Text and Layers

Writing is a big part of my journaling practice, and I write to record my thoughts, to work out ideas, and to reflect on life and art. But it's not always important that the writing stays legible. Actually, using the writing as a visual device and more like an artistic technique is a great way to get pages started. I wanted to share some ways I have been building layers with text.

I began a two-page spread by writing with a water-soluble graphite pencil and filling both pages. I washed over the graphite with clean water allowing the pencil to spread. 

After a few days, I highlighted some of the words with metallic, black, red, and yellow ink. The ink creates a lot of contrast with the surrounding page. Dave and I call these operative words.

I wanted to give the spread a bit more texture, and turned the book and wrote with black ink. The crisscrossing text helps to obscure some of the writing and creates a more even feel.

To create more interaction among pages, I cut holes through the pages with a craft knife. I cut through several pages and glued down the rectangle of text.

I haven't done much else to this spread, but I'll keep adding to it. I plan on adding some watercolor paint and collage, and I'm sure that I'll end up using some watercolor pencil as well. I love that I don't know how this spread will turn out. For me making art is always an act of discovery.

I'll post more as it develops.