Friday, 19 January 2018

An adventure for AJJ and 2nd travelers notebook

I'm starting to get fed up with the cold grey (and often very windy) days here in the UK as they are making me feel less motivated to do much. I'm not sure I achieved so much this week and the woman in the piece I made for AJJ looks like she might be about to doze off too - maybe she needs to go somewhere sunny and warm on some adventure to change that.

Linking up to AJJ New Year, New Adventures  theme where the lovely Erika from BioArtGal is hosting ths month.
I used a white Neocolour 1 wax crayon as a resist on background then added water soluble Neocolours 2 and watercolours - added drawing and words  then finished with some some digital additions from my own made (previously )digital kits.


Below is the original piece before digital alterations.

 
This year I am hoping to finish half started things from previous years
like this male portrait.

Although I've done a few soft pastel pieces in the last couple of years, I'm fairly new to using pastels and still trying to grasp how to do things.. i.e when using soft pastels, when to use the pastel pencils or 'hard pastels' and understanding paper types and how many layers of pastels they might take and if I need a fixative, how to store them so they don't smudge etc  argghhhh!!  hopefully by the end year I might have a little more idea on how to do this!

And I'd like to do some bookbinding/making this year. This is the second attempt at a 'Travelers notebook' and bigger one than the previous one.. the pages inside are about 7" x 5".


 The cover is a sandwich of 2 layers of green felt with a sheet of craft foam in the middle. I hand sewed around the edges and across the middle and should have used my machine instead as the sewing is awful - don't look too closely!

I'll probably decorate the outside some more later but for now I just want to see how I get on using it.
I added threes sections of pages inside - some plain paper and some lined.
I hope a third attempt on one of these style books (as soon as I can find some nice material and/or vinyl) will be better.

Have a great weekend
and thanks for stopping by
Gill x


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16 comments:

  1. froebelsternchen19 January 2018 at 18:34

    I am in awe of your wonderful page - the lady is going to have a wonderful adventurous year I guess! Thank you for making such a fantastic page for Erika's theme Gill. Your digital additions are always so clever and look so well. Your portrait in pastel looks great too.I am so bad in portraying men. Have to practice this - but there are so much things to practice on my agende -grin.
    And so pastel it's another nice adventure for you in 2018- super! Your journal turned out super - perfect for starting another adventure in. I am really looking forward to see with what you will come up at the pages - I hope we will get to see some of them !
    I wish you a happy weekend and don't mind the weather - it's nearly the same here, but that's the best weather for staying at home and making A*R*T!

    hugs
    Susi

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  2. Terri Petersen19 January 2018 at 20:20

    I LOVE the hand stitching on your traveler's notebook! (I think it's more special than machine sewing would've been.)

    The 2018 page is charming, as well as the young man's portrait you're working on. I appreciate you showing the before and after the adding of the digital details.

    I hope you have a wonderful weekend getting lost in creating art and forget all about the winter blues!

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  3. sheila 7719 January 2018 at 20:23

    I like your original piece, it's great, and I like it with the digital additions too. Is that your own postage stamp designs? I would love it if we could buy stamps like these. I think this lady may be waiting for a bus and is having a little snooze while waiting. Well done on making a portrait with pastels. I've never found out how to use them without spreading the pastel dust everywhere, but they do make lovely seductive colours. It's very nice to see some real practical sewing.
    Happy art-making in the frosty windy cold (inside).

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  4. Valerie-Jael19 January 2018 at 20:47

    We've had bad weather here too. But you did get a lot done. The journal page is fantastic in both variations a d the journal turned out very well, too. Have a nice weekend, hugs, Valerie

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  5. Meggymay19 January 2018 at 21:21

    Its a fantastic page Gill and the digital additions looked good. She is a beautiful thoughtful lady I think she is about to have a few adventures this year,
    The pastel male looks great as well.
    Your Travelers Notebook sounds fun, you'll enjoy using it, I look forward to seeing photos in future as you start using it.
    Our weather is awful as well, snow this week, freezing cold, high winds , you name it we've had it.
    Have a good weekend Gill
    Yvonne xx

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  6. Bleubeard and Elizabeth19 January 2018 at 21:59

    Your journal page is certainly colorful and gets rid of the winter blahs. I adore the way you combine digital with traditional, too. I really really like how you got the resist. It's a beautiful entry and I am so grateful you shared it with us at Art Journal Journey today.

    I have trouble with pastels smudging, too. I wrote a tutorial on hard, soft, and pan pastels, and I like how some blend better than others. However, they all smudge, regardless, but the pan pastels were the worst. I really like your portrait painting.

    I am in AWE of your hand stitching, something I can't do since I can't grip a needle. It turned out great, too. You are certainly on your way to an artful new year and new adventure.

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  7. My name is Erika.20 January 2018 at 00:05

    I know what you mean about this winter weather. It has been cold and nasty here too much too. I love your art this week though Gill. I think the traveling lady is not only sleepy but also fed up with the winter weather too. It's a great page Gill. As is your pastel sketch. Very nice. You nailed the skin tones and blush!And I am loving your journal cover. That green is a gorgeous colors. What a color for a cover. And makes me wish there was more green outside too. :) I'm really glad you stopped by AJJ and linked up and I hope your weather improves soon. Hugs-Erika

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  8. artbyjune20 January 2018 at 09:06

    I love the cover of your journal. What a good idea to use felt like this. I have a packet of felt and foam from The works, I think, and haven't found uses for them. Maybe I will try making a journal cover! I love your collage piece...she looks ready to get away on a holiday...to the sunshine!

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  9. Dortesjs20 January 2018 at 12:43

    great post love all your different things..Journal, digital alterations, and all

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  10. Let's Art Journal20 January 2018 at 14:05

    Wow, you've been busy and your projects are wonderful! Your journal page is so colourful and happy and it looks like you are having lots of new adventures with your lovely pastel portrait and amazing book binding/making too. 😁. It's been cold here with strong winds and rain and also some sunshine at times, so we've managed to go walking nearly everyday this week without getting wet ...lol 😁. I've also had time in my craft room, it's nice to keep warm this time of year crafting, isn't it ... well that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it ...lol 😉. Wishing you and yours a very happy weekend! J 😊

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  11. Chris Lally20 January 2018 at 17:03

    What fun (especially with your sense of humor)! I've had a rough week with the gloomy skies, too, and your blog post makes me smile. Love your finished AJJ piece, the in-progress portrait & the book. I share your frustration with pastels & look forward to learning more about making books and journals. Thanks for the inspiration.

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  12. Little Artbee22 January 2018 at 17:08

    Your Journal cover looks very good in both versions. The portrait is also good and I am excited to see how you finish it. We also heve had very bad weather the last two months, much rain, storm and cold.
    Dear greetings
    Sabine

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  13. Sharon Fritchman22 January 2018 at 21:55

    I am getting tired of the cold and gray days, too! I hope to see the sun, soon! Your stitched journal looks amazing!!! (I need to finish lots of things that I have started, too!) And the New Adventures page you created is so beautiful! And I love the portrait you are working on, too. It is fabulous!!!! Take care and hopefully you will see the sun soon. Sharon

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  14. Rike23 January 2018 at 09:53

    I too think the lady is dreaming of going somewhere sunny and warm - we also have cold and windy weather and the best to do is staying inside. Your page looks beautiful and I like your wax resist technique here.
    Your male portrait started beautifully, and I have the same thoughts about these troubles with the pastels ...
    I admire your bookbinding - with this handstitching edges the cover looks very personal!
    Liebe Grüße, Rike xx

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  15. junemac21 February 2018 at 16:12

    Thanks for the lovely comment on my blog Gibby. Love your work here too. I am also very into pastels at the moment. I use them a lot in mixed media journaling etc. x

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  16. craftytrog3 February 2018 at 09:47

    Love the journal page and pastel portrait Gill, and the stitching looks pretty good by my standards!
    Wishing you a wonderful weekend.
    Alison xox

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