Here’s a sneak peak at the cover!
Look for it at amazon.com by December 1st!
The wait for my ART JOURNAL COLORING BOOK is almost over!
Art Journaling
The Freedom of Creating an Art Journal Page When You Don’t Care About the Outcome
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:
More Black and White Journal Pages
Would you believe today marks my last Guest Designer post with Faber Castell Design Memory Craft? Since my last Black and White Journal Page post was such a hit I decided to do another. Here’s a sneak peek below. For my swan song, could you please visit the original post at this link and leave me a warm and fuzzy message? And be sure to visit me here to see what I’m working on. xo, seena
Galaxy Quest aka Shaded Circles
The lovely frandalicious56 commented in my last blog post that one of her obstacles was shading white circles. Well, these circles aren’t white, but I find them just as challenging! I had already been playing with my Zig Clean Brush markers and shading in my art journal and promised frandalicious56 I’d post it.
When I’d finished the shading I thought it looked somewhat like a galaxy of planets, so I colored grey in around the orbs and added white “stars.” I achieved the shading by using either a light and dark color in the same hue or one color blended until it faded out.
So you see, not all pages are works of art. Playing and trying this and that, it’s what we all do to discover new techniques and improve. I’d love to know what you’re playing with right now in your art journal! xo, seena
Seena’s New Black & White Journal: Page One – Before and After
Hello everyone! Happy New Year! It’s my first post of the new year and I’m still reminding myself that it’s 2015. I know protocol says post every day (my cousin who works for the great oz, Google, said it so it must be true, right?), but honestly, how can art be authentic if we’re forcing ourselves to do regimented blog posts each and every day? I’ve actually stopped following a few artists on facebook, because their posts have become spam. (15 more days! 14 more days! 13 more days! Uggh.)
I had a great rest over the holidays and came home feeling rejuvenated. 2015 is going to be a great year I think. It was an embarrassment of art riches for me over the holidays, between gifts and boxing day sales. I’ll be sharing that with you, as well as some AMAZING books I’ve found, both for inspiration and collage.
Anyhoo, hubby and I went to Starbucks yesterday and I have to tell you the “Flat White” is my new favourite coffee. Love it! I brought the grey journal he gave me for Christmas in which I’m only journaling in black and white. It’s a fun challenge. Here’s the before and after of my first completed page. I painted in the white frame before I though to take the photo. Pardon my blueberry square:
Before pen work
After pen work
Wishing you all the best 2015 can bring. xo seena
Art Journal Page: Purple Alien
Hello everyone! This is such a busy time of year. I have to be careful to not let creativity take a back seat when my to-do list needs attention. Here’s a page I’ve been working on recently.
I used Pan Pastels to create the background. Collage is the next layer and the ink layer came last, including the tree which I created. I’d love to know what you think – please leave a comment below!
Junk Journaling, Part 2
Holy smokes this has been a busy week! Where does the time go?
I wanted to show you something fun I added to my junk journal. Check out these tabs:
Can you guess where I got them? I’ll give you a hint… they were free! I found them in my recycling bin…
Yes indeedy friends, it’s the weird box top thingy from the kleenex box. Just turn over, fold, stick, and paint. Couldn’t be easier! And in terms of functionality, they’re sturdy and a great canvas for paint or ink. Love it!!
Just another reason to love junk journalling – upcycling! If you’ve repurposed anything for your art or junk journal I’d love to hear about it. Please tell me about it in the comments section!
CLICK HERE for a list of the materials I used in today’s project.
xo, seena
Christmas-themed Art Journal Video: All Is Calm
Hi everyone!
For my Faber-Castell Design Memory Craft® blog post today I created an art journal page. Here’s a sneak peek:
Click HERE to head on over to the Faber-Castell Design Memory Craft® blog to see the full tutorial and how-to video. Happy Holidays!
xo, seena
Junk Journaling, Part 1
Hi everyone! I’ve just finished an art journal video which will be posted on Faber-Castell Design Memory Craft’s blog next week. You can see my other Design Memory Craft designs here and here. In the meantime, I’m having a lot of fun in my junk journal. When I was first introduced to this concept I had a difficult time understanding what a “junk” journal was all about. Why would anyone want to journal junk? Isn’t every page sacred?
Well guess what? No pages are sacred, that was just my perfectionism talking. I am now a complete convert and here’s why: Junk Journals = freedom! Freedom to make mistakes and experiment, which in turn frees your creativity from perfection. You can do no wrong. Make sense? Here’s a peek at my junk journal. The cover is made from a Trader Joe’s grocery bag. I’m not worried about messing up a grocery bag, that’s for sure!
The inner pages are made from junk paper (envelopes, old book pages, scrap paper scraps, etc.). This cat illustration was cut from an old children’s book. I embellished, add some new elements and decorated the page.
The red bird is a collage item from a color laser copy of another of my projects. I added the tree and buds.
Pages aren’t the same size, the same color, nor even from the same source (although you could use a cheap notebook)! If you are having some challenges with a blank page or wondering how to start art journaling, I highly recommend giving junk journaling a try. It’s a wonderful antidote to the fear of mistakes! Stay tuned for more of my junk journal pages… happy journaling!
CLICK HERE for a list of the materials I used.
xo, seena
StudioSeena 
