My Visual Journals arrived just in time for the Strathmore journal project. I got a few other things in that order too….a circle template, Alfred Durer watercolor pencils, 2 sizes of Visual Journals and some Gum Arabic in powder form.
Some of you may ask, what is the Gum Arabic for? Well, I read online about how to use it mixed with Pearl-Ex powdered pigments and water. Guess what? I have a whole set of Pearl-Ex powdered pigments I have never used. I think it’s time, hence the Gum Arabic.
So in the Strathmore online workshops, the first video lesson was put up on Saturday. Here is what I put together for the first week. Mind you, this is only a start. It is not finished…there are three more weeks to go of work that will go into it. This is just the base.
I used a tracing of a windmill (I like old windmills) and some doodles from my sketchbook, a woman cut from a magazine, the torn strips are a photo of…cardboard! The words are from a magazine. It will be interesting to see how it transforms in the next few weeks.
We were instructed on the video to make sure to get all the bubbles out of the paper as we glued it down, but no, not me. I couldn’t get mine flat. Oh well, I’ll either use the bubbles as a design element in some fashion or I’ll cover it up somehow. That’s the way I work.
And here, I made some more felted wool beads. From the bottom clockwise, we have Lima Bean, Raspberry, Turquoise, Berry, Turquoise and Berry again. These are fun.
I love your collage – love the texture with the cardboard! Can’t wait to see how it turns out. A while back I bought three of those journals in three different weights – watercolor, drawing and mixed media all in the 5.5 x 8. I love the size but I did my collage in a 9 x 12 canson mixed media journal to see how I like large. I bought some liquid gum arabic a year or so ago for a project but then lost the project so haven’t used it. I love pearl Ex – have used them even on polymer clay. Fun!
I love that collage, Kathy! And you can mix PearlEx into any type of acrylic medium or paint — but you probably already know this.
Hi Connie, and thanks! I think I might have known that about the Pearl Ex, but for some reason the mixing with water and gum arabic seemed like the thing to do…I have had the pigments for a long time, but haven’t used them. I guess they are just like metallic paint when you get them mixed with a medium? I shall have to try them with all the mediums. I use Lumiere’s a lot, but I suppose the Pearl Ex would be a lot like Lumiere paints when mixed.
Lynda, i have this whole set of Pearl Ex….I just look at it and am not sure what to do with it…but I will be giving it a try.
Thanks for talking about your collage. I’ve been too nervous to do anything because of how hers looked. You have given me courage to Go Forth and Make Art!! Have a great night!
Trece
I’m glad I could help, trece!~ Go forth!!!