Art Journal Catalysts

Gesso

Lesson 4 – Layering Image Transfers

Lesson 4 – Layering Image Transfers

For this final lesson, I will demonstrate how you can create a really cool art journal spread by layering multiple image transfers on top of one another. This particular process does take time to complete, only because you have to wait until each transfer is completely dry before you add another transfer over it. But the outcome is so worth the time and wait.

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Part 4 – Claiming the Female

Part 4 – Claiming the Female

Women’s lives and stories have been interpreted through the masculine lens for a long time. The idea of the witch came out of men being afraid of the knowledge that certain women had. They wanted to control women and so invented this idea of witchcraft as something to be afraid of and repress. And I would like this lesson to be about not being embarrassed to tap into that shared knowledge and history. To acknowledge that we are women and that we participate in society and matter just as much as anyone else. I want women to be proud of this and to be intentional in our art and lives.

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Textured Backgrounds for Journal Pages

Textured Backgrounds for Journal Pages

Hello again Get Messians, Tanyalee here with another tutorial post. This week I am going to show you how to use household items to create texture on your pages. I wouldn't normally use...

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Scavenger Hunt: Get inspired by your neighborhood

Scavenger Hunt: Get inspired by your neighborhood

Today I invite you to explore your neighborhood or maybe even a new city as a child would, curious about everything and wanting to find all the answers! Use the scavenger hunt guide to collect inspiration for your art journal and let your inner child play.

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Drawing inspiration from Andy Warhol

Drawing inspiration from Andy Warhol

Hi Get Messians, it's Karen here. I don't know about you but it can be really hard to come up with ideas sometimes for your journal. It's annoying to feel "stuck" when all you...

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Bonus – The Witch’s Garden

Bonus – The Witch’s Garden

Welcome to the bonus lesson where we will stretch and blend and reimagine the symbols and techniques we have created so far. The idea for this bonus spread is to use all of the elements of the first four lessons to create an all-encompassing art journal spread. This is how I usually work: my art process is all about seeing and showing connections. The theme for these pages is the witch’s garden where all sorts of amazing things flourish. What would you like to have in your garden? What will you feed and nourish and what weeds will you take out? This is your chance to work intuitively and tie together all the totems that you have identified throughout this class.

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Part 2 – Archetypes

Part 2 – Archetypes

Totems > Part 2 From Vocabulary.com: “In the psychology of Carl Jung, an archetype is an inherited pattern of thought derived from the past experience of the whole race...

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2.1 Quiet Backgrounds

2.1 Quiet Backgrounds

how to quieten a background with gesso
how to quieten a background with vellum
how to quieten a background with tissue paper
how to quieten a background with white out text
the glory of the blank page
inherently quiet backgrounds

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Make Your Own Paper Embellishments

Make Your Own Paper Embellishments

Supplies old book paper ballpoint pen paintbrush acrylic paint sealant scissors 1. Draw shapes onto the paper Three simple ones for me, on two types of paper. The hearts and stars were on...

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Lesson 1 – Acrylic Gel Medium Transfers

Lesson 1 – Acrylic Gel Medium Transfers

In this lesson I will go over the basic steps you’ll take to create an image transfer. These will be the exact same steps you’ll do for every single acrylic medium image transfer you’ll ever make. Once you’ve got this technique down, you’ll be able to incorporate it into your spreads with other mediums like paints, inks, and various papers.

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New do! Styling hair in your journal pages.

New do! Styling hair in your journal pages.

This tutorial will encourage you to use an altered book and encourage lots of play when you give your ‘model’ a new hair do. You don’t need a ton of supplies to get a really effective page in your art journal.

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Movable Idea Catchers by Kiala Givehand

Movable Idea Catchers by Kiala Givehand

IdeasYour challenge, should you choose to accept it: Create an interactive way to explore and discover the ideas that live inside you. Part 1Bonus Save this file to your computer, print it out, and...

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Lesson 2 – To Gesso or Not to Gesso

Lesson 2 – To Gesso or Not to Gesso

Gesso: A white paint mixture consisting of a binder mixed with chalk, gypsum, pigment, or any combination of these. It is used in artwork as a preparation for any number of substrates such as wood panels, canvas and sculpture as a base for paint and other materials that are applied over it.

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Using image transfers

Using image transfers

Hi, everyone! Jeannie here. Today, I’m showing you how to apply image transfers in your art journal pages. I learned about this technique last year but I only tried it when I got...

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How to make a layered mixed media collage

How to make a layered mixed media collage

Hello Get Messy Peeps! Cassandra here. Today I am sharing a mixed media piece in the hopes of inspiring you to be brave with gel, gesso and gelatos. This one is a simpler version of a...

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04 – Visual Gratitude Pages

04 – Visual Gratitude Pages

While I love writing in my journal, there are also times where I just want to get my paints out and play. This lesson focuses on just that. We will still be documenting things we are...

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Our Archaeological Dig by Lisa Goddard

Our Archaeological Dig by Lisa Goddard

VulnerabilityYour challenge, should you choose to accept it: Work in layers to express different aspects of yourself and your life. Imagine an archaeologist peeling back each layer in 200...

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Feelings from Music by Anouk Karssen

Feelings from Music by Anouk Karssen

VulnerabilityYour challenge, should you choose to accept it: While you listen to a song that moves you, that reminds you of a happy memory or simply inspires you. Take a moment to feel what...

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The Recovering Perfectionist’s Guide to Making Art

The Recovering Perfectionist’s Guide to Making Art

Download Save this mini workbook to your computer, print it out, and let it accompany you on your artistic journey this season.  Your guide Caylee Grey Hyperbolic journaler and imperfect artist, Caylee Grey is also a wife and mother from South Africa. Caylee is the...

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01 – Making a Gratitude Journal

01 – Making a Gratitude Journal

In this lesson, we will start off by creating a beautiful cover for out gratitude journal. We will then select a wide variety of papers and bind them together using a really simple...

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02 – Creating Writing Spots

02 – Creating Writing Spots

In this lesson, we are going to start putting our journals to good use by creating writing spots. There are lots of fun ways to do this and I will be sharing some of my favourites....

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Textured Reflections by Amanda Trought

Textured Reflections by Amanda Trought

ChaptersYour challenge, should you choose to accept it: Create a reflective texture-rich art journal page. Bonus Save this file to your computer, print it out, and allow it to accompany you on...

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Gather, Spark, Create by Felicitas Mayer

Gather, Spark, Create by Felicitas Mayer

IdeasYour challenge, should you choose to accept it: Use your old paper scraps and other crafty left-overs to find new creative ideas for art journaling. Action Steps create something based on this...

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Color

Color

Color is an element consisting of hues, of which there are three properties: hue, chroma or intensity, and value. Color is present when light strikes an object and it is reflected back into the eye, a reaction to a hue arising in the optic nerve. The...

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03 – Warm Up Collage + Front Cover

03 – Warm Up Collage + Front Cover

When I am feeling stuck, uninspired or unsure I love to make mini collages. Using all of my favourite scraps of paper ad small journal, I create these mini collages as a way to warm...

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Intuitive Collage & Paint by Tamara Egem

Intuitive Collage & Paint by Tamara Egem

Flow Your challenge, should you choose to accept it: Create your own flow moment. Action Steps Bring your imperfect, messy self, take what you need, and know that more than zero is enough. Click here...

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Grungy Papers by Melanie Theriault

Grungy Papers by Melanie Theriault

MessYour challenge, should you choose to accept it: Create grungy tissue papers with a gel plate and acrylic paints to use as a quick background. Action Steps Bring your imperfect, messy self, take...

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Mindfulness Through Art

Mindfulness Through Art

Mindfulness#gmseasonofmindfulnessMindfulness. Turning towards ourselves and listening. Being patient and curious and open. Imagine how much our...

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MIND

MIND

Self #gmseasonofself Download the Season of Self: Mind Sidekick Save this file to your computer, print it out, and keep it inside your journal to spark journal ideas. For each...

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