Sketchbook Project 2011 (post for Carmen!!)

I have now finished The Sketchbook Project journal and sent it off to America!

Carmen mentioned that she would love to see a video of the finished journal, and as I have no technical knowledge what so ever, Paige (please hop over and take a look at Paiges blog, she is a very talented scrapbooker, mini booker, card maker and now, video editor!) very kindly agreed to do the video. Paige videoed it last week and has spent the WHOLE day today editing it for me (I was there but wasn't much help!), putting all the poetry verses and music on. She has done a FANTASTIC job and I can't thank her enough!!

So, this ladybird production video is for you Carmen...enjoy!!



or view it here at YouTube

For this project I wrote two poems to help inspire my artwork. I have done one verse per double page, so that is what the scrolling text is because the verses are not that easy to read on some of the pages.

Big Hugs Paige x

Thanks for looking,

Sami x

Art journalling mojo

My scrapbooking mojo may have left the building for a while but my art journalling mojo has taken up residence in its place! I am really enjoying doing these journals and am trying to doodle something everyday.

This one has my fav poem on it. I covered the page with old texts and music sheets and then drew the face and the bird over the top. I then used my watercolour crayons for the background and some stamps to finish it off.

On this one I wanted to try using some masks. I have not had a lot of luck using masks on my other pages, the colour always seems to leak underneath the mask, but I have found what the problem was...I need to be patient and wait for the paint to dry so that the mask sticks to the paper! I covered this page with brown kraft wrapping paper and old text pages and then gessoed over sections of it. I cut the lady from a magazine and used re posisional spray to stick it down. I used watercolour crayons to paint the background, let that dry and then used Tim Holtz alphabet mask for the words and a compass mask and inked around them with distress inks and used some mica sprays. I drew the poppy heads on and wrote the quote on the ladys body. I am really pleased with how this has turned out and will be practising with masks some more.

Also, I only have two pages left to complete on the sketchbook project and then I can get that sent off. I am pleased I took part in the project, even though I am rushing the end pages slightly to get it sent off in time! I will post them when Im done.
Thanks for looking,
Sami x

More from TSP

This is the 4th page of Waking the witch, the 2nd poem in my sketchbook.

I painted the background with acrylic and used some Tim Holtz tape. I used acrylic to paint the Goddess...shes turned out a bit scary for some reason! The verse reads;

At first she feared the power,

of whether right or wrong,

but as she listened harder,

she heard the Goddess' song.

5th page. I used acrylics again and leaf stamps. I may still put something in the centre of the circle as the page looks a bit plain. The verse reads;

"Its natures way" the Goddess sang,

"Mother Earths turning of the wheel,

the way we were in bygone days,

believe what your heart feels".

TFL

Sami x

TSP

Another page from the sketchbook project

This one is verse two of the second poem which reads;

She feels the power rising,

begining deep within her soul,

an awakening of ancient wisdom,

spiralling through her whole.

I used acrylic paint and gel pens on this page.

3rd verse reads;

The magic it seems was always there,

forgotton deep inside,

hidden knowledge that had been lost,

throughout the times and tide.

I used acrylic paint and watercolour pencils for this page. I forgot that I had to write on the page, which is why the verse is squished up in the corner!

TFL

Sami x

Latest pages

Firstly I wanted to say a big thank you for all the lovely comments on my sketchbook project pages. I have only been art journalling for 4 months and am still trying to find my style. I have been very unsure of my work but comments from people whose work I really admire, who are true artists in my eyes, have boosted my confidence a little!

This is the final page of the first poem I wrote for the journal. I used magazines to create a collage on each page and then I drew a face to use as a mask and painted around it on both pages. I printed the words out on the computer then inked them up. The page represents the bright colourful youthful me and the dull present day me!

The last verse reads:

But I need to know that you are there,

that once you used to be,

I need to hear your whispers,

and remember you were me.

I decided that I would keep the theme of poetry and art running through the book so have written another poem called Waking the witch. This poem also has 8 verses so that should fill another 8 pages! It is about the forgotton ancient knowledge we all have inside of us, the knowledge of magic and pagan ways.

I used magazine images to create the border over a painted background. I drew the lady on cartridge paper then cut her out and stuck her on the page and used the first verse and lots of doodles to fill the page.

The first verse reads:

In the silence she hears a whisper,

a sweet calling in the dark,

A sound that seems familiar,

A chant that starts a spark.

Thanks for looking,

Sami x

The sketchbook project

I have ummed and ahhed over putting my sketchbook project work on my blog but as this is what im spending most of my time doing at the moment I have decided to post them. I would really value your opinions on what I have done so far. I have struggled with this project. I had just reached a point in my art journalling where I was able to just 'do it' and not worry about how it turned out, to be able to just enjoy creating art and let it flow, and then I started this and back came all the insecurities...people are going to look at this (hopefully!) so I had to get it right, it had to be perfect, and it's taken me back to square one again! I am trying really hard not to be precious with it and there are a couple of pages I am really not happy with but I am going to leave them in.

I chose the theme 'sorry I forgot you' and am doing how I have forgotton who I used to be when I was younger. I decided to help the art work come, that I would write a poem and have that running through out the book...it hasn't quite worked like that as my poem is only 8 verses long so that has only given me 8 pages of work! I don't know yet how I will continue with it, should I write another poem or just do random stuff for the rest of the book???

The front cover

Could have been better, but I was struggling to start the book so just slapped some paint on to help get me going!

First page

The mirror frame is cardboard that I triple embossed then stamped into.

2nd page
Acrylic paint, masks, glimmer mists and pen. The first verse of the poem reads;
' Sorry I forgot you
in a dusty corner of my mind,
it was easier to leave you there
where I didn't hear your cries'


3rd page
Drawing, stamping, acrylic paint, water colour crayons and pencils
' Your relentless screams for freedom
used to echo through my head
so I shoved you even further back
and played deaf, blind and dead.'

4th page
water colour crayons for the background, acrylic and pencils for the drawing
'I hear you only sometimes now,
when I'm feeling far from whole,
you send me visions to my dreams,
that rip apart my soul.'

5th Page
acrylic paint background, collage, stamps, pen and pencils
' I hate to think you're lonley
feeling all confused and lost,
I've hidden other things with you,
and believe me it has cost.'

6th page
acrylic paint, pens, glimmer mist
' My confidence resides with you,
my looks and youth as well,
my hopes and dreams are also there,
first loves and kiss and tells'.

7th page
acrylic paint, water colour pencils, newspaper
' My innocence and childlike ways,
the sparkle in my eyes,
the ability to give my all
and hurtful truths and lies.'

8th page
acrylic paint, mask, ink, pen
' I do sometimes check in on you,
to make sure that you're ok
and I know its awfully cruel of me
to keep you locked away'.


And thats as far as I have got! I have one more verse of poem to do and will then have to thing about how to continue the book.
I have tried to vary my style on every page using all the stuff I have learnt so far on my art journalling journey.
Thanks for looking,
Sami x

The Sketchbook project

My sketchbook for the Sketchbook project finally arrived!! I have been waiting ages for it, with much excitement and now that its here.....

... I have not got a clue what to do with it!
The theme I chose was 'sorry I forgot you' as I thought that would give me quite a lot of scope, some of the other themes I didn't even get!!!
I have been creating quite happily in my own journal, some good pages and some not so good, but it hasn't bothered me if they have not come out as I hoped. But now all my insecurities are creeping back at the thought of filling this book with ART that other people will want to look at. What if all my pages turn out crap, what if all my ideas are rubbish, what if in 3 weeks I still can't think of anything to put in it??????ARGGGHHH it's scrapbook apprentice all over again! Worry, worry, worry instead of create, create, create!
Maybe I just need a good slap?!!
TFL
Sami x

Art journalling with the kids

I have been playing around with my new water soluble crayons, creating some backgrounds for my journal pages.

They are so free and easy to use and the colours come out even more vibrant once you add water.
Trying out some different border designs and page backgrounds with water colour pencils. I thought I might scan these these so I can cut them up and use them on other journal pages.

More with the crayons

For the page on the left, I drew a design with water colour pencils, gave it a light wash and then applied some masking fluid on the brown swirls and some random circles. Then I gave the whole page a wash of green arylic paint and rubbed the masking fluid off. The background of the right page was done with the crayons and then I added a border with black pen and a white poster paint pen, drew the letters, painted around the ouside of the wings then re posistioned them with a heart in the middle. Some of them I'm happy with, some not, but thats what I love about art journalling, I don't have to create perfect work, I can experiment and play about and not worry about the results!

I had to go into town this morning and get the rest of my son's school uniform. It was peeing with rain, the kids were asking 'what are we going to do today?', so I popped into Smiths and picked them up a cheap sketchbook each. When we got home I cleared the dinning table and got all my art stuff out. ' Lets art journal' I said! I gave them a sketchbook each, explained a couple of techniques to them and sat down and joined them! Four hours of creativity, fun chatter and laughter. They were engrossed!

Busy, busy, busy!

Some of Caleb's pages

Some of Shelby's pages

I am so impressed with everything they did in their journals! Caleb is 13 and quite a perfectionist like me so it took him a while to just loosen up and go with it, in the end he was scribbling with crayons all over the page to create backgrounds. Shelby has just turned 10 and wanted to try every technique. She used a bit of collage, masking fluid and arylic paints and crayons. It was so inspiring to watch them create. They came up with their own ideas and filled page after page, complaining when we had to stop and clear up for tea! Although both of them draw a lot and caleb has done some paintings and has watercolours and an easel, I think they liked the freedom of the journal. I told them it didn't matter if they messed a page up, just turn the page and do something else. Hopefully we will spend many hours creating together.

I also joined the sketchbook project (see the link top right). I have been looking at this for a while umming and ahhing over it and I finally thought 'why not?' and paid up. I chose my theme and I get sent a sketchbook to fill on that theme. I post it back by Jan 15th 2011 and then it tours America finally ending up at the Brooklyn art library where people can sit and look them. Every time someone checks your book out(to look at there, they can't take it from the museum) they send you a text or email to let you know. I don't know how my book will turn out as I have only just started art journalling, but how cool to be part of such a great project??!!

TFL

Sami x