Bleach out

As the title suggests, this is a bleach out background page. If you use indian ink and then paint bleach on with found utensils (I used a bamboo skewer stick and old brushes). The bleach tends to have a yellowish tinge. If you paint into the wet ink it "bleeds"and blurrs randomly.
The second start page is where I'm experimenting with adding fimo creations with a metal loop baked in to hang other 3D elements off.
What's in a name? Well, I'm finding the idea of a junk journal kind of lets me relax and try new things - maybe it's the use of the word junk - takes the pressure off somehow.

Create

 

This page originally wan't working until I covered up some of the detail with a bit of "white space" - learning to balance out a page with a "resting point". This shows the  power of negative space and claiming back tonal contrast.
The word create was made by using modelling compound painted through a lettering stencil.

Interactive art wheel

I'm giving junk journalling a go this weekend and this is a starting point. I'm having fun putting in some interactive elements such as the turning wheel. Lessons learnt on this piece - to use heavier card stock for the interactive elements.

Warp and weft

The top photo is where I got stuck on this journalling page. I left the piece for a while until I found a site that gave me an idea for moving the piece a bit further along:

http://maisarmendonca.blogspot.co.nz/2011/06/aquarela-faca-seu-proprio-papel.html

Ornamental letters

Thanks to these guys for the amazing letters freely available at
http://www.briarpress.org/cuts/browse?m=free

Cheap crackle glaze for backgrounds

Well, here is today's result from my latest experiment. I read an American book that talked about Elmer's glue and substituted what we call PVA or BIC's white glue or wood glue here down under!
I painted the glue thickly over the page and then while the glue was still wet painted the acrylic over the top. It's taking a while to dry so I'm guessing if you were in a hurry you'd need to use a hair dryer to speed things up. You'd have to be careful to keep about 20cm away from the surface as it might possibly melt the plastic glue? I think I'll make a few of these in advance ( particularly as we have old bottles of PVA that need to be used up around here).

Raid your local wallpaper store

Today's inspiration - wallpaper! Visiting our local decorating store to buy paint, I found a free box of wallpaper samples. As the papers were highly textured, I was immediately thinking of using them for printing.
Below is a background made from a wallpaper sample. It was created by using masking fluid painted over the wallpaper and then pressed onto paper. I then did a water colour type wash (if you use acrylics be careful as they can seal the masking fluid to the paper if not diluted enough). The photo shows the masking fluid not yet removed. I was really pleased with the final lacy effect.

DIY Travel Journal

Made this as a gift. After searching the stores and not being impressed with what was out there, I bought an A5 art journal, took the covers off and used some scrapbook paper to recover it. I superglued ribbon to the outside on the front only so that as the journal expands the ribon will be able to handle the extension. With more time it would have been good to spray with a sealant or even book seal but at 11pm the deadline was looming and time was short and the thought of taking a still sticky book and wrapping it was not good.
There are printables on the web for journalling, which I will post if anyone is interested.
It did take a lot longer than I anticipated trawling the net but now I would love to make one for myself!
Internally, on the inside cover, I added some little see through bags for bits and pieces of paper additions, tags, stickers etc.
I was so grateful for the help of our local Papertree art department lady - she was very helpful in suggesting the ribbon and anything travel wise in store.
The good thing about this kind of binding - it will be easy to add more pages from another A5 journal at the end.

Reading Between The Lines with Altered Books

Reading Between The Lines with Altered Books
Article worth reading if you're trying an altered book (I've got one on the go but got stuck. I now have some fresh inspiration after this article).

*The Graphics Fairy LLC*: Vintage Graphic - Airplanes

*The Graphics Fairy LLC*: Vintage Graphic - Airplanes: This is an old graphic of 4 vintage airplanes and one airplane diagram. Future inspiration - love this whole site!

working on it