Making a journal from Violette's Teen Dream Journal DVD

I think I got the idea that I wanted to fly from the Superman comic books, especially when I saw his little cousin, Supergirl.
 Anyway, after a long cold walk around the lake today, I spent the afternoon painting, cutting,  and gluing- even added feathers.
I already had the binder rings,  this is a fun journal, for teens or any age to do, and with the rings I  can add more pages later.

Inspired by Violette Clark

I had made another watercolor journal and painted a page in watercolor,  regretting it later for a cover.   It would run, smudge,  get ruined.   What's wrong with me, it's only paper, okay- hot pressed  Fabriano artistico.  But I did want a strong cover that would't bend easily.  I had bought Violette's DVD "Teen Dream Journal" so I started that, and going back to this page later, after I made a cardboard cover.  I like working on several things at the same time.
I was going to gesso the cardboard first, but I wound up using acrylic paint, and using Violette's blog as a guide painted the cover.  www.violette.ca/

Mama Cass sang it "dream a little dream of me" but for a cover of a journal, I thought this worked.

Nature Journaling class journaling page

I'm still thinking about the journaling class last week, I did go over a lot of stuff, too much?   I wondered if I should make any changes? How to figure that out.
I  had watched Violette Clark's DVD "Teens Dream Journal" for ideas before the class, she's so creative and fun!  I had recently bought an interesting book I saw on her blog http://violette.ca/2013//11/18,  "The Sketchnote Handbook" by Mike Rohde.   It came with a video link   which I watched part of before diving into the book.

Art Journaling class inspired by nature

Saturday was a sunny, mild autumn day and I wasn't sure who would show up for my Nature Journaling class at the Sachem Library.  It reminded me a little of the scene in the "Bishop's Wife" with Cary Grant, where the choir hasn't shown up, then at the last minute, they begin to arrive and fill the room.  Okay, the room wasn't filled but six wonderfully talented kids did come to my class.  

I provided all the supplies and after days of planning, I was well prepared.  I started off showing them the basics of shapes, composition and contour drawing.   They sketched their hands,  pressed leaves, and I provided an assortment of seashells and rocks for a small still life for each of them.  I pointed out the importance of lines, soft and hard edges, using mats to frame a subject and painting the negative space.  

They used sketching pencils,  Crayola watercolor pencils and water brushes.

We moved from sketching paper to watercolor on small folded Fabriano cards that I found online from Dick Blick.  They practiced brush strokes, washes and blending using Prang watercolor paint sets.   Then they painted covers for the small accordion books I had made for  each of them.  Most of them choose to use my bird photos.

After nearly two hours, I still had the five girls, my only boy had left early.  I brought out the blank bookmarks to finish the class.  They did a lot in one class and I'm so proud of my Sachem library students!

Sometimes you just have to jump in

There are so many books, giving so many ideas on journal prompts.  So why do I hesitate sometimes?  I painted the background page, and doodled and squiggled and stamped.  What I was I thinking that moment?  Was it the first thing to came to my mind?  Yes, it is me, on a hot summer day, I love to be in the water.

Sketches of birds at Jones Beach

We had a birders conference in New York and as part of it, there were several bird walks offered along the beaches.  It was a cloudy crisp morning, the wind was gusting along the shore, and we weren't dressed for it, another layer would have helped.
There were people from the city, upstate and out east, and they knew their birds by their calls, even their Latin names.  They were very helpful, and I never knew the area was such a hot bed for migratory birds!  I took alot of photos and sketched from them, along with the help of field guides.

Something fishy

I started with cobalt turquoise watercolor and plastic wrap.  I used photos of Koi from the aquarium and   fish from an old magazine photo and starting stamping around the page.   I used some zentangle designs and just started doodling around, copying the stamp, trying it in both black and white, and added  bubbles all around with some Liquid Perls in the center.

Nature Journaling in watercolor

I'm always in awe of artists who sketch and paint on location.   I like to walk around and look at everything, so I usually take photos and paint from them.   I did take my sketchbook to a bird talk a few
months ago,  and I gave up quickly.   I was trying to write down the information about the birds, as well as sketch them.   They were moving quickly so I went back to photos.

Mixed media art journaling

I've been a huge fan of Teesha Moore for years, making the 16 page journal and splashing bright colors and collage across the pages.  Recently I signed up for "Mermaid Circus",  a class she and Jane Davenport were giving online.   I like to use my own photos when I can,  these were tiny yellow perch, and photos of ceramic fish.
I had fun with this page, doodling along and trying not to overdo.  I cut up an 8.5 x11 photo of seashells for the border.  I forgot to gauge the word space on the word Mermaids.  I put the red watercolor across the top and sprayed water to let it run over the yellow (acrylic).   Then I turned it upside down and did the same with blue.  I stamped with acrylic.  The lessons and videos were interesting and fun to watch!  I loved how they encouraged us to go out and share what we've learned.