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.

Crochet Edgings - On Paper

Crochet edging is no new thing, but I'm adding it to paper...so that might be a little different.

Here's how I did it:

Since I was having so much fun making videos, I also did one showing one of the art journals I made (no talking, just me flipping through the journal).  It and this journal (when it is done) are available to purchase on my Etsy store.

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.