Tuesday 20 July 2010

A bit of this & a bit of that.


All images by Tumblefish Studio at Deviant Scrap
Spray inks by Altered Originals at Art from the Heart

I had a bit of time to myself today so I started on this new journal page in my large A4 Moleskine using Tumblefish Studios' lovely new beach/seaside themed images. The schools around here finish for the summer this Friday so we're in a holiday mood (although desperately trying to ignore the thunder and lightning outside at the moment!) so I will be journaling on this page very soon to celebrate 5 1/2 weeks of NO SCHOOL!!

Some of you have been asking me for more step-by-steps, so this is how this page started. I used an old credit card to scrap a light blue acrylic paint over the entire page, followed by a slightly darker blue. I then wiped some patches off to create lighter areas.


I then used the credit card to add an even darker layer leaving some of the lighter colour showing through:


At this point it was very dark looking so I added a layer of white and cream over the top using the same technique, to tone it down a bit:


I learned some of this technique watching a youtube video by Paula aka JournalArtista. Have a look here.

Now, here's my favourite bit! After adding small areas of yellow acrylic paint, I used a spray ink in sky blue and allowed it to drip down the page Lush!


Then I sponged a few circles though a stencil using two contrasting shades of paint:


Some of you have told me that when you try to do backgrounds like this you end up with a 'muddy' colour. I'm not sure why this happens sometimes but I always make sure that each layer is dry before I add the next and that seems to do the trick. And yes I do cheat with the heatgun!

Ok, back to my journal page ...... I wanted a border along the top so I hand cut a series of shapes from the Tumblefish Studio vintage beach collection:


Then added a few more details. Hint: If you want a black and white striped border use your computer to print a row of capital 'I's - that's what this is!


And that is how I created the background to the page :-)  It's not finished yet of course, and I will probably add more doodling as I journal on it. I was supposed to be adding the words 'DOWN BY THE SEA', which I cut up ready, but I seem to have lost the word 'sea'!! Ha ha ha! I will probably find it later stuck to my elbow or something ........

A while ago I posted my birthday journal page, and here it is again with the journaling on it:


And finally onto some art I have received recently. It is always a real treat to receive art from someone else in the post, and this was no exception.  This came from the lovely and talented Monique of A new leaf blog. Monique is a Twilight fan, and so am I which is why I appreciate this so much:


I don't know if you can tell by this photo but Edward really sparkles, vampire style! Cool! :


Thanks Monique, I love it!

And last but by no means least ..... Siobhan aka Piddawinkle of 'Piddawinkle's caged thoughts' blog, sent me this ATC, Gotta love a dancing skeleton! Thanks Siobhan, I LOVE it!


Byeeeeeeee for now

27 comments:

  1. Kathryn you are an inspiration, love your work and thank you for showing some of your techniques. The pieces you have received are fabulous as well. Annette x

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  2. thanks for posting me Kate, hope you get the "beckham" inspired joke,!!!!! and thanks for the journalling how to, cant wait to get some time to myself to have a go :)

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  3. This is such a fantastic post---for so many reasons! I LOVE your beach theme page (and I think this year I really need that bathing suit) and how you showed it step by step! The catital "I" strip is pure genius. And, oh those vampire and skeleton pages!! I am smiling!

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  4. Ooo you lucky thing getting some of Monique's art!! Love the journal pages - makes me want to get my paints out xx

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  5. Very cool! Have you finished the twilight series yet? I'm thinking of starting again!!!

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  6. Hi Kate
    Love your journal pages - don't worry about being 43 - enjoy it and your children - soon enough they will be grown up and then you'll wonder where the time went and think I'm not old enough for these to be mine!!!because in your head you will still be 27ish!
    Let me know when you are coming to Spain and I will arrange some playtime.
    Love Sue x

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  7. Your pieces scream of great talent Kate....your page is so wonderful! Thanks for sharing your techniques!

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  8. Thanks for sharing the step by step process for painting your page Kate....love those beach themed images too... Your birthday page looks wonderful...love how the journaling adds so much more to a page...
    Jenny

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  9. I hope you have the best 5 1/2 weeks of summer ever!! I really love these pages...and thanks for sharing your step by step. Just awesome!!!

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  10. ooh nice one. love the yellow.. xx

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  11. Thanks for the step by step Kathryn. Fabulous page as always :-) the page and atc you've received are wonderful too.
    Are you mad woman? celebrating 5 and half weeks of school hols!!! LOL ooh, not my idea of fun but not so bad now it's grandkids off, at least I don't have to keep them amused for weeks.
    Anne xx

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  12. I loved seeing all the stages of how you develop your art, thanks you, it's wonderful.

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  13. Thanks for sharing your step by step Kate! Now to find an old credit card lol! Wonderful page!
    Love the art you've received. So many talented people out there.
    Lx

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  14. This was amazing as usual - per you. ;o)
    Loved the step by step, too. Great, great stuff!

    Cheers,

    Kathy

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  15. OOOO EEEEE can't wait to try this paint technique, and I've just bought myself some A4 watercolour paper too, so guess what I'm going to be making??? YEP, an A4 sized art journal ....

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  16. Hello and congratulations, Kathryn! You won the blue earrings from Miabeads.etsy on my Blog Giveaway! Please send me your info at thepaperpumpkin@aol.com with your address and we will ship your pretties right to you! Please let me know which wire is your preference, too: french, kidney, or leverback! Thank you!! ~KathrynZ

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  17. I just discovered your blog, it is wonderful! Just added it to my favorites.

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  18. Love seeing how different artists use tumblefish's wonderful images. And thanks for the tip on black and white stripes - very inventive!

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  19. Thanks so much for sharing your background techniques, Kate! Your right . . . drying everything before adding the next layer is the only way to avoid muddiness. I adore your pages!!!

    Bet you're almost down to counting the remaining school hours!!! Happy almost Holiday!!!! Hugs, Terri oxoxox

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  20. Oooh, blue page is fabuloso! new images - my purse is groaning...
    It's great to see how other artists create their work, so thanks for the tutorial, some great tips! x

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  21. It is great to see some terrific journal pages. I have been neglecting mine for quite a while - you have inspired me.
    Friday's nearly here!

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  22. Fabulous step by step, thanks lass. Love the journal page. Sorry to show my ignorance but wow, a moleskine in A4?? Where did you get that? Just adore Victoria as well, it really made me smile :)

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  23. I really want to try out that background technique, i have to find my paints first lol! Your pages inspire me!Thanks for sharing my card, i am glad you like it!

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  24. I love your pages, Kate, and thanks for sharing your technique - it's great to see the different stages.

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  25. Kate everything is just screaming fabulous !!
    I am a huge Twight fan too,LoL. Going to check out Monique blog too.
    I just love your pages and the background is so different and the colors are wonderful.
    Your amazing...Thanks for sharing.
    Hugs,Laura.xoxx

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  26. I haven't stopped by in a while; I love your latest pages, and I always love seeing pages in progress! (scraping paint with a credit card, etc. is one of my favorite techniques, esp. to use up leftover paint!) great mail art, too! I think Victoria, there, took her modeling job a little too seriously-- she should stop losing weight! :D

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  27. Thanks for visiting my blog - I think you are so fortunate to have baby knitting made by your mother-in-law; they are treasures. I myself don't have anything made by my mother or mother-in-law that I could pass on to future grandchildren.

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