Friday, August 19, 2011

Whats going on in my studio this week



Art is a collaboration between the God and the artist,
and the less the aritst does the better.

-Andre Gide





Right now this is looking like a mess.
My little "from the heart" journal.
Trust me.
It wont look this way when its done.
Just like my walk of faith right now.
It looks like a mess.
But that is when you look at it all with human eyes.
I am choosing FAITH.
Believing in the unseen.
It wont look this way when He is done.
Our creator, working in and through us.
First I chose a book.
It was a great book but I didn't feel sentimental about it.
I bought a bottle of gesso,
(FYI: they happened to have it at my Big box store
which is great when you HAVE to get started.)
Right now!
I grabbed a cup of water to keep my brush wet and a nice brush....


I started by gluing 3-4 pages together in my book to create one strong page.
( truthfully....she shares while blushing.....
I really started by using the gesso as glue
but it took so much that I backtracked and decided to glue first then gesso-
Girls are allowed to change their minds you know!!!)


Here Ive applied the gesso.
Its used to keep the paint from soaking into the pages.
Ive read that you dont HAVE to seal the pages first.
I want to use my watercolors and acrylics so I felt like this was the best way to start.

when I was impatient I used crumpled foil to separate the pages to work ahead.
I used waxed paper to separate damp pages, foil for the WET ones.

I used a purple pen to write out parts of the book on the pages that were glued together that I still wanted to remember.
You can see here where I skipped the gesso on a part I liked.
Then used tissue paper with great textures in it to add a layer on both sides of this page because all three of these pages were really great reading
and I wanted to be able to see the words through,
yet the pages still have some strength.
Its a re-creation.
taking something that was good and tweaking it for a new purpose.
(I pray that this is what is being done in me......)

I am hoping that "art journaling " will be a good thing.
I love when she said "My inner critic isnt allowed near that journal"

Last but not least, I have gotten the fronts done
so that I can knit the shoulder sleeves together then knit the sleeves.
I hope that I havent bored you to tears with my photos of a gesso ed up book mess.
Plus a partially knit baby sweater.
Its all Ive been able to muster together this week.
I am so glad its Friday ladies......

Under His wings,
Anna

5 comments:

  1. Enjoyed seeing how you are repurposing an old book. I've made my own but haven't yet done as you have here, but you've inspired me :-) Found you through Studio JRU link up.

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  2. Your art journal looks like such a fun project so far! I love the quote at the beginning of your post--the more I "let go" when I'm creating, the better the end product is. More of ME usually equals frustration and disappointment at the end! :)

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  3. I think your book is looking fantastic! All of my pieces look like a mess when I am working on them... as my studio photos often show. :) I love a good mess. Can not wait to see how this comes together. It is going to be great! :)

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  4. I love altered books and I always have a few going at once. I've never tried the foil method for wet pages...use wax paper all the time...but never thought of trying foil...thanks ;} Hope you have a great time in your studio this week. Fondly, Roberta

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  5. Love it. I did a book similar to this, I used gesso all over it and it worked so well!

    You made me hungry to pull out a new one!

    Messy art ~ a happy heart!
    xo
    Junelle

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