Art Journal: The Start of Something New

Full 2 Page Art Journal Spread: The Start of Something New @Copyright 2015 Dawn Herring Collection

I've been wanting to show this spread to you since I completed it! This is the first spread I did since moving to my new house. So, it is truly the Start of Something New, and since it was during the holiday season, I decided to go with a red and green color theme. I had recently seen a fellow art journal artist on the Art Journal Junkies Facebook Group I'm a member of (LOVE this group!) using a stencil in the shape of flowers that were really cute and whimsical. So I thought I'd try my hand at cutting a flower stencil; I used a sheet of card stock that I had handy. I must say I love the art journal flow of moving with what's at hand. It all about experimenting to see what comes out, what works, what doesn't, and what I will try again! 

Art Journal Section Up Close on Stencil and Collage Elements

In the first image, you will see the full 2 page spread that includes the use of my hand made stencil. In this process, I cut out a four petaled flower out of card stock with a craft knife. I used the flower stencil directly on my art journal page and sponged red and green watercolor paint from Prang. (I use Prang only in my art journal since it is student grade.) I used a large 2 inch black sponge applicator with wood handle to apply the paint; I also used a smaller cosmetic sponge. Once I had the flowers sponged in, I  noticed the card stock had gotten quite wet and started peeling a bit. So, on a whim, I decided to lay down the mask of the stencil onto the page in various strategic spots around the sponged on flowers and used a brayer to burnish off  the extra paint left on the card stock. Thus, in the second image, you can see the watercolor surrounding the white flower as a result. I thought this was a super cool contrast--again, just experimenting! :) 

You can see in the third image below a close up view of the stencil work, both with the stencil and the mask layered on the page. In addition to the stenciling, I also added some collage elements (as seen in image two). One of the images I chose was a magazine cut out of holly with berries which I tore up into small pieces for a frame work of sorts, alternating the red and the green as I went. I absolutely love ripping collage elements since this makes for a very organic process, very hands on and yes, messy, as I glue down my elements with matte medium, but I don't mind, since I'm having so much fun in my ART ZONE. :) 

Art Journal Up Close of Stencil Work

Art Journal Up Close of Stamped Message: The Start of Something New

Once I had my stenciling done and my collage elements down, I decided to add some watercolor paint edges from the black sponge I had been using which gave it some visual interest and texture along the way still leaving a lot of white but just enough color to be pleasing. :) 

Then it was time for some stamping for the message. I did not plan out ahead of time what it would say. I find this the most organic part of all; it's that's listening I always talk about with an intuitive process, Honoring the Voice within that guides. As I thought about beginning in a new house (built in 1972) and in a new neighborhood, I decided to honor that passage by stamping out with watercolor paint, "The Start of Something New" with a set of lower case alpha stamps (my favorite size). The final image shows an up-close of the message. The placement and spacing of the letters is fun to Play with, whether vertical, horizontal or a mix of both. 

Art Journal Tip: I don't recommend using card stock for making stencils due to its absorbency. This was on a whim and I made the BEST of it. :)

Art Journal/Journal Prompt: 
Have you started something new recently? How About a New Year? Just a couple of weeks into it, huh? Do you have any new friendships, new projects, new opportunities to look forward to, to develop, in Honoring Who You Are? 

Go into detail on anything new on your horizon or that you've recently delved into; mention what you love about it and what you're not so thrilled with, to keep it balanced and true. It's okay to feel any disappointment with something new you're experiencing since what we have in our head doesn't always work out the way we expect. But maybe it's even better, hmm? Also include images, if you'd like, that represents this newness in your life. 

How about starting an art journal? I started my art journaling 5 years ago on January 1, 2010 and I've loved every page creation process. 

Starting a written journal is something I highly recommend as a refreshing practice for the soul. Or you could combine the two if that's you're preference. 

Listen to your heart and be sure to keep life fresh and pay close attention to what really matters to you. Watch what inspires you, what you want to learn more about, and see what you start up that's New to You. 

@Copyright 2015 by Dawn Herring
@Copyright 2015 Images Dawn Herring Collection