Category Archives: art journaling basics

art journaling, art journaling basics, art tutorial, art video, mixed media

Simple journal cover tutorial

Simple journal cover you ask? Yes, it’s possible. Check out the YouTube video I made creating an easy and fun cover for a new art journal. All you need is a manila envelope, I used a 12×9″ size, but any size is ok. You need some paints, elastic, and stencils or rubber stamps. Use what you have and save yourself a trip to the craft store.

front and back of journal cover

I really like how it turned out, and there are so many variations that you can create. The sky’s the limit. You can also put something in the envelope, use it as a secret pocket.

Simple is great! The more complex the design, the more room for error, though you can’t really go wrong when art journaling.

At a whole other spectrum of creativity, I sewed a cat figure from scrap fabrics.

cat soft sculpture

A friend saw it on Instagram and promptly purchased it. I was happy to part with it. I painted the eyes and appliqued them to the face. A lot of embroidery was involved, and I sewed the body without turning the seams inside. I thought it added a primitive touch to the figure.

Sometimes just winging it makes the best art. 🙂

What are you making today?

If you’re looking for some more inspiration, try this spirit doll assemblage made with an old Altoid tin. HERE

Lots of love,

Maria

P.S. I’m stocking some Christmas items (gifts) in my etsy shop. Check them out HERE.

art journal, art journaling, art journaling basics, art journaling tools, artist, craft, creativity

Crafty girl’s guide to art journal making

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Crafty girl’s guide is a way to save on your art journals. Most of us mixed media artists drool over Moleskine and Strathmore brands, and many more, but they make a big dent in our wallets too.

Not that it’s bad to spend on good art materials. I do spend, but sometimes I like to make my own journal because it has “me” branded on it, not spiral binding or ugly covers.

I like to embellish the store-bought covers, but it’s something special about making your own.

I have even made some to sell in my etsy shop because beginning art journalers sometimes have a hard time with the blank page, so I make some simple backgrounds on the pages.

I buy watercolor paper on sale and take the pads apart for easy art making.

Then I fold the painted pages and use a bone folder to flatten the crease as much as possible. I sew the pages together with embroidery thread or hemp string.

The reason I like embroidery thread is that it’s colorful and strong, and flexible.

Crafty girls know how to be creative with the backgrounds in the journal. The more you create, the more your creativity blossoms.

Make your own!

crafty girl's art journal making
crafty girl’s journal

This is the latest journal I made. I covered the front and back with some vintage paper. The cover can be painted or more ephemera added on top. The label can be affixed anywhere or left out.

So much fun!

crafty girl's guide to art journal making

Above is a sample page of a background, and below are a few more. As you can see, crafty girl’s can make this EASILY!

crafty girl's guide to art journaling

crafty girl's guide to art journaling

So easy… A while back I made a video on how to put the pages together into a journal.  HOW TO VIDEO.

I have written some posts about art journaling basics for you. CLICK HERE TO READ.

ART JOURNALING STUFF (mostly cool backgrounds.)

If you need a push, here’s another post about the importance of allowing yourself to make art. BEGIN NOW! 

Now you can make your own journal and get started with art. There are no excuses and there is no time to lose. If you love art, make some today!

xo

Maria

P.S. I made a simple e-course on how to make a variety of art journals. It’s for the crafty girl in you! 🙂 CLICK HERE. 

You can also visit my etsy shop for more journals if you don’t want to make your own. EARTH AND FAERY

 

art journal, art journaling, art journaling basics, art journaling tools

Art Journaling basics

Art journaling can be a bit confusing for people who have never tried it. It’s a combo of writing / journaling combined with art. The art can include painting, collage, drawing, mixed media assemblage.

art journals
art journaling

Mostly, the media is collected into a book format of various sizes. To use wet media like watercolors and acrylic paints, you need a sturdy substrate a minimum of 90lbs paper to hold up the layers. These days you can easily find mixed media journals at the arts and crafts stores. .

Some of the brands I use are XL mixed media journal by Canson, Cachet by Daler Rowney,  Canson Mixed Media (which is better quality than XL,) and Moleskine. There are many varieties to try.  Here is a short video I made about art journals and other tools I use:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/6fr9p3ceqvmbli0/introartjournaltools.mp4?dl=0

I mention lots of different markers. I prefer permanent markers that can be used between layers and won’t smear when covered with wet media. The best way to find your preferred tools is by trying a variety of them. If you don’t want to buy the most expensive markers like Copic or Tombow, you can find some that are very good, like Faber Castell, Posca, and Sakura markers.  It’s better to invest in some medium quality markers to get better results in your journal. There is nothing more frustrating than poor quality paper and tools.

Brushes: You don’t need the finest brushes for this type of art. A variety of sizes and types are okay. You can even use foam brushes or brayers to spread the paint. I often use an old gift card to cover a page with paint. I mostly use brushes for details, but everyone works differently.

Don’t be afraid to try art journaling. It is so much fun, and there really are no rules! Once you find your favorite tools, you will return to those all the time. Go wild!! 🙂

xo

Maria

P.S. I have an e-course that pretty much covers the basics plus some fun art journaling spreads. You can check out Art Journaling Journey here.