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Sunday, March 18, 2012

Colorful "Stash style" cover for Art Journals

     Several people have asked for more detail on how to create the journal cover I used for the front of my book 'Stash and Smash'. Here's the trick, I use both my fingers and a palette knife to apply the paint. If I use a brush it looks too blended for me. I make sure each layer is dry before adding a second color on top, and keep a baby wipe handy to scrub away a small portion of the paint.


     The base I used is chipboard, or in my case the back of an old watercolor tablet. I cut it to desired size for my journal and apply two coats of gesso to each side. One coat of gesso horizontal, when dry the second coat vertically...more texture that way.

     I then apply sheet music and colored tissue paper with Golden matte medium.


     Using my fingers I add patches of heavy body acrylic paint all over the cover, more of a "hit and miss" style of application rather than lines of color. When this layer is dry I use a palette knife to skim over portions of the previously applied paint. Sometimes I will add a third layer on top, it just depends on how I feel about the overall look of color.

 


     When these layers of paint are dry I add white tissue papers which have been stamped with a couple of my favorite stamps, the eye and the crisscross pattern are both on tissue paper.



     I use heavy gel medium to add the wine bottle eyelashes, as well as the coin, plastic palm tree and El Musico card in the picture below.

  
     The matchbox cover and other paper ephemera are stuck on with duck tape. After all the objects are affixed to the journal cover I use my fingers to lightly blend paint colors over them so the piece will seem more cohesive.

 
  The last step is regular stamps (I always use Staz-On ink pads since they are permanent) and a white gel pen for embellishments.

  I bind this type of journal one of two ways.
     Punch holes in it and use binder rings or bind it with a Zutter or other spiral binding machine. You can also take it to your local office supply for spiral biinding. If you do take it to the office supply be sure the side to be bound is flush, they are not able to bind irregular shaped journals.....I found this out the hard way!!
     Tip: Add watercolor paper, scrap paper and old art pieces cut to size as journal pages.

6 comments:

Coleen said...

Cindy, well, I'm following here too. I just love the bright colors you use in your paints above. So fun. I do an art journal too. On my second one since 2009, well, my third actually as I've started it even tho' not fully finished with the other. So off to explore some more.
Blessings on your day,
Coleen in Ukraine

Melva said...

Hello Cindy, just love the journal cover. The coulours really are fresh & clean. Thanks for the info on how to do.......

Unknown said...

Thanks Coleen, I see you like using recycling in your journals too.

Unknown said...

You're welcome Melva....painting with my fingers is key!!

Annette said...

Hi like your journal cover, you are like me, I use any type of chipboard I can get my hands on. Just really exploring the different types of binding them now. xoxox

Unknown said...

Thanks Annette, I have a huge basket full of chipboard and am exploring binding too...just began some coptic stitching so my journals can be thicker.....plan to tackle the more complicated binding techniques soon. Good luck to you!