3 ART JOURNALING RELATED QUESTIONS I GET ASKED ALL THE TIME

YOU WANT TO KNOW HOW IT’S DONE, WHAT I USE AND WHERE I GET THINGS FROM

HERE ARE THE (PROBABLY UNEXPECTED) ANSWERS TO 3 QUESTIONS I GET ASKED ALL TIME

DO YOU PREP YOUR PAGES and how?

Yes, I prep my pages using Gesso. Gesso basically primes paper ready for painting, it can be white or clear and is very much like acrylic paint only thinner. I use Gesso for a few reasons, as a base layer to allow thinner paper to take watery paint or ink without wrinkling or tearing, to create texture and as a top layer to create a distressed look or to ‘hide’ or tone down elements of the artwork.

I love to work in layers, building up layer upon layer of paint, words, papers, collage and so Gesso plays an important role in keeping all these layers cohesive as well as physically holding them together on the page. This is how I achieve the ‘soft, calming, dreamy’ look that everyone comments on and that I have become known for.

HOW DO YOU KEEP YOUR PAGES NEAT AND CLEAN, is it with FIXATIVE?

No! I make no attempt whatsoever to ‘preserve’ my pages. In fact, I like when wet/sticky or chalky parts of a page leave their mark on another part of the page once the journal is closed.

I don’t think my pages are neat and clean and I think allowing the materials to behave the way they want to, adds to the look of the artwork and the organic nature of the page. I aim for messy, I aim for organic, I aim for trusting the process - fixative goes against all that for me.

The image above shows a pink paint stain, that seeped through from the other page, I love this effect and couldn’t have achieved it if I had tried to, but leaving the paint to work its magic - without trying to control it (and the paper) to keep everything neat and clean, means that beautiful happy accidents like this happen.

WHERE ARE THOSE 'PASTELS WITH WORDS ON' FROM?

Every day I get asked about these pastels with the words on! It seems you guys love them as much as I do, however I did not buy them, I simply removed the sleeve that came with the pastel and replaced it with ones I made myself.

A couple of years ago I decided to fill my creative space with supportive, encouraging and creatively uplifting words as a reminder that I am worthy of making and taking time for my creativity, these pastel sleeves are, for me, a visual reminder that ‘art heals’ if you surrender and trust in the creative process.

It’s so easy to do, have a go!