Art Journal Class Update

Hello lovelies!

Well, I can't believe that class 5 of my journal class series is done... This class series been both fast and slow - I can't believe that it will be over next month, but it feels like the first class was only yesterday!

Class 5 was all about texture.  I know that I could do an entire series of classes about texture in your journal.  There are a myriad of ways that you can add interest through texture in your journal, and half the fun is in experimentation with different mediums... my experimentation with tar gel and self-levelling gel could fill a book! 

Texture is created in so many different ways in art journals that I think it’s important to remember that texture can be visual or it can be tactile.  Visual texture is created by using multiple layers of stamps, journaling, paint, or other media.  Tactile texture can be touched and creates another dimension in your art journal.  Tactile texture invites the reader of your journal (be it just you or someone you are showing a page to) to touch the page.  Tactile texture can be in the foreground or in the background of your page. The opportunities to add texture to a page are as limitless as the things that you can find.  

For me, the key to great texture is layering.  My journal pages can have up to 10 layers on them (depending on how strong the paper is of course), and it is those layers that create both visual and tactile texture.  Understanding when to seal layer, and what to seal them with is an important part of your art journal experimentation. 

So the page we based our Class 5 work on is this one:

The texture on this page is very tactile.  I rummaged through my (quite extensive) stash of chipboard to find some left-over bits to use up. One of the great things about art journaling is that you have your own "permission" to use up all your old stuff rather than stashing it or "saving" it.

There are easily 6 layers of stuff on this page, from the flatter tissue and tape texture at the bottom, to gesso, feathers, chipboard and paint glazes toward the top. Each layer allows the viewer to see layers below in part, and that helps to add to the depth of the page.

Here is this month's homework.  The page uses corrugated cardboard as the focal point, but the background has been built up with all sorts of stuff like old photos, tissue paper, embossing paste and bits of tape.  It was coloured with a mixture of watersoluble crayons and distress stains.  I then had loads of fun dribbling ink everywhere.

'till next time!

~Liz