Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Art Journal Class at Willowing

So, I posted my first portrait attempt a few days ago (see previous post). Yep, it was beginner’s luck. Not that my practice attempt was so awesome, but it definitely came together better/easier than the real attempt. I think my main problem was that my mixed media journal pages did not like the amount of water I used to dilute the watercolor crayons. The paper even tore in some places, and I wasn’t able to keep adding the shading and detail, because the paper was torn and buckled and degraded! I almost tossed it and started over, but I was determined to have a “real” first lesson.

Here it is, my “output” from Week One of Tam’s free class on “Art, Heart and Healing.”

your best edited w border

For the left page, Tam directed us to write out our negative thoughts (things like, “I’m not creative,” etc.). Then we covered those up with gesso before completing that page with watercolor crayon painting, brayering and stamping. Then we were to use something positive from all those negative thoughts to come up with the sentiment for the page.

your best edited left side w border

In the end, how brave am I to actually post something like this stylized portrait attempt? It’s intentional, really. Eventually, it will be so dramatic, the difference between my early attempts and how good I’m going to become! <grin>

5 comments:

Anita Houston The Artful Maven said...

You are brave. To me Art Journaling is very private and those who show their work are indeed brave! Love her eyes!!!!

Jenny Marples said...

You really are brave Barbara. Not sure I could take on pages this size but you have done it so well. Loving that you shine through the whole thing and your sentiment is spot on. Need to chant that as a mantra!! Keep on journalling hun. Hugs, Buttons x

Marjie Kemper said...

You know I was going to write "You are brave!" before I even opened the comment field, and I see that's exactly what Anita and Buttons said. Faces are HARD. You are BRAVE. Keep on journaling, girl!

Barbara said...

Buttons, it's actually a small journal--5.25x8.25, but I think I had my picture too huge (don't really want all that messy detail to be that obvious anyway!), so I reduced the size of the picture a bit. In this class I'm taking, Tam is having us use an entire page for the face, but I think when I venture out on my own, using faces in my art journal, I'll likely make the "portrait" smaller. But I'm learning, and that's my goal! Thanks for all the encouraging comments.

Anonymous said...

Good start! I'm entering my first page today - just a face sketched with pencil. But I'm also excited to get starting and looking forward to the potential of great pages to come! Good luck with your new journal :)