Art Journal - line and wash - pets

Chloe, our three year old Staffy cross recently had a knee operation. She is a gentle affectionate dog with a sweet nature. The vet wrapped her leg in a pink happy face bandage and she is holding her leg out awkwardly partly because of the pain and also because the bandage is bulky.

Art Journal flick through - June 2018

Just finished my latest tertiary qualification as well as working fulltime and volunteering for different not-for-profits, I needed to relax my brain for a bit. I purchased some  new art supplies from the Mixed Media Store ... (Yes I know I have an entire room FULL of art supplies ... but I didn't have THESE ones!) and started an art journal project this month.  I wanted this book to be a 'no rules'book, where it did not matter that the finished pages don't look amazing, and I do not worry that I am not using  proper art techniques  - it is just a collection of quick paintings, collages, words and sketches. The process to me is as important as the finished product and having an art journal means to me that it does not have to be perfect, I am not going to hang the pages on a wall!

Here is a quick flick through of my book so far.

Ready for the Documented Life Project 2015

I purchased the gorgeous Dylusions Journal as part of my participation in the Documented Life Project 2015, and reviewed the journal in a blog post.

Today I decided to decorate the cover of it.

• I started with a wash of green, blue and yellow watercolour paint.
• Then I painted in scroll framework, a monogramme of 'DLP', and started to paint in detail of the greenery and a castle.
• Once the paint was dry I added some metallic gold ink to add some lustre.
• I then glued a chipboard lattice gothic style gate to it

My decorated DLP 2015 cover

I haven't decided whether or not to varnish the completed cover yet.

Maybe I should, just to ensure that if the cover gets wet, it won't ruin the decoration!

I have also added a gold tassel bookmark to the journal.

tassel bookmark added

All ready for DLP 2015

Are you joining in with the Documented Life Project?

Let me know in the comments below, I would love to see how you are decorating your journals too.

REVIEW: Dylusions Dyan Reaverley's Creative Journal-LARGE

I recently purchased a new art journal to use in the 2015 Documented life Project; I chose to use the one the admin of this amazing art project suggested which is the Dylusions Dyan Reaverley's Creative Art Journal in Large. I had never used any journals from this range before, so I was curious if it would be worth the $33.50 AUD plus $11.70  AUD postage I paid for it on ebay! 

I was so excited when it arrived in my letter box!  Who doesn't love a new art journal?

Okay ... I know, I know, not every one is into stationery..  but i am!!

I have not used the art journal yet, but I would like to share with you all what it looks like, so if you are deciding whether or not to buy one for yourself, you get some idea of what an end user thinks of it!

The front cover 

The front and back covers are made of very thick cardboard (referred to in the official description of the journal as 'chipboard', to me chipboard is a type of particle board made of wood slivers glued together and forming a type of simulated wood board, this is definitely thick cardboard so I am unsure why it is called 'chip board')

There is an elasticised cord attached to the cover to hold it closed.

The journal has a piece of removable paper over it giving some information of what the pages can be used for.

front cover 

back cover

Inside the journal

Inside the front cover, on the left page is a large cardboard envelope with one of those cool retro style loopy closure thingos!

I think this is so handy! a place to stash scrap book type pictures, ideas ripped out form magazines, stickers, all sorts of cool things!

envelope inside front cover of book

The pages are thick and creamy, and have a light texture. I do not know how they will go with watercolour paint or highly pigmented indian ink pens yet, but they are gorgeously creamily thick, and I can't wait to try!!

the creamy pages

There are 64 pages inside this book, they are unlined and just begging for some creative energy!

More Information

The information about the journal from the official website is below:

The journal cover is made from sturdy chipboard and filled with 64 unlined pages for endless paper crafting creativity.• Ideal with Dylusions Ink Sprays, Stencils and Stamps• Sturdy cover, elastic closing and string-tie envelope included• 64 pages of unlined white matte cardstock• Sturdy cover, elastic closing and string-tie envelope included• Cover measures 11 13/16" x 9"; book pages measure 11 3/8" x 8 1/4"

Summation

I really like the sturdy feel of this journal and the good quality card stock pages and cannot wait to use it!  I think I may start using this one before the Documented Life Project 2015 starts for my jewellery designs and maybe get myself another one to use in the DLP 2015!

I will post again another time on decorating the cover and what the pages are like to draw and paint in.

Have you used this journal before?

What do you think?

Please let me know in the comments section below!