AlteredPages Artsociates

Early this month I played with some Paint and Stencils which is my favorite thing to do in my art journals.  Sometimes I journal just for fun and for the art aspect, other times more for the personal release of emotions and then other times for the recording of relevant facts, sometimes it is a bit of both.  My project I shared with you started out with fun in mind but in deciding what to add to the background it now has become more of a record of relevant facts. The warm tones reminded me of the outback landscapes here in Australia in the Desert which then turned into thoughts of Egypt and then I noticed that some of my details of my stenciling looked like the Egyptian Ankh Symbol.  I then remembered my Egyptian Horoscope which I read at the start of each year in a magazine I buy.  I had last years magazine lying around so took some images from this along with the details of my personal horoscope to complete my page in my journal. This is how it...

One of my favorite sayings when I am creating is 'Don't stress embrace the mess' and apart from glitter I don't think there is too many other things that could beat paint as something that can get really messy for you whilst creating.  Playing with paint and stencils is fun and a great way to create layers and interest particularly for journal page backgrounds. I actually started by using my Gel Press Plate (12 x 14) to get some base color quickly onto my page.  Adding paint to the plate, spreading it across the plate and then pressing my journal pages directly to the plate.  This is the part where you embrace the mess as you won't always get perfect coverage etc. Next I brayered black paint onto the Plate and used a large 12 x 12 Stencil while the stencil was still on the plate I pressed one page of my journal into the plate picking up the positive print space, then removing the stencil I picked up the remaining design on the other page. ...

Hello again! Today I am doing a simple traditional stencil technique to use on a journal cover. SUPPLIES: Journal substrate : This one is from my stash but there are a lot to choose from at AlteredPages.com Stencil : I used Balzer Designs 12 x 12 stencil "Trendy Images" from The Crafters Workshop Paper adhesive scissors Acrylic Paint White Gel pen or acrylic paint liner Embellishments Ribbon I have to admit, ever since I got this stencil, I knew I was going to use the eye image. Not that the others aren't cool, but that eye!!!  So, I had this little book cover and I don't collect autographs so I wanted to make it either into a junk journal or art journal. Well, I still haven't decided which, but I had to re-cover it to start.  Found this awesome hand-made paper in my stash and adhered it to the front of the cover. Using scissors, I cut around the paper after it was dry.  Here is the result. NOTE: if you have holes punched in your subst...

Hi Everyone it's Danie here and this week I am currently by the beautiful beach at Coffs Harbour co-hosting a art retreat for eight ladies.  We are encouraging everyone to be explorers be it of our location our art techniques or ourselves. Journal Page on one of the Inky Watery Backgrounds I shared a few months back. Beautiful Colors of Sunrise at the Beach The beautiful sea and art is healing in so many ways and this week inspired by our beautiful location and have worked with the Mermaid as our Muse.  We are working in a journal and have been exploring the waves and imagining what mermaids would paint with. Collecting the treasures from the shoreline and flowers and bits and pieces from the nearby landscape we have used some of these as our tools for mark making, as well as creating our art and just like flowers we are encouraging our attendees to bloom with their art. One of the attendees natural brush play on a gel print Usin...

USArtQuest has been an awesome partner this month, their products are high quality top of the line. Believe me, no one is paying me to say this! Over the next three days I have a project that I will be sharing in stages.  I am up-cycling an old book to be my journal.  I am not sure if I would call my journal a junk-journal or a glue book.  It is not your typical journal, maybe it should be called a paper journal.  The plan is to fill this journal with  images of  Marie Antoinette  from Altered Pages collection of AWESOME images! Before we get to the journal I would love to introduce you to the wonderful handmade papers from USArtQuest! They are a feast to a paper addicts eyes!  I can almost feel them with my eyes! The colors and textures are to die for, there are mulberry papers, glittered papers, sewn papers, botanicals, even wax. You will find prints and patterns, USArtQuest has it all. ...

Journaling has always been important to me. I may forget for stretches of time, but I always land back between the crinkly blank pages; daring me to write or draw.   Then one day I realized if the pages weren't blank I might find it easier to start writing, thus I began altering the black pages (in no real order).    Let me share the supplies and steps I took to Art-Up my Journal.   Supply List: A Blank Journal Splash Inks Muse Hollywood Movies Rubber Stamp Set Acrylic Stamping Block Scissors Aqua-Flo Water Brushes Paint Pots with Lids Pipettes Stazon Ink Water Easy peasy. Let's get going... Here is my Journal cover I made; just for fun:   The  Splash Inks  are fabulous for water coloring. The set comes with Magenta, Blue, Yellow, and Black. It also includes a card of Recipes  for color mixing. So accurate and so many combinations. This set is staying in my basic toolbox from now on. So I ch...