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Doodles

Improving an Art Journal Spread

Improving an Art Journal Spread

My art journal is my place to play and experiment. Unfortunately, not all of these experiments are successful. Lately, I’ve been seeing what I can do to improve the less successful spreads.

This post contains affiliate links. This means that if you click on the link and buy certain items, I will receive a small commission (at no extra cost to you) to help keep the lights on in the studio.

Before

I’ve been experimenting with using more color in my art journal. While I like the paper weaving area of this spread, I wasn’t happy with the doodles. It’s too busy, doesn’t have enough contrast, and the colors I chose are too bright.

After

I decided to color in some of the areas with a sanguine brush pen. This new version is much more successful. It’s less busy and has more contrast. And the sanguine color blends in better with the paper. I even like how the original pattern is partly visible through the pen. Maybe this will become a new technique?

Filed Under: Create Tagged With: Art Journal, Art Journal Tips, Before and After, Collage, Doodles

Adding Color to my Art Journal

Adding Color to My Art Journal

For someone who loves color, my most recent art journal spreads have been very neutral. I decided to remedy that and purchased some Pitt Artists Pens in fun colors.

Step 1: glue in images of mirrors

For this journal spread, I started by glueing in some phots of mirrors I found in a magazine.

Step 2: doodle

Then I added lots of doodles.

Step 3: add color

And then the fun part: adding color. I chose orange to contrast with the blue in the photos and added yellow to create an analogous palette.

Filed Under: Create Tagged With: Art Journal, Color, Doodles, Mixed Media, Step-by-Step

Orangutan & Doodles in my Art Journal

Orangutan & Doodles in my Art Journal

I found this orangutan photo in a magazine and had to add it to my art journal. Isn’t that facial expression great?

Adding a thought bubble to journal spread.

I added a thought bubble.

Adding more doodles to the art journal spread

Then, I added one of my favorite doodle patterns following the photo and thought bubble outline.

Adding more doodles to the art journal spread

I added another concentric line pattern.

Adding more doodles to the art journal spread

Then I added some lines in a ray-like pattern.

Adding more doodles to the art journal spread

I embellished the ray lines with doodled shapes.

The completed art journal spread.

I colored in some of the shapes to create contrast. Oops, I forgot to add words to the thought bubble. What do you think the orangutan is thinking?

Filed Under: Create Tagged With: Art Journal, Collage, Doodles, Step-by-Step

Flowing & Dotted Lines in my Art Journal

Flowing & Dotted Lines in my Art Journal

This post contains affiliate links. This means that if you click on the link and buy certain items, I will receive a small commission (at no extra cost to you) to help keep the lights on in the studio.

Gathering papers

I love the colors and patterns of these leftover strips of paper.

Gluing papers in journal

I glued them into my art journal in a loose grid pattern.

Coloring in spaces

Then I used my sepia and sanguine brush pens to color in three of the created shapes.

Adding flowing lines

Next, I added some flowing lines coming from the corners of the grid.

Adding more flowing lines

I also used a white pen on the colored areas.

Adding texture lines

I added lines in the shapes created by the lines to add some texture and interest.

Adding dotted lines

Then I added some dotted lines in the colored areas.

Decorating circles

To finish the spread, I added some doodles to the small circles punched into some of the strips.

Filed Under: Create Tagged With: Art Journal, Collage, Doodles, Step-by-Step

Exploring vs. Nesting in my Art Journal

Exploring vs. Nesting in my Art Journal

My art journals are usually only about what looks good instead of recording my thoughts and feelings. But sometimes a photo will spark a thought process.

Cut out road photo

This photo of a road leading into the distance awakened my urge to travel and explore.

Cut out home decor photos

But I also have a competing urge to nest, to create a home that is a haven and a source of inspiration.

Photos cut into puzzle pieces

I cut the road and home decor photos into puzzle-like pieces that I could mix and match.

Puzzle pieces glued into journal

This is what I glued into my journal, a mixture of the open road and a beautiful home.

Lines added to journal spread

I decided to create a stylized landscape for the road to travel through. I started by adding these curving lines with a sepia pen.

Texture lines added to doodles.

Then I added some short lines to create a texture in the shapes formed by the lines.

More curving lines added

I added more curving lines with a sanguine pen.

Texture lines added to shapes

Next, I filled in the shapes created with lines in a variety of angles.

Dividing lines darkened

To finish the spread, I darkened the curving lines to create more contrast in the pattern.

This journal spread is now a reminder to find a balance between my urges to explore and nest.

Filed Under: Create, Explore Tagged With: Art Journal, Collage, Doodles, Step-by-Step

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