The Kathryn Wheel Calendar Challenge is in full swing again for 2012. Here is my January…
My new journal (made by me!) is working out great thus far. I’m so happy to be using good paper again. Since I was on winter break for most of January, I spent many lazy days in the office just playing around.
I pulled out my watercolors for about a week and enjoyed working with them. Since I started exploring acrylics, the watercolors have been sitting on the shelf. I’m more of a watercolor wash-er rather than painter, but I used them for coloring in more detail on a few drawings.
Some collages… 
For 2012, I started a new tradition – any guest spending time in my home must create something in the guest art journal.
Here is the box of goodies kept in the living room or just such occasions. It includes a small journal, a couple watercolor brushes, a small container of water, some pens and markers, and peerless watercolors – which come in large flat sheets that can be cut into little pieces to make a palette (if you haven’t tried them they are really very cool). 
While still on winter break, I had some good friends/work colleagues over. About 5 years ago, we all went through the process of becoming GLAD (Guided Language Acquisition and Design) key trainers. Certification was a BRUTAL process (which would probably make for great blog fodder, but it was so hard and mortifying that I think I’ve blocked out most of it.) Anyways, some of us were already great friends while others were just work acquaintances. After the year or so of completing the requirements, we all have become very close and try to get together often. Each guest brought appetizers and we ate and talked and drank and laughed. They were the first to christen my guest art journal. 
Happy February everyone!
ist; Watercolour-ist. And seen by some to be a higher form.
ReplyDeleteYou know you can use the acrylic like watercolour to make a wash. It's one of the beauties of them. And you don't need really expensive acrylic to get the pigment and the colour like you do with W_C's. Any reasonable artists grade will do. Except for the aquamarines and some turquoises, for some reason these are better when you spend for the really good ones.
I've been wondering about Japanese ink painting. I'm going to see if I can get rice paper and a few of those extra long brushes.
I rather like your carpe diem. Is that kid, the princess -you I take it- squatting for a widdle.
@Vince - Nooooooo! She's jumping in the air wearing her sparkly new boots! ;) I've been playing with the acrylics and have been really enjoying them as washes. I'd no idea. The collage pages are all washed with acrylic. I love the vibrant colors they give of. I started with the craft acrylics, but I didn't like the thickness of them...having been used to watercolor. I bought some liquitex that I like better, but still too unmanagable for me unless I used a glazing liquid. I was turned onto golden fluid acrylics and fell in love, but they are pricier so I just have a few. I save the cheaper ones for those washes.
ReplyDeleteI like the style/look using the Japanese brushes. Bought some brushes and sumi ink a year or so ago to fool around with, but I've been too nervous to use them and mess them up. I have used masa paper for wc and acrylic and I love it. It's super strong to take the water, but also really delicate looking. I've used it to cover the journals I've made. Very pretty. http://www.dickblick.com/products/masa-paper/
You know that glue I was on about before. We use it as wood glue. But kid's can use it also, it safe. You had a three letter acronym for it. Well you can mix this with a bit of water then squeeze a bit of acrylic paint. It works as a aid to flow and makes it stay put on the paper. Totally contradictory I know but there you go. And a dab of washing-up liquid will work as a flow improver also. It's the same crap you spend a ruddy fortune in tincture form for a pretty bottle and for them, Mr Windsor & Mr Newton, to pop a squirt into water. Or Aqua as they call it.
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ReplyDeleteYes, pva. I wonder if that would work with the cheap tempera paint that we have at school?
ReplyDeleteWow, I love your journal work Kimberly ! So colourful :) I noticed you're a teacher. I'm a teacher too.....can be so exhausting! I can relate to the wanting to fall into bed on a Friday after a bunch of kiddos all week! Great Calender page too :)
ReplyDeleteI am tickled to find you blog, I am just getting started with art journaling ...feeling the possibilities ...seems very freeing...also enjoyed the music on your blog. Have a good one!
ReplyDeleteJust fabulous art work.. what more can I say.. love it. Love Cynthia x #19
ReplyDeleteWhen I first opened the page I thought the first photo was a bulletin board for a fleeting second...would make a nice background!
ReplyDeleteI love to craft but I just am not a painter...my daughter is though and I admire those who can. Lovely pages of your journal :)
You need to post about our amazing creation from GLAD night! LOL!
ReplyDelete@Fi - Thank you for stopping by. Yes, a very tired teacher indeed! I wish I could do this kind of "stuff" with the kids to get my fix more often, but sadly high stakes testing doesn't allow for that does it?
ReplyDelete@Fern - That's nice of you, thanks. Art journaling is way less of a commitment than an actual piece. I'm too much of chicken to do art work, but journaling is much less stressful. Thanks for checkig it out.
@M - Oh please, my bulletin board backgrounds are the wall. :) After too many years of the fire marshal showing up and telling us "too much paper" "paper too long/tall" etc., it's not worth the headache.
ReplyDelete@Jlo - I forgot about those! I put the box away when cleaning. I'm updating the post as we speak...gotta include you guys!
Geez, I stopped here a few times to make a comment and I kept getting sidetracked!
ReplyDeleteI lover your collage work! I think that you really have a knack for putting things together.
@Hula - Thanks. I've enjoyed working with it, but it's not easy for me. It's outside my comfort zone, but I'm getting better at quieting my inner critic.
ReplyDeleteI can't really see, but does Jason's page say that you "eat like wieners"?
ReplyDeleteAnd all I can make out on Jen's page is that you all drank a lot.
hmmmmmmm
January looks great! What a cool idea to invite your friends to play creatively in a guest journal. Love it!
ReplyDelete@Hula - of course, you eat and drink like weiners at my house. :)
ReplyDelete@Marjie - Yes, it is kind of fun! Thanks for stopping by.
you eat and drink like wieners on paul's balls.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful pages and I love the idea of a guest art journal, how cool will that be to look back on in a few years!!!
ReplyDelete@hula - yep, Paul's balls were delish! ;
ReplyDelete@sam - ive wanted to do a guest book for some time but just never put it together...I agree looking back through it later will be fun!
We ate Paul's balls while we were drunk...naturally! ;)
ReplyDeleteThis is my first visit to your blog. I love what you've done with the place! You're creativity is fun and vibrant. I love your idea of having guests contribute to your book.
ReplyDeleteTotally following you now, btw. :)
ReplyDeleteLovely January page! And I have enjoyed looking at your other pages too. I think having a guest journal is a GREAT idea :-))
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