Art Journal - Doodling in Paint

Here's a page I finished up today. I created the background about two weeks ago and set it aside because I wasn't sure where to go with it. I really liked the way it looked but knew it wasn't finished. That's a tough place for me. It's my sticking place - afraid to "ruin" what I've done but knowing it needs to change.

So I reminded myself - There is nothing precious about this. You made it for fun, just keep going.

I flipped through Traci Bautista's fabulous book Doodles Unleashed to gather inspiration. It worked! I grabbed my white Sharpie paint pen and started doodling. I added more acrylic, covered up, made circles, added dots, and on...

I covered up much of the initial Sharpie doodling but wanted to bring that whimsical feel back, so I used the end of the paint brush to "draw" petals back onto the circle flowers. LOVE.

I added some journaling and called it done. I really liked the initial background, but by pushing through my sticking point and moving forward, I now love the page. Flora Bowley says (at least something similar to this) we have to let go of what we like to make room for what we love.

Art Journal Calendar – February

I follow a number of art blogs and thoroughly enjoy seeing what others are doing and getting inspired by them. One such is The Kathryn Wheel by Kate Crane. She's a wonderful mixed media artist and does a monthly art journal calendar which I thought was brilliant. One place to keep a year's worth of short notes for each day. I missed January, but got my act together for February. I forgot to take a "before" photo, but here is the completed month.

I'm using a leather bound journal I bought years (like 9 years) ago originally as a gift. It's a gorgeous handmade paper journal with a warm, deep brown leather cover and tie.



Then I remembered the intended recipient was vegan and realized a leather bound journal would probably not be the best idea. It's been sitting on my shelf, waiting for... I'm not sure what. I'm terrible about "saving" things for a special occasion or the "perfect" time, and decided that NOW was the perfect time. I mean, look at these delicious pages!




p.s. Here's a peak at March...