The above two page spread is from my current journal. I recently set up a makeshift photo studio and shot many of my journal pages from my last two journals. I am hoping to share more of them over the weeks to come.This spread began with the large stylized self-portrait in the center, and I soon after added the web-like, black ink lines and blue watercolor pencil on the right-hand side. It remained in that state for quite some time, months in fact, as I began and worked on other pages. I just was at a loss. I couldn't think of what to add next, and it lacked direction. Finally, after looking back over these pages time and time again, something needed to happen, so I just started adding random things to the pages - the collage elements, the blue watercolor on the left hand side, the random rectangles, and the green watercolor pencil. I added the word "disconnected" and the writing after feeling very much disconnected from my art and my journal. I finished off the spread with the yellow, acrylic spheres floating.
When I began this spread, I had no idea where it was going to end. And my approach reflected those feelings of stagnation and disconnection. The art flows much more easily when I am in the middle of it - when I get a head of steam and am constantly working. But if I get torn away for a while with work, family, or sheer laziness, it is difficult to get back in the groove and allow things to flow. Sometimes I just have to dive head first into a page and just do something even if it has no rhyme or reason. Art is risky.
This spread evolved over months, and it took a while for it to find it's voice. My pages seem to do that a lot. I can't force something, and so the pages evolve. I have even done a little more to this spread since taking the photo a couple of weeks ago.
Art like life is always in a state of becoming.
I love this spread. I need to learn to just throw things at my journal pages/spreads instead of trying to make a theme, etc. Thanx for sharing.
ReplyDeleteGreat page!! Thanks for the inspiration again!!!
ReplyDeleteso cool! I love your new book, congratulations!
ReplyDeleteIn your book you show the use of stencils for lettering, like on this page. But, how do you use stencils with wet media like watercolor? If the previous letter is still wet, laying down the stencil for the next letter will smear it. Do you dry each letter before proceeding to the next one?
ReplyDeleteWith media like acrylic, I may let each letter dry before doing the next letter. With watercolor, the smearing and bleeding is part of the fun so I just do the whole word. Of course it's all about personal preference. If you want a clean, sharp letter use dry media. If you don't mind a little smudging and bleeding, use media. And then you can use stencil and outline each letter with pencil, and then paint the shapes in. Then no smudging, but then you need to pay attention to edges.
ReplyDeleteI'm embracing the messiness and getting some happy accidents! Thanks.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you..."art is risky"...and yet it is always in the state of becoming...which is where the risk and the reason to continue lie. I've hit a "blank spot" with some of my in-progress collages -- your posting has given me the "courage" to continue on!!
ReplyDeleteDave