One of my YouTube favs is the wonderfully talented Claire Stead (Art_Journal Love). The other day she made a page using ArtStacks and I just had to check them out. They offer themed paper packs, so three sets somehow ended up in my cart. Got to love a quick digital download!
I’ve used them in my 6×6 Dina Wakley Media Kraft journal, with DWM paints and stencils. I had printed them on 160gsm white paper, so they’re a bit sturdier, which I prefer. The colours are bright and the images are, mainly, easy to fussy cut. I’m thrilled with them and will no doubt be buying more.
I’m going through a “strictly Dylusions” phase; my Dina Wakley journals haven’t been touched for a couple of weeks. Sometimes I work in both, using their products plus a few others such as Tim Holtz and Claire Stead. Other times, I feel compelled to just do one thing.
I’ve been painting or inking, then stencilling dozens of pages in three journals. Once they’re dry I add borders with stencils, washi tape or collage. In the evenings I sit in the lounge doodling with black and white Posca pens while Alan watches tv or we listen to music.
I outline all the collage, add stitch lines round some elements, doodle round the stencilling, and so on. I’m not fussy about it – if the line is wonky or goes over the collage it doesn’t matter.
All of this means that, although I’m using products designed by someone else (a lot of the collage is straight from Dyan Reaveley’s own journals), the final pages are mine – they clearly show the hand of the artist. I love that!
The pages below are sections from some of the ones I’m working on. I flip back and forth in the three journals, so I don’t have to wait for the pen work to dry.
Alan and I went to the Festival of Lights in New Plymouth last night. We also wanted to go to the Orchid Show, and only clicked yesterday that it was also this weekend. Because of the Festival there was no accomodation but it didn’t make sense to come home late, then be back in NP mid morning. I rang Flamingo Motel, where I stayed before my surgeries etc, and explained. Sure enough, they had one room I could have. Yes! I recommend them for a cheap, central, motel.
The lights were fantastic but god it was busy. Alan’s sister had been during the week and it was quieter than previous years. Yeah, well, they were all waiting for Saturday night!
We also went to the Orchid Show at Highlands Intermediate – amazing orchids, lovely people and some bargains. Why, yes, we did bring a couple of new orchids home.
My art practice is a mix of art and craft; my art has been centred on collab with Penny Kirk for our most recent exhibition in Greymouth. When it comes to crafting, for months I’ve been working predominantly in my Dina Wakley Media journals with DWM paints and stencils etc. Love love love … but also feeling the need to change things up a bit.
During the Covid-19 lockdowns in the UK artist Dyan Reaveley started doing online classes, as she couldn’t teach and travel as normal. Although converting GBP to NZD is pretty gruesome, I was fortunate to do quite a few classes and loved them.
I decided to rewatch the videos, knowing there’d be techniques and ideas I’d forgotten about. Sure enough, I’m loving the videos and am having fun working in a Jumpstart journal I had squirreled away.
I don’t normally complete a page at a time. The Jumpstart journal is blank pages on the left, and a colour copy of one of Dyan’s pages on the right. I start by using the babywipe method to colour a bunch of left hand pages, stencilling as I go. One that’s dry, I randomly add borders, cut shaped edges, add silhouettes and so on. Then I outline everything, doodle and add faux running stitch around elements. I sit in front of tv with Alan in the evenings, with a couple of sizes of black and white pen and just flick my way through adding details.
None of these pages are finished, but they show work in progress…
This is a 6×6” kraft journal; the pages are thick and take all kinds of punishment, but they do soak up a lot of glue etc. To get the brightest colours I put a layer of clear gesso down first.
The page with turquoise circles is a printed transparency from Dina Wakley Media that I’ve painted on the back then tipped in, so the pageunderneathpeeks through.
Cath Sheard Art 