≡ Menu

 

Art Journal technique that will bring out the kid in you!

One of my favorite ways to let myself play is to act like a kid. After all, kids are the masters of play so it is no surprise that they are the inspiration for this month’s Let’s Play theme.

This miscellaneous box of inexpensive oil pastels created a scribbled background in my art journal.  The scribbling was loads of fun, but it’s how I held the oil pastels that really brought out the kid in me.

What is Let’s Play?  It’s all about rediscovering the ability to play. Each month I share a specific strategy that helped me recapture the freedom and fun of play.  This month’s theme is act like a kid. You can see more of the Let’s Play series here.

Watch How I Scribble and Stencil in my Art Journal on YouTube.

This is not gallery hanging, museum-filling fine art.  This is play.  Fun.  Freedom.

The grown up mind might start asking, “What do you do with that?”  The playful mind might say, “Let’s see where it goes”.  Bet you can guess which one I listened to…

Art Journal technique that will bring out the kid in you!

As I looked at it, there was just one word that came through loud and clear to me.   Play.  So I grabbed some alphabet stencils, the bigger the better, and stenciled it with black acrylic paint.

In the video, I share why I didn’t start with the first letter as I used my Vintage Typewriter Alphabet stencils.

Art Journal technique that will bring out the kid in you!

After seeing the play, right at the top of the page, a scribbly creative manifesto appeared.  I started with a couple of words from my Uplifting Words stencil, then used a Pico embellisher to add some scribble journaling.

And of course, I had to sign such an official document!  Naturally, there was an OOPS or two in here.  They fit right in to the finished page!

Now you’ve seen my play, let’s see yours!  Share what you’re creating with us all in the Facebook group and be inspired by what others are creating!

Art Journal technique that will bring out the kid in you! Let's Play August Theme with Carolyn Dube

Want to see more Let’s Play videos? You can find all the weekly posts here.

Sharing your play:   I, and a whole bunch of others, would love to see what you’re creating!  We’re sharing it in the Facebook group called A Colorful Place to Play. Why Facebook?  I’ve listened to your feedback about how and where you’d like to share your play instead of the link parties.

Monthly giveaways:  Leave comment on any (and all for more chances) of the weekly Let’s Play blog posts to be entered and one winner each month will be chosen by random.org.  Want more chances to win a $50 gift certificate to DickBlick.com?  Pin any of the images from the page or share about it on Facebook- then come back and leave a comment telling me what you did and you can have more chances to win! Giveaway closes the Sunday, September 4th at 11 pm EST and the winner will announced on the blog the following Monday.

Congrats to Kristiina, last month’s winner!

{ 10 comments }

Congrats to Kristiina – the winner of the July Let’s Play $50 gift certificate to Dick Blick!  Kristiina, send me your information (carolyn at acolorfuljourney dot com) and I’ll get you your gift certificate pronto!

Let's Play July Winner!

 

What is the theme for next month’s Play?  It’s all about acting like a kid!  Stop back every Tuesday, all month long, as I share how kids actually play can inspired fun with art supplies.

Let's Play August Theme with Carolyn Dube
{ 5 comments }
I'm art journaling with stencils and sharing it step by step as I find the door to another world or you could say letting my imagination run wild

My imagination ran away with the idea of another world while I was art journaling.  Perhaps all those sci-fi shows I love like Stargate, Star Trek, and Dr. Who have had a bit of an impact on this page.

I'm art journaling with stencils and sharing it step by step as I find the door to another world or you could say letting my imagination run wild

But in true sci-fi fashion, I didn’t start out thinking I would find another language or a door to another world!

It started by randomly stenciling Encouraging Scribbles in a metallic paint.  The metallic paint didn’t show up the way I hoped…Oops.  Indeed, an Outstanding Opportunity Presenting Suddenly to add the white to make the circles pop.

I'm art journaling with stencils and sharing it step by step as I find the door to another world or you could say letting my imagination run wild

Earth Song Symbols were randomly stenciled, but somehow, none on the top circle.  Not planned, but quite useful.

About this point, my imagination was in high gear with  sci-fi themes such as portals in time, worm holes, cultures on other worlds, etc.

I misaligned my Encouraging Scribbles stencil back on top of previous stenciling.  Now I have the whirlpool or swirling feeling of my portal.
I'm art journaling with stencils and sharing it step by step as I find the door to another world or you could say letting my imagination run wild

 

I wanted touches of book text, but not distracting paper to glue down.  I wanted the words to blend with the background.  Wall of Words stencil to the rescue!  I just added hints of words here and there. I'm art journaling with stencils and sharing it step by step as I find the door to another world or you could say letting my imagination run wild

Imagination going full throttle, it was time for the messages on the ancient symbols.  I used a fountain pen to do the writing. Why a fountain pen? I am finding they get ruined less often on paint for me.  And these are the cutest little pens ever!

I'm art journaling with stencils and sharing it step by step as I find the door to another world or you could say letting my imagination run wild

All was going well, until this OOPS! And it was a biggie!  I thought a touch of yellow would pop…and it actually just went ugly.  But there is an opportunity in this…

I'm art journaling with stencils and sharing it step by step as I find the door to another world or you could say letting my imagination run wild

I had to work with that yellow, so I started adding more colors to the page by putting it over the stenciled symbols.  And since I did not like the blotch of yellow, I felt free to do just about anything that popped into my head…or landed in my hand.

The swirling circle of words and color now had me thinking of a worm hole.  That magical almost instant way to travel between galaxies but mine needed a door.  I found just the door I wanted from Tumble Fish Studios at Mischief Circus, in the kit Happy Place.  Printed it out on my inkjet printer on Craft Attitude and with a bit of glue stick, I have an image transfer.

Thanks for joining me for this little art journal trip to another world!  Now if there was only a time portal…or worm hole…or transporter!

I'm art journaling with stencils and sharing it step by step as I find the door to another world or you could say letting my imagination run wild

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!


{ 3 comments }