The painted background of this journal page had been sitting for a while in my art journal. When I’m feeling the urge to create, but I don’t know exactly how to express it, I work on background layers. This one was made using some golden paints and stencils. I came across it, realized I really didn’t like it very much, and thought it would be okay to wreck it. To me that meant experimenting. In this case with black ink running down my page as we see so many art journalists doing this days.

The nice thing about not liking a page is not really caring about the outcome. We aren’t expecting perfect and can really let go. So I made the drips and forgot about it. Then one day I was flipping through and BAM! I saw insect legs, which led me to looking for a body. Since I don’t like insects all that much I was looking for a cute body. My ladybug was born!

I wouldn’t have created this page if I’d thought too much about it. One thing just led to another, and all because my not liking the page freed me up to do whatever I wanted. Isn’t that the point of art journaling anyway? I think many of us over think our pages and lose the process of flow as a result. That calming space in making art where we are so into what we are doing that we lose track of everything that’s happening around us. If this happens to you, embrace it! You’re on the right track!

xo, seena

Supplies I used for this project:

• Derwent Graphik Line Painter Pens
• India Ink