![Letting myself just play in my art journal by asking what if...and it went through some ugly layers in the video but in the end created a map of the Land of What If](https://acolorfuljourney.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/art-journal-how-to-start-page-stencil-tutorial-carolyn-dube-600x600.jpg)
What if? This is the question that I asked in my art journal today. This page went through a lot, including some very ugly layers. Since this was what if play, it didn’t matter if a layer was ugly. It didn’t matter if it had no direction.
It only mattered that I asked what if. Little did I know I was making a map as I was letting myself get lost in the play.
Watch Letting myself get lost in the art journal play on YouTube.
Building on an old background, I began smearing paint and adding pattern with stencils. That yellow paint was slow to dry, since there was so much of it, which led me to asking what if with a baby wipe. After all, I seem to have a subconscious need to avoid heat guns.
![Letting myself just play in my art journal by asking what if...and it went through some ugly layers in the video but in the end created a map of the Land of What If](https://acolorfuljourney.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/art-journal-how-to-start-page-stencil-tutorial-carolyn-dube-2-600x600.jpg)
Oh, did it go through some ugly stages! But that didn’t matter because smearing paint around brought me joy. I even ended up with a bout of pink polka dot fever.
The word “what” was redone with my Ransom Alphabet stencil, and I am proud to let my first grade teacher know that it wasn’t because of misspelling (this time at least).
![Letting myself just play in my art journal by asking what if...and it went through some ugly layers in the video but in the end created a map of the Land of What If](https://acolorfuljourney.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/art-journal-how-to-start-page-stencil-tutorial-carolyn-dube-5-600x600.jpg)
As I stenciled the 3 Cutouts Inspired by Matisse, I began to see a forest. I would love to visit a forest like that! This is when the idea of a map took control of the page.
Maps need towns, so I added castle towns with a mask from the Once Upon a Time stencil. There was one feature still missing from this land, and that was water. A great big ocean was needed.
![Letting myself just play in my art journal by asking what if...and it went through some ugly layers in the video but in the end created a map of the Land of What If](https://acolorfuljourney.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/art-journal-how-to-start-page-stencil-tutorial-carolyn-dube-8-600x600.jpg)
What types of places are in the Land of What If? The Ocean of Inspiration and the City of Creativity of course!
![Letting myself just play in my art journal by asking what if...and it went through some ugly layers in the video but in the end created a map of the Land of What If](https://acolorfuljourney.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/art-journal-how-to-start-page-stencil-tutorial-carolyn-dube-1-600x600.jpg)
Here are the supplies I used. Some of these links are affiliate links which means I get a small percentage. It doesn’t cost you anything extra and it helps keep the free tutorials coming!
I enjoy it’s urban/rural combo landscape feel. What if cities had more green space? xox
Love the info on the oil pastels. Have a box and don’t always think to use it. (I also have some pens that I have ruined….) It is sometimes hard to just play and wait and see what evolves rather than having a plan. We are evolving and getting better at it thanks to your efforts!
I love your land of what if 🙂