≡ Menu

The Horror I Found in My Art Journal…OOPS

 

The most horrible looking start to an art journal page didn't matter at all thanks to being able to add layers!

While flipping through my art journals to find a page to play with today, I landed on one that was horrifically ugly in my eyes.  I could have cringed in horror when I saw the page.  I could have ripped it out and thrown it away.  I could have hidden the journal and never looked at it again like some kind of shaming secret.

Instead, I said Oops!  The Outstanding Opportunity Presenting Suddenly was I didn’t like it. I really didn’t like it.  There was freedom in that because I didn’t care if I ruined it!

The most horrible looking start to an art journal page didn't matter at all thanks to being able to add layers!

What didn’t I like?  It’s easier to say what I did like.  I liked the shapes of star and the number 7.  That’s it.  The brown and mustard had to go!  So I updated the colors to ones that made me happier using bright yellow, teal, and orange.

The most horrible looking start to an art journal page didn't matter at all thanks to being able to add layers!

The green at the bottom was applied with the very fancy and professional tool, the baby wipe!

The most horrible looking start to an art journal page didn't matter at all thanks to being able to add layers!

That star was a bit plain, so along came a stencil, Damask Waves by Michelle Ward.

The most horrible looking start to an art journal page didn't matter at all thanks to being able to add layers!

For the journaling, I grabbed a fineliner.  If you’re new to fineliners, I have a video showing how they work here.

Very predictably, that 7 had me thinking about luck as I started writing.   I wrote about how lucky I am that I love mixed media.  Why lucky?  Because every mistake is not really a mistake in my art play is just an Oops, an Outstanding Opportunity Presenting Suddenly.

The most horrible looking start to an art journal page didn't matter at all thanks to being able to add layers!

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 you are helping me keep this blog and my videos ad free! Thank you- I don’t like ads any more than you do!


{ 6 comments… add one }

Leave a Comment

  • Melinda C. January 29, 2016, 10:50 am

    I am constantly redoing pages in my journals! So glad to hear I’m not the only one.

  • alice January 29, 2016, 2:40 pm

    i’ve had a few oops of my own along the way. i love your writing style, carolyn, i can tell you are having fun and enjoying your art life. and it spreads over to us. thanks for that 🙂

  • Josie B January 30, 2016, 12:44 am

    At first I didn’t see what was so bad about it because the first photo was the finished product. But then I saw the browns and ya it was pretty sad. But you worked wonders. Thanks for sharing your OOPS!

  • Robert January 30, 2016, 4:58 pm

    Love using the fineliners, they allow me to write or “scribble” my thoughts without the worry of someone figuring out what is on the page. I also love to outline sketchy figures with them. They are versatile and forgiving. Love your play, your videos and the blog brighten my days. Thank you.

  • Corrine February 1, 2016, 6:59 am

    I do like it that you left a tiny bit of homage to the brown showing through. It just needed those new layers that’s all. xox

  • Kay Wallace February 1, 2016, 9:36 am

    Great “re-do” here, Carolyn. When I first started to art journal, if I didn’t like the result, I would just tear out the page and toss it. For one thing, I never thought about covering it up and beginning again, but, also, I have lost those early creations forever. By the way, I loved revisiting your fineliner video! Thanks!