintings.  Any help at all in helping us promote the site would be greatly appreciated.

 

The family of Frances Lewis (1938-2011) has made available prints of her oil paintings.  Frances’ talent with canvas is well known throughout our community.  She won many 1^st and 2^nd place ribbons with her art in our local county fairs.  Many people have desired to own one of her works of art; however, she never had them for sale to the public except for one private, invitation-only event several years ago.  Friends and family were often gifted with one of her paintings and now, with her passing, those have become treasured items.

After continued requests by friends and associates for one of her paintings after her death in 2011 from pancreatic cancer, her son, James Lewis Jr., took on the project of having prints made of most of her paintings several months ago.  These prints are now available to purchase directly from his website, Piney River Enterprises, Inc. at http://www.alewisenterprise.com/franceslewisart.html.  There is a company working with them, behind the scene, that offers the prints in a variety of sizes and styles.  There are currently 37 different prints to choose from, with more being added.  The cost starts at $22.00 for most prints and increases depending on the style and size ordered, with options for matting and framing.  The styles include a metal print, acrylic, and canvas prints. There is also an option to have the prints made into cards.

Frances worked mostly with oils, often sitting up on location for some of her most beautiful paintings.  Each painting has a story and most are actual locations that Frances and her husband, James, along with their children, James, Ray Lewis, and Deborah Boutwell, traveled to.  The stories behind the paintings are also listed with each print’s information.  Frances painted mountain ranges, country roads, adobe homes, florals, trains, and wagons, all scenic views found in Colorado, Wyoming, Arizona, New Mexico, Florida, Texas and Tennessee.  Locally, there are prints of her depictions of an old barn on the late Joe Shipp’s farm and the Pinewood Mansion.

Because of Frances’ love of art, the family has set up the Frances Lewis Art Scholarship which will be granted to a senior graduating from Hickman County High School.  The proceeds the family receives from the sale of the prints will all go toward this scholarship.  The specifics of the scholarship are still being worked out, however they hope by 2015 there will be enough money received to grant the first of many scholarships.

A selection of prints will be for sale at the homes of James Lewis Jr. and Deborah Boutwell during the Arts & Ag Tour, May 23-24.  They are stops numbers 26 & 27 on the tour guide in the Pinewood community.

Busy as a Bee - Painting & Quilting

My favorite season is Fall.  I love all the colors and the chill in the air.  Our trees were beautiful this fall, but it just didn't seem to last long enough.

I had painted a pumpkin back in October and today I found the source of my inspiration.  I had shared the source of my inspiration for some other paintings, but couldn't find this one....until today.

So here is the inspiration:

 The photo is a photograph of a painting from Rosemary's Blog.  I love how she takes photos and then does watercolor paintings from them.  Her entire blog is a gem.

And here's my interpretation:

My camera does a terrible job with colors!  Here's another photo during the painting process.  See how the orange didn't photograph so well in the picture above.

I've been trying to sale my art and my quilts on the weekends.  So far I've sold something every weekend, all quilts, no paintings yet.

My idea is to leave my sign out all the time and then when I'm home, throw the quilts on the line like my "open" sign.  It's working pretty good so far.  I've sold 4 quilts and been commissioned to quilt 2 vintage quilt tops.

Although, while I washed my rails down before hanging the quilts, the wind picked up one day and really beat them against the rails before I knew it.  So I've got to wash a couple of them now.

I still have the white and blue quilt and most of the smaller baby quilts, wall quilts and table runners for sale.  If you are interested in any of them, email me at boutwell_d@bellsouth.net and we can talk prices.  Still plenty of time to get them in the mail for Christmas gifts!

Here's some close ups of the quilts and I also have buttoned neck wraps, crocheted.

Talking of Christmas....I can't wait to truly share what I've been up to.  Here's just a little taste and some big hints!

And in the midst of all of this...my sewing/quilting machine locked up!  I've taken it to the repair shop with prayers that it will be back very soon.  In the meantime, this is how I'm spending my afternoons and evening.

Back to the basics with needle and thread!

Brush Strokes

I love this time of the year.  I can look through pictures on Pinterest of Tumblr of Fall for hours. Then I usually want to recreate something I've seen.  I love to paint, but I'm not one of those painters that does well without a picture or visual to go by.  So I took my inspiration this week from these two photos and did my own version of Fall, at the barn and in the aspens.

Here's the Pinterest version:

 

And here's my version:



artist Deborah Boutwell

The camera doesn't really pick up the true colors.  This one turned out too dark.  I like my barn, but need to work on the trees and shadows.

 

I found a photo by James Kay that I really liked of aspens.  Click here to see his version.

And here's my version.

 

artist Deborah Boutwell

Ken said at first glance that my aspen trees looked like onions.  So, I guess they need more work.  I like how the base of the trees turned out and the three up front look pretty good, but I didn't capture the background of the golden leaves good enough.

Maybe one day, I'll paint them like my mother did.

artist Frances Lewis