Art Journal Page #13

Can you tell I was really in a “Spring” kind of mood?  I used an inexpensive stencil I got at a flea market.  It did not have a label, so I’m sorry to say I can’t give credit to the manufacturer.  Instead of going the conventional way and use paint to stencil the design on my page, I used modeling paste. This gave the page dimension and texture. 

I had no real idea of what I going to put on the page with the exception of the stencil, so I got my box of scraps and just pulled things out and laying them down.  What can I say is cheaper that therapy on a stressful day!
Here are my creative notes:

• Using Dylusions “cut grass” spray ink and water I colored the background of the page using a sponge to spread the ink on the page and a heat gun to dry it.  I’m a little impatient.
• I position the stencil where I wanted and using painter’s tape I  secured it down on the page.
• With a small painter’s spatula I spread the modeling paste over the stencil.  Carefully!  So that the modeling paste did not spread too much underneath the stencil.  Using the spatula I carefully took off the excess.  It’s like spreading icing on a cake!
• Let the modeling paste set for a minute and then remove the stencil.  You do not want to wait too long because the paste will set and may crack, plus the  stencil can get stuck and crack the paste when removing.
• Using Mod Podge I glue little scraps of printed pages, washi tape, handmade paper, and my favorite drywall tape, randomly around the page.  I was going for sort of a cloud effect on the top and wind blowing around the tree.
• I had a $0.50 stamp in the shape of a feather and just stamp over my paper scraps groupings. 

I had either seen or heard that when doing a art journal page that you should create balance on the page.  I sometimes have a little hard time achieving this, so for this page I tried that by forming the small groupings of scraps paper around the tree.

• I cut some little leaves and glue them to the bottom of the tree just to fill in more of the page.
• After the modeling paste is completely dry I colored the entire design using a small brush and water-down acrylic paints.

If you want deep colors a few coats might be needed and less water.  I was going for a light touch since the green on the background is more vibrant.

• I took the foam brush and lightly dipped it on the gesso and sort of dry brush around the page, again to give it a cloud wind effect.
• I used glaze medium and brush it on the entire page to protect it. 

Oh!  I forgot, I stamped “A good Life” on the page from yet another flea market find.  It is not fancy but it makes me smile.  And isn’t that what you art is supposed to do?

Stay safe and keep creating so that your soul can smile!

WonderingMindField