Lisa Feeling Empowered in Lesley's Journal!

Ahhh... The last journal in our Round 4 Swap! What a bittersweet time.  Lesley's journal is A4 sized and full of EMPOWERMENT - Lesley's theme. It took me a while to work out what I should do in this journal. Plus, Christmas kind of got in the way, since I found myself quite under prepared!

As is usual for me, a song kept running through my head when I thought of Empowerment. I resisted for a while but it wouldn't go away. Thus I guess it means something to me! 

I'm terrible at doing progress pics, mainly because I never do a background before my focal image! But here's one:

The song that my journal page is based on is Helen Reddy's I Am Woman. I don’t consider myself a feminist; I don’t think women should be better than men, but equal to them! My 16 year old daughter tells me that this is what feminism is now - so perhaps I am!

I find the lyrics really inspiring:

Oh yes I am wise

But it's wisdom born of pain

Yes I paid the price

But look how much I gained

If I have to, I can do anything! 

I am strong

I am invincible

I am woman...

So my spread simply shows a super woman with these lyrics. For a change I intended to do the page in Copics. But discovered, since I'd done the outline of the woman first, that waterproof pens certainly aren't alcohol pen proof! Smears everywhere, so I had to revert to acrylics instead, mainly Dylusions. For my background I sponged some blue and then added some stencils. Added lyrics and some embellishments to my girl and I was done!

As we're away at the beach til New Years, I'm posting this blog from my tablet. Which is not going well, as the cursor keeps jumping around and random words are appearing here and there! But anyway, this was my outlook today:

Sorry to tease! Here's the completed spread, hope you like it Lesley! Hopefully I can get to the Post Office in the next couple of days so your journal will be returned home!

Wishing everyone a wonderful start to 2018! Cheers, Lisa xx

Joan works in Empowerment

Joans page in Lesley's "Empowerment Journal"

Lesley Journal is A4 and made up of lovely thick paper. The existing pages from other participants are all wonderful and so much better to see them in real life. 

This month I picked a quote I wanted to use first and then made the page to complement it.  I originally envisaged a spread with lots of white space, but it did not turn out that way.  As usual my mind had one thing in mind and my art muse had another.

I started by using a 12x12 stencil which has lots of small shapes randomly placed and translucent texture paste from Tim Holtz,  I used it all over the left page and on top and left side of the right page   I then used some Lindys magicals which are water colours to colour the left page.  As I said before at this point I was thinking lots of white area left uncoloured..I used greens, yellows, blues and pinks from different sets of magicals.  I really just wanted some drips but as usual I was heavy handed with the powers and ended up with lots more colour than I intended. The translucent textured paste took on the colours of the magicals beautifully.

On the right page I imagined a young women with lots of coloured hair making a statement of empowerment. As I can't draw I thought at first that I would cut one out from a magazine and collage on, but then I realised two things, A: as the journal is A4,  finding a face that I did not have to scan and enlarge  and still be able to print out in required size after cutting out was going to be a task in itself.  B: as the page was all about empowerment, should'nt I take the bull by the horn and try to draw my own face and have enough courage to use it. And so it came to pass that I drew freehandly a face on the right side and painted her up with some other watercolors I had.  Apart from vampire like teeth and a long crooked skinny nose, it was passable.  I could live with it mostly but not that nose, so I covered it up and tried again.   The journal then sat on my table for a few days, whilst I decided if I was going to let her live or was going to gesso her out completely.  By the time I had fiddled with her nose and eyes each day she waited, she kinda grew on me and I decided she could stay. I later on  added some feathers and bling to her hair and dress.

After adding some background stamping to both pages, I decided it still needed something. I then added some more magicals, this time some orange and pinks. I also dragged out some gold leaf sheets I bought about 9 months ago but had not yet used.  The foils were a beautiful copper base with green and blue type effects so fitted in with the colours already on the page. The pictures do not do justice to the fantastic sheen and colour of these.  I rubbed on first one colour where I had placed the size and later on when I accepted that I was not going to have much white space and that I should embrace the page that was emerging, I add a heap more in a slightly different colour pattern. I put it on the left page and only on the right page where the textured paste pattern was. I also added a small amount to her hair.

I then stuck on some borders I had in compatible colours to left and right pages.  The left got a multicolour one and the right a metallic pink one. Just as I had decided that it was probably done, and I should print out my quote and put it on, I found a packet of bright gold leaves on a banner. Probably a purchase from an op shop at some time, and I thought I had to add some of these to the page.  As they were gold rather than bronze I painted them with a bronze inka gold paste. I added one to the girl's hair and two to ground my quote.  The quote is from Coco Chanel.

I then sprayed the whole page with a matt protective spray. It is very different from what I imagined when I started out, but I started this year saying that I was going to let the art have control rather than my right brain, so hopefully this is proof that I am succeeding somewhat.  I hope you like it Lesley. 

Inital face

After I change the nose 

Lesley's page in Joanna's Journal.

Fairytales.

When I received Joanna's Journal it wasn't really a hard decision to work out which fairy tale I was going to do.

" Alice In Wonderland"

I started my pages by doing a small amount of zentangle patterns in the middle of each page.

I then added some color to the background using Distress oxide inks.

and then adding some acrylic inks for an extra splash of color.

I then made a mask of Alice and cheshire cat . I put down the masks and

brayered over the top with some dylusions paint

I then used a stencil to add the heart layer and added the quotes. I also collaged some 

book paper around the edges that I took from an actual vintage copy of

Alice in Wonderland.

"Not all who wander are lost"

"I'm not crazy, my reality is just different to yours."

I hope you like your pages Joannaxx

Lesley's page in Colleen's Journal. Things with wings.

So this month it is my turn in Colleens gorgeous journal and her theme is "Things with wings".

Last month I was lucky enough to attend an art journalling class with the very talented and funny Dyan Reavley.

So Of course this month my page was going to be inspired by what I did in her classes.

I started off with a basic background using Dylusions paints and stencils.

I then used some collaged images "flying fishy ladies"

I think by now most have realized my style is a bit grungy and definitely I love things that are a bit quirky.

I also added some doodling using a black marker and some stamping.

I then decided I would add an extra "WINGED" flap to my pages.

adding some of Dyans stamped bird images and a quirky quote

"The early bird can keep the worm because worms are gross and mornings are stupid"

I then added the flap pages onto my double page.

The extra pages added in.

the left side.

"Refuse to be average, let your heart soar as high as it will."

The right side.

"Untill you spread your wings you have no idea how far you'll fly."

I hope you like my pages colleen I definitely had fun making them xx

EMPOWERMENT an Art Journal by Lesley Alexander.

Not at all sure what to do in this journal, I went looking for a quote that pleased me.  This is what I decided.

Look at the stars

look how they shine

For you

and 

everything you do.

My first task was to get some colour down to represent the sky. I used a mix of blues, purple, black and white.

Next I used texture paste through some stencils to give me some stars.

I touched up the texture paste with silver paint, cut foil stars with a little punch, added some splatters and my words.

I really hope it is what Lesley was looking for.

Lesley's Homage to Art

LESLEY ALEXANDER'S PAGE IN LISA JONES'S ART JOURNAL..JULY 2017.

I was excited to be the first person to paint in Lisa's art Journal. The theme of Lisa's Journal is Homage to art.The artist I decided to pay homage to was BANKSY even though it is not really known who BANKSY actually is ( there are a lot of suspicions ) he is quite famous for his street art.

I started my page with some torn papers..

followed by the use of lots of stencils and acrylic paints to randomly fill the page.

I then drew my circles and gave the rest of the page a light covering of white gesso, I used gesso instead of white paint because I wanted it to be more translucent .

I then used my favorite BANKSY stamps to fill the rest of the page.

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• I also decided I would do a matching tag for each page that I do as an extra for the owners of each journal for them to use some other way .
  
  
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  Thank you Lisa for sharing your awesome with us.

Jan is Empowered

My first page in the new round is in Lesley's lovely Empowerment Journal. It is quite a large journal and this is a bit of a challenge. The spread is A3 landscape.
At first I did some layers and stenciling. Trying not to muddy the colours as I often end up doing in my enthusiasm.

Then I added the elements I wanted to feature and set to work. I originally wanted to use the slogan 'Empowered Women Empower Women' but that was already on the back of the journal so I dug through my stencils and found a relevant Dina Wakley one. I still ended up losing some of the vibrant colour but I am fairly pleased with how the page came out.

Hope you like it Lesley. It will be on its way to Pam next week.

Lesley Alexanders Empowerment Journal

Hi Everyone,

I'm very excited that this round of the art journal swaps is finally starting. this is the first art journal swap that i have participated in and I  can't wait to see all the lovely artwork when my art journal is returned to me.

The subject of my art journal is " Empowerment " .

The term empowerment meaning the authority or power given to someone to do something, " Individuals are given empowerment to create their own dwellings". The process of becoming stronger and more confident,especially in controlling one's life and claiming one's rights.

So basically I would love you to create a journal page that makes you feel empowered, feel awesome about yourself. You can use your favorite empowering quote.

Here is the inside page with the contract and an explanation of my theme.

Here is the first double page in my Journal " I am Bold, Brave, fearless and strong.

The last page in my Journal using one of my favorite Dina Wakley stamps. " You have to make room for growth " .

And finally my back cover.

Have fun creating in my Journal and I look forward to returning home in a few months.