Art Journal: The Illusion of Permanence...

An art journal spread using some new stamps and stencils, plus one of my favorite quotes from Neil Gaiman.

Art Tile: Wish

Another favorite quote, this time on an art tile... experimenting with some new stencils.

Art Journal: One Thousand Brilliant Stars

Art Journal: Constellations

I've used this quote before, but I found a new set of constellation stamps from Hero Arts, and I just had to use it again for an art journal spread!

Art Journal: Galaxies Inside

Art Journal: Orbits of the Soul

I took a long weekend for my 10th wedding anniversary, so I finally had some extra time to work in my art journal! This is "Orbits of the Soul" with a quote from Oscar Wilde.

Art Journal: Goddess of the Dark Moon

Another spread for Hekate's Deipnon... in this season of short days, cold weather and minimal sunlight, I find an even deeper connection to the Light Bringer as I wait for the Sun's return. I added a quote from Rumi to go along with the image and my thoughts.

Art Journal: Scattered Stardust

Another quote from the collection of favorites I printed out...

Art Journal: Color of Thoughts

I made these rainbow stripes to use up a bunch of paint I'd mixed for another project, and they were just sitting in my art journal waiting to be used. I think this quote goes well with them.

Art Journal: One of the Stars

The quote is from the book Le Petit Prince.

Solar Eclipse: Art Journal & ATCs

Kala Noumenia! It's the New Moon in Scorpio, which is also a Solar Eclipse for those who were lucky enough to see it today.

Lyrics on the art journal spread are from Pink Floyd's "Eclipse" from Dark Side of the Moon. The quotes on the ATCs are from Rumi.

Art Journal: Wisdom from Plato & Rumi

I was going through my computer and printing out some collage sheets for an upcoming project, when I decided to collect some favorite quotes to print for my art journaling kit. I ended up putting too much paint on my palette, so I made an art journal spread and a matching ATC with a different quote.

The art journal spread is a quote from Plato: "Perhaps there is a pattern set up in the heavens for one who desires to see it, and having seen it, to find one in himself." As an astrologer, this quote has always spoken to me.

The quote for the ATC is from Rumi: "The universe and the light of the stars come through me."

As I play more with my art journal, I'm having fun creating little crops of the pages. The art I do in my journal is so different from the work I generally do... by the time I get around to finishing my major series, you may think a guest artist took over my blog. But the variety and playfulness of it is what's keeping me working and inspired. Enjoy!

Art Journal: Heart of the Universe

I made this art journal spread shortly after finding out a friend of mine was diagnosed with a form of brain cancer. A group of his friends were going to do a healing meditation for him and they asked if he had anything they would like him to chant. He - an astrologer - said "Stepping into the heart of the Universe." I also made him a collage to go along with this and mailed it off to him, but he changed rooms at the hospital shortly after. If it gets lost in the mail, I will direct him here so he can see it.

Art Journal: Find A Dream

Another New Moon spread, this time in the sign of Libra, which you can see the symbol for painted on the left-hand side. I wrote my New Moon wishes around the edges of the spread in Stardust Gelly-Roll pen.

 

Art Journal: Shadows of my Mind

I made this art journal spread after a week of feeling particularly anxious. I have anxiety disorder, and sometimes I get very bad panic attacks. Other times I just have a general level of anxiety that won't go away. I never know when it will get to full-blown panic stage. This was my way of trying to give my mind and body something better to do!

Art Journal: Shooting Star

I made this art journal spread after seeing what's known as as "fireball meteor." It looked like a miniature Sun with a ring of fire around it... It was one of the most amazing astronomical sights I've ever seen, but unfortunately it burned out before I could grab a camera and take a picture!

I had a "stencil" for a meteor that I used in the corner. It's actually from a set of glow-in-the-dark wall decorations I found in the dollar bin at Target!

At any rate, just another reminder of why I should never go outside without a camera!

Art Journal: Fire Up Your Light!

I made this art journal spread for this month's celebration of Hekate's Deipnon. It occurs at the dark of the Moon each month (the astrological New Moon). It is a time to purify one's self and surroundings in preparation for a new month, which goes well of my astrological custom for setting goals or writing out New Moon wishes at this time. When the first sliver of the Crescent Moon is sighted, then it is officially a new month. Kala Noumenia!

Art Journal: The Stars

After finishing the latest Inspiration Deck, I decided to do a spread in my art journal using the same style and lyrics from one of my favorite songs.

I used almost the same process as I used for the deck, leaving out the gesso and gel medium. First I sponged down the star and spiral shapes with Golden Iridescent Pearl, and colored the edges of the pages in watercolor crayon.

Then I added blue watercolor, instead of acrylics... I tend to use watercolors for this journal more often than not.

After that I added my dots and stamped stars...

And then my washi tape and lyrics. The song is "Bella Donna" by Stevie Nicks, and the line I used from it was "Don't you know that the stars are a part of us?"

Lastly, I put my date stamp on the left edge and wrote out the date with zodiac signs of the Sun & Moon for the right edge. I'm pleased that I finally managed to get the date stamp to apply fully and without smearing!

Here's the final spread...

More to come soon!

The Art Journaler - Postcards

This summer, the group at The Art Journaler is sending each other postcards! Go here for more info on the group: http://www.theartjournaler.com/tajcommunity

I found a great set of postcards with envelopes at Marshall's that were perfect for this. With the envelopes, I could use watercolor and not have to worry about the cards getting wet in the mail! I added some collage bits to them first (planetary hours charts, if you're curious)...

Then I gave them all a thick coat of pan watercolor. A few of my pans got used up, so I added some tube watercolors.

Next I stenciled on some dots with the drywall tape... I'm liking this a lot better than the bubble wrap I use to make dots in acrylic: a lot neater! You may have noticed the cardboard box - everything I've done lately has been able to fit into this shoebox! I've been working on a smaller scale lately.

After that, I stamped on some stars with a foam stamp I found in the kid's section of a craft store... I wish I could find some more: the little star is starting to fall off! I glued it back on and so far it seems to be holding up.

A little spattering of metallic pan watercolor, glued on silver foil stars and some quotes, and the card were ready to go!

I wish I had thought to make some extras for myself this time around! But I did scan them in before I mailed them off.

Wishing you all a wildly creative summer!

Solstice - Art Journal & ATCs

It's finally Summer!

With a week's vacation, I decided to revisit my art journal and do a spread for the Summer Solstice. It turned out well for the most part, though I wasn't entirely happy with the outline of the Sun's rays when it was all dry... It's a little stronger than I would have liked.

But I did like the colors and texture I got out of it, so I decided to use a similar technique for a set of ATCs.

First, I stenciled some white acrylic paint onto my cards (Strathmore Illustration Board ATCs) with a sponge brush and some drywall tape. Then I added some random doodles with glitter and metallic Crayola crayons.

After that I added some watercolor crayon to the edges, and used pan watercolors to fill in the middle of the cards. The watercolor crayon gives a nice blend effect to the border of the cards.

Lastly, I added my collage elements and gave a spatter of metallic pan watercolors. (I'm really happy with these as they seem to create as good a spatter effect as my metallic acrylics!)

I like the ATCs much better than the art journal spread, though I may want to revisit them and do something to make them look a little more grunged or aged.

Hope you're having a creative summer!