This has been a journal page that has spanned months. I started it and then it buried under a pile of other projects. Does that ever happen to you? As I cleaned up my studio I found this and finished it instead of finishing my cleaning…
Started with gesso and a bit of modeling paste and punchinella for texture.
As a kid I loved going to the Cincinnati Zoo because of the peacocks that roamed freely. Their magnificent colors and plumage were the best part of the day. When I saw Julie Balzer’s peacock stencil I had to own it. Here I used it with pan pastels.
Sealed with a bit of acrylic polymer from Dick Blick.
Ever sit down to art and nothing seems to happen? When I get hit with this I often start making elements for the future. These were made so long ago- various rubber stamps of journaling boxes onto a randomly colored paper. These came in very handy for this journal page.
I kept adding touches of color. Almost colored the photos but in the end the black and white contrast won out.
Over the years I have collected quite a few old photos which I found almost as precious as my own family photos. Not any more. I am determined to start using those supplies I have saved for the “perfect project” since the “perfect project” comes along so infrequently.
I have no idea who these people are but they still had a story to share with me. They inspired my journaling guided me along the way as I created this. What’s been inspiring you lately? Need inspiration? Check out Art Journal Every Day and Creative Every Day!
Lovely page, love those colours! Valerie
Pretty much a monochromatic page, Carolyn–one of my favorites! I love your compilation of unexpected elements here, which, in the end, are perfect together!! I definitely hear you about using those old photos, whether in scrapbooking or art journaling! Either is a tribute to those who are in the photos! Sometimes, they are what I call “shoebox” people, referring to those who have lived in the shoebox so long that no one alive today can identify them. Love Julie Balzer stuff. She was just at my LSS and I couldn’t go…so bummed!
Ooooo, I love those colors!! I love the serenity they give the page–silent and majestic, just like peacocks!
I love that you are using old photographs of people you don’t know. I love old photos and it always makes me sad when the people are forgotten. As an historian I am always asking people to write on the back of photographs who the people are and the approximate date. When I find photos of anonymous people I always want to save them, using them in art is a great idea, thank you. I am going to follow your example. 🙂
Big love
AJ 🙂
Love this pages Carolyn. Specially the oeacock feathers. Beautiful work. Wonderful to have such a book with this beautiful pictures and stories.
Lovely greet
Marja
(marjascreativity)
Lovely, Carolyn. I love those colors. I use them alot. Thanks.
Nice purply blues. Great old photos and the layout is wonderful, I like the soft grid it creates. xox
I really like how you called this a scrapbook page. I would never think of your art as scrapbooking. It’s too AWESOME to be called scrapbooking. I love this page, though. It deserves an A for all the time you have invested in it. I realize some of that time was because it was lost under other things, but it’s still time!
Always enjoy seeing your process. Love the colors. What a cool way to use random old photos! 🙂
Purple! Blue! I love purple and blue. Great page…and I really like that you left the photos b+w. I’m with AJ –when I’m in an antique store or wherever and see the old photos of anonymous people, it’s a little sad. But this way they can be special, and remembered 🙂
Love this page. I also like the idea of saving what you have done for a future project…I just have to remember where I put these items!
Punchinella is my all time favorite, and I’m learning the advantages of Pan Pastels.
xo
lynn
Gorgeous background and great advice on making elements when feeling that way. They all came together beautifully (especially with that awesome PP feather design!)
Love this page. How great to use these old photos in this way. I have never known what to do with them. Lovely inspiration in so many ways.
Love the colours. I’m with you – finishing a page wins over tidying every time 🙂
love the blue/purply hues on the page and how you combined found photos, journaling boxes and affirmations-SO much better than spending time cleaning 🙂
Oh Carolyn, these colors are sensational! I love how you describe what you do. You have inspired me. The addition of all the different things you use are so fantastic put together and YES I often sit down and “nada!” So thanks for sharing that part! LOL I hope to see your work again on Julie’s site! Smiles and Joy, Samara
I so agree with you that we should use our stash and not wait for the perfect project, time or technique. This great! I love the frames and what you did with them. This could be an interesting scrapbook page! Patsy
What a nice collage you’ve made. And the colors… ahhh!! 🙂
I enjoy seeing those little written things on the page.