An Art Journal Entry and 2 Applications

What a blessed day!  I started by working on an art journal entry for Word Art Wednesday Challenge #25 which features the Bible verse from Hebrews 13:15, using the Play Date Cafe PDCC129 suggested colors of dusk, magenta and seedling.  One thing led to another, and I ended up making a card for Case Study Challenge #88 and another one for Unscripted Sketches #156, both of them featuring my original art journal entry.  Sometimes everything works.  I am glad today was one of those days!

My art journal has a weathered ledger print on it, which worked perfectly with PDCC129, since seedling is a greenish/yellowish color.  I began by lightly writing the text in pencil, erasing and rewriting as needed, until I had a layout I was pleased with.  I proceed to sketch out my illuminated letters in pencil. Next, I inked all the text with a gray #87 Staedtler Mars watercolor brush marker.  In addition, I outlined the illuminated letters with a black Sakura Micron pen.  I colored in the grapes with a magenta Bienfang watercolor brush pen.  I colored the leaves with the wet tips of olive green and goldenrod Prismacolor watercolor pencils, to get a shade of the seedling color.  To enhance the background, I used a magenta pastel, a goldenrod pastel, and my finger to shade it.  I used an eraser to highlight some areas that I felt had been overdone.

The Case Study Challenge Blog inspirational piece for this week features the last card by Laurie Schmidlin for the month of April.  As soon as I saw it, I knew exactly what I wanted to do!  So that I could use my journal page, I scanned it, edit it on iPhoto, and printed a reduced version of it.  I used a seedling color card base by DCWV.  Then, I made a mat from a magenta print from a K&Company Handmade specialty pad, and rounded the corners.  I cut a piece of lace edged seedling colored cross-stitch fabric ribbon and taped it down as shown.  I used foam dots to adhere my journal page print, and clipped a miniature clothespin on the side.  As a finishing touch, I layered a magenta flower, dusk lace print flower, and a goldenrod button.  I also used a Martha Stewart punch to make a goldenrod butterfly, which I accented with Tim Holtz stickles.

For my Unscripted Sketches card submission, I took their advice and used their sketch for the basis of my creation. Therefore, it is not a literal interpretation.  I used the same kind of card base as my previous card and substituted the TITLE with a layered strip of printed papers from the same K&Company pad.  Then, I used another print of my journal page for the larger block.  Instead of the 3 small rectangular blocks, I used another butterfly punch and 2 flowers from a K&Company handmade die-cut cardstock set.    I accented the flowers with Tim Holtz stickles.  (I want to thank my blogging friend Patricia, at "The Old Back Porch," for recommending this blog challenge.)

I really enjoyed exploring applications for my art journal page, and basically creating a mini-series.  I hope you enjoy them as well, and feel led to leave a comment.  I would also love to increase my number of followers, so don't be shy!  By the way, be sure and visit Paperie Designs Studio Fascinating Fridays, where Noor Nahdi is featuring an interview conducted by Tania Nelson of me.  I think she did an awesome job!  You'll certainly learn more about me than what I feature in my profile.  Blessings!