Be Still......

I'm back in my journal again - I never thought I'd get into this journaling lark but I like the free and experimental feel. Not sure my journal is really a journal - more of a messy playground! For this piece I worked with yummy DecoArt Media Fluid Acrylics to make a layered background.

I'm going for a couple of challenges with this one:
-Andy Skinner's blog challenge - theme Bold & Bright. I'm not sure if this qualifies completely but it's VERY bright for me! Do love my muted tones...
and
-That's Crafty Circle It challenge
and
-Love to Create Anything Mixed Media

I took a few pics along the way so here's a how-to for the background (I got a bit excitable when I got to the stamping and forgot to take pics!). I think it's always fun to see how journal pages build from something that looks like a dog's dinner to something with a discernible composition!

Start by adding a light spray of water and some Hansa Yellow Light paint to a piece of mixed media paper (or other heavy paper that will take a few layers of wet media). Blend out with your fingers (or a paintbrush if you don't like mucky hands).

Add some blobs of Quinacridone Violet and blend with your fingers, adding a little touch more water (you don't want too much water, just enough to help the paint move). They'd actually blend better over a layer of gesso but I was being lazy! This is the 'dog's dinner' stage I referred to!

Continue adding and blending small blobs of paint - blend vertically as well as horizontally. The colours form a beautiful burnt orange where they mix. Place a stencil (Andy Skinner for DecoArt) over the dry paint and pounce white gesso through it with a lightly loaded sponge. 

Add some stamping using bubble wrap (am literally addicted to this technique) with Cobalt Teal Hue paint. Spread a blob of paint thinly onto a palette with your finger then dab the bubble into it before pressing to your page.

Use a DecoArt Media permanent black mister to add splats - to do this take the tube out and flick it onto the background. Unlike water-based sprays you get a really solid black with this product.

Place a stencil over the piece (this one is homemade using Stencil Film from Grafix - the film lets you make your own sturdy reusable stencils - I cut it with a docrafts Xcut die). Sponge white gesso then Cobalt Teal Hue paint through it. When dry add some stamping with white gesso.

To finish up I added lots of stamping with stamps by Cherry Pie, Visible Image, Stampotique, Crescendoh and Carabelle Studios. All the stamping is done in black Archival. I lightly tinted the girl with watercolours before adding her.

I hope you enjoyed my foray into brighter hues!

Katy x