Orange Spiral Arts

Prepping a Visual Journal Background-Tutorial

This post was originally written as a design team member for artistcellar.

Simple and Fun Visual Journal Background with Briana

Hello Everyone,

I hope this post finds you well. I have been getting back into visual journaling again. Although I have been playing in my journals for years, I don’t always write about my life. It’s time for me to bring that back. I still will be creating fun backgrounds before I do the writing/journaling part because backgrounds are my favorite!

Today’s post is a quick tutorial for making a fun background page in your visual journal that you can then add a photo from your life (i.e. photo + washi tape), or some writing about your day, etc.

Enjoy!

 

Supplies Used

Acrylic paint

Paint scraper

Artistcellar Traditional Japanese: Arrrow stencil

Staz On stamp pad

Baby wipe

Rubber stamp

Yellow Owl Workshop black stamp pad

 

Step 1:

Use 2-3 matte acrylic paint colors and scrape them across your pages with an old plastic card.

 

Step 2:

Choose one of your favorite Artistcellar stencils; I am using the “Arrow” stencil from the Traditional Japanese Series.

 

 

Step 3:

Using a stamp pad like Staz On, rub some color over the stencil and into the openings. TIP-Do this gently as to not chew up your stamp pad.

 

Step 4:

Use a baby wipe to spread that ink into the spaces of the stencil. Remove the stencil and have a look.

 

Step 5:

Find an interesting stamp and a black stamp pad.

 

Step 6:

Create a border on the top and bottom of your page.

 

Now your page is all set for you to add a personal photo, or to do some journaling about your life!

 

Way to go!

 

I hope you have tons of fun in your visual journal!

 

Sending Blessings,

Briana

 

PS I am teaching Getting Started with Visual Journaling at Wet Paint in St. Paul, Minnesota. The next available class will take place on Saturday, June 22, 2019. See the Events section on the Wet Paint site for more information and to register. If it is not posted yet, check back soon!

Upcoming Classes at Wet Paint

Thursday, May 23, 2019 from 10:30am-1:30pm, Fee $48

Sign up today, before this class fills! It's been quite popular in the past.

Liquid Watercolor Mandalas

In Gratitude:

Thank you for reading this post, for supporting my art, and for giving your creativity the attention it needs.

Blessings and More Going Out to You,

Briana

 

 

Getting Started with Visual Journaling -Class at Wet Paint

“Our creativity-that is, our fearless engagement with the world around us- is the source of our happiness and purpose on this planet.” –Peter Himmelman, Let Me Out: Unlock Your Creative Mind and Bring Your Ideas to Life

 

Dear Creative Ones,

 

I’d like to invite you into the wonderful world of visual journaling. This is a world where anything goes; there is no right or wrong way to express yourself in your journal. My style is not going to be your style, and that is the beauty of sitting with others who are also engaging in the process of keeping a visual journal. You are unique, and your own artistic style will show up. You don’t even have to think of yourself as an artist; you are born a creative being.

 

In my upcoming class at Wet Paint, Getting Started with Visual Journaling, I have a few goals. The first goal is to help you overcome your fears of the blank page. The second goal is to have you feel seen, heard, and loved while you are in class. The third goal is to have fun playing around with various mixed media supplies, so that we may breathe a little easier, let go of the stress we carry, and just be present to the moment.

 

I will be guiding you through creating initial backgrounds, adding to those backgrounds, as well as doing some low stress drawing and journaling exercises.

 

This experience is for you, and I want you to see yourself reflected in your visual journal.

I have been keeping visual journals for over twenty years. Some of my journals have tons of writing, and other journals are explorations into various art materials. The journals that mean the most are the ones where I’ve included bits and pieces of my life. Those bits and pieces could be photographs, ephemera from the day, or a deep writing session.

We are all on a journey, and a visual journal is your companion along the way. Whether you are in a place of healing physical or emotional pain, in some sort of transition, or riding life’s waves with ease, we all need a safe space to express ourselves. That’s what a visual journal is for me. When I am present to the creative process, I connect to something greater. To illustrate this, one woman at a recent MN Visual Journal Collective meeting said when referring to her journal, “It’s time I start working on a better relationship with myself.” That resonated with so many others in the room. Can you relate, too?

 

Gather your supplies, begin to open your heart, and let’s create together.

Register for Getting Started with Visual Journaling here: http://info.wetpaintart.com/index.php/event/getting-started-visual-journaling-taught-by-briana-goetzen/

 

 

“Without dreams, without risks, only a trivial semblance of living can be achieved.” –Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, Finding Flow

 

May we all go about our days with a greater sense of aliveness.

May it be so.

 

Sending Blessings to you,

Briana

 

Artist’s bio

 

Briana Goetzen, MA of Orange Spiral Arts is an expressive arts coach, artist, writer, photographer, and teacher. With a background in Elementary Education and Human Development, Briana brings gentleness, a sense of calm, and a never-ending enthusiasm for the arts wherever she goes. Briana’s art teaching philosophy is “process over product,” and her personal mission is to inspire your creative spirit.

www.OrangeSpiralArts.com

Briana is offering a variety of classes at Wet Paint in 2019 for children, youth, and adults. Please look at the Wet Paint site for upcoming Events and registration information. Thank you! I am ever-grateful for your interest and support.

 

 

 

Beautiful Butterfly Mixed Media Art Journal Page

 

Greetings Everyone!

One of the things I love about stencils is that they provide a structure and/or texture that helps a page come alive.

Today I am sharing a tutorial where I use only a few supplies to create a dynamic journal page.

Supplies Used

Tam’s Whimsy Series-Butterfly Wings stencil

Traditional Japanese Series-Cherry Blossom stencil

Ranger Dylusions-Alphabet border stencil

Mechanical pencil

Distress Stain

Water-soluble pencils

Dylusions Spray Ink

Golden Molding Paste

Palette Knife

Small paintbrush

Jar of water

 

Step 1:

Use Tamara Laporte’s Butterfly Wings stencil and trace the inside parts with a pencil.

 

Step 2:

Grab the Traditional Japanese Cherry Blossom stencil, as well as some molding paste by Golden, and a palette knife.

 

Spread the molding paste through the Cherry Blossom stencil. Decide if you want any of the pattern to go over the butterfly or not. I chose to let in some of the pattern.

Step 3:

Thinking about the rule of thirds, add the pattern from the Dylusions Alphabet Border stencil underneath the butterfly area on the page.

 

Use Distress Stain through the stencil, and blot up the extra with a paper towel.

 

Step 4:

Add water-soluble pencils to the butterfly. Then use a small paintbrush and water to make the pencil move like watercolor.

 

Step 5:

Create a rough paper mask for the butterfly.

 

 

Step 6:

Use Bubblegum Pink spray ink over the butterfly area of your page. Use a paper towel roll to soak up extra ink.

 

Step 7:

Remove the paper mask and take a look at your page!

 

In case you are curious, below is a photo with the spray ink and Distress Stain that I used.

 

I hope you have tons of fun in your art journal this week!

 

Sending Blessings,

 

Briana of OrangeSpiralArts.com

PS If you are local to the Twin Cities (Minneapolis/St. Paul), Minnesota, be sure to check out all of the wonderful classes I have coming up at Wet Paint! The first one is Getting Started with Visual Journaling. It starts on Tuesday, April 23, 2019, 10:30am-1:30pm, and runs the following two Tuesdays after that, too! Please tell all of your retired friends, friends who work the second shift, or entrepreneur friends with a flexible schedule. It's going to be a great class!

Markers, Stencils, and a Spray Bottle-An Artistcellar Design Team Post

 

Would you like to hear my best-kept secret? Children’s art supplies, in combination with professional art supplies, are wonderful for mixed media artists.

There, now you know.

Today, I am sharing an easy tutorial that will add color, scent, and fun to your creative endeavors.

 

Supplies Used:

Chris Cozen-Bodacious Pods stencil by Artistcellar

Lynn Krawczyk-Marked Series stencils by Artistcellar

Scented markers by Mr. Sketch

Water spritzer

Watercolor paper

Paper towel roll

 

Step 1:

Place the Bodacious Pods stencil on a piece of watercolor paper.

Use the Mr. Sketch markers to loosely fill in the spaces of the stencil.

Enjoy the scents as you go!

 

Step 2:

Spritz the marker and stencil with water.

Use a paper towel roll to soak up extra water before removing the stencil from the paper.

 

Step 3:

Remove the stencil and see what you’ve got.

 

Step 4:

Place the Marked Series stencils all around the rest of the paper.

Color in some of the spaces with more colors from your Mr. Sketch scented markers set.

 

Step 5:

Spritz the stencils and marker with water.

Use the paper towel roll to soak up extra water, if desired.

Lift the stencils and take a look at the paper now.

 

Step 6:

Draw some wobbly rings around the pods stencil.

Spritz them with water.

 

Step 7:

Let the paper dry and then bask in the wonder of water spritzed over Mr. Sketch markers.

 

Step 8:

Use your watercolor paper as a journal cover, mail art, or tip into your art journal. A white gel pen would like great over some of those dark areas, would you agree?

Enjoy!

 

Thanks for being here! May you have a wonder-filled day!

 

Blessings to you,

Briana of OrangeSpiralArts.com