more art journals

Here are some works photographed in process...
I usually start out painting my pages (in this case I actually glued down this panel from faux tin-ceiling wallpaper first, and then sewed this key in using sewing machine over a piece of vinyl, then painted the background).



Then I added some text, cut a hole, and sewed window screen behind the window. I used a serger machine on the side of the page to layer the edges of the book, and sewed on a metal tab at the edge to use as a "page turner."

Next, I decided that I wanted eyes to show through the window so I found and enlarged an old picture of me as a child to place carefully behind the window. I built my next set of pages around this picture, mindful of what would show up on the previous page.





I already had my picture laid down, so I painted the background. Some of my sewing from the previous page's design showed through, but I like that... automatic texture for these sets of pages.

I use peerless watercolors for most of my backgrounds because of the vivid, bright, easy-to-control color bleed. I love it when colors bleed in to each other. I use cheap foam brushes for most of my watercolor work (mostly backgrounds.) My mom sells the Peerless Watercolors at her website, www.vickieenkoff.com


I decided to keep this spread simple, and a little raw- it matched my mood. I added some stickers made with dymo labels (I find the process of turning the letter ball and punching each letter to be very therapeutic!) and also added some rubber stamp numbers and journaling. I made use of the box created from sewing on the previous page by making it a container for some text.