Its a statement we all need to hear from time to time. On this particular day, I decided to say it to myself, because why not? Sometimes I have the desire to spend time art journaling, but very little time. Or, I have the desire to do something creative, but am so exhausted, it is hard to muster up the energy for a big project. Tired and busy were the perfect descriptors for me this past Friday as I was wrapping up a week filled with a stomach bug, 3 birthdays, a snow day, and prepping for a large Saturday birthday party. I knew that spending time in my art journal would be good for me, but I just couldn’t commit the normal hour or more that it takes for me to complete a full layout.
It was at this cross point of a desire to create something and pure mental exhaustion that I glanced over to a recent magazine I received in the mail. The image on the front intrigued me, so I decided to fussy cut it out and use it as the main feature on my page. I knew the visual impact of this piece would be strong, so I wouldn’t really need to add a lot more elements!
Then, I decided to fall back on another technique that I know helps to fill up a layout quickly, which is tissue paper decoupage. Every order shipped out from By the Well 4 God is wrapped in gorgeous floral tissue paper in black and white. I love it! I love it so much in fact, that I hoard it every month, knowing it will come in handy for multiple projects. So, cut out a piece from my stash to create the background for my art journal entry.
After I adhered everything down on the page, I liked the look a lot, but wasn’t quite ready to be done with the page. I very rarely take time to just sit and color, but I figured that coloring was about all the brain power I could muster at the end of this exhausting week. I carefully selected an array of Le Plume II Markers that tied in with the colors on the main image and laid them out around the page. When I was pleased with the order, I added some simple lines within the florals to extend the color across the whole page.
The last element to add to the page was a title. I scrolled through my Pinterest boards to look through a few quotes that I found inspiring. “Psst…You’re doing great” jumped out at me right away, and I added it using some bold Tim Holtz cling stamps. However, the initial stamp impression was not strong, so I went back over the stamped letters with a black sharpie and a white gel pen to really make the title pop off the page.
This was a simple page, but sometimes that is what we need as artists. You don’t have to reinvent the wheel every time you open your art journal. You can let yourself use tried and true techniques and really relax into the art you are creating!
I'm a mom of 3 who loves all things creative! My current passion is bible journaling, a creative outlet that has really shaped my faith journey. I'm also excited about diving into some memory-keeping projects and dabbling in a bit of art journaling.
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