Journaling by 5s - Intro and Session 1

I want to get back to art journaling this year. The past few years I've been doing a lot of "memory planning" in Traveler's Notebooks and it's taken a lot of my time. So my goal for 2018 is to do more art in journals.

Sometime last fall I discovered an interesting concept on You Tube which was started three years ago  by Shannon Green. It's called "Journaling by 5s" and is designed to quick-start the journaling process. You can find more information in Shannon Green's video here.

Briefly, there are five sessions of ten prompts, each done in 15 minutes on 20 pages (5-10-15-20) Shannon and many people did this in a composition book, glueing together groups of five pages to strengthen the paper. I didn't want to go to all that effort, so I found this album in my stash which had exactly 20 pages (perfect!) and the paper is quite sturdy. Some people have done this exercise on loose papers and then bound them together. This is great for spreading them out to dry. I just placed loose deli paper sheets between the pages as I worked.

You set a timer for 15 minutes for each session and do two prompts during each session.

Session 1: Use paint and inks (creating background)

Session 2: Collage and recycled materials (for texture)

Session 3: Use stamps and stencils (for pattern)

Session 4: Add images and words (focal point)

Session 5: Pen and pencil work (for details)

Being a bit rushed keeps you from overthinking the process. There is no time for decisions - you don't think, you just do! It is spontaneous and you have to go with the flow.  After all 5 sessions, you will have the makings of 20 journal pages. Some might be "finished;" some might need more work. Not every page will be a masterpiece but it is amazing how the pages evolve and turn out.

So, ready, set, go! Here are the results of my first session using acrylic paint (Dylusions) with both a brush and a credit card "scraper", Distress stains and a few spray inks (Adirondack and Dylusions). I limited my paint colors to yellow, blue, red and pink; stains to blue and orange; spray inks to green, orange, turquoise, red and purple.

Pg 1

Pg 2

Pg 3

Pg 4

Pg 5

Pg 6

Pg 7

Pg 8

Pg 9

Pg 10

Pg 11

Pg 12

Pg 13

Pg 14

Pg 15

Pg 16

Pg 17

Pg 18

Pg 19

Pg 20

As you can see, none of these are particularly pretty! Thank goodness they will have four more layers! I did well with the time frame, even having an extra minute or two to go back and add more on a few pages.

Stay tuned for Session 2!

September LBH Art Journaling Workshop

Here's the information for my September Art Journaling Work-
shop at the LBH. I hope many of you locals will join me!

September Art Journaling Workshop

“Creative Mediums and Studio Glaze” with Susan Tidwell 

September 2, 2015 10:00 am - 1:00 pm

$15.00

This month we will be focusing on and playing with some new artsy mediums 

from Imagine Crafts and Tsukineko. You will create a double spread in your journal 

using stencils, Distress stains and sprays, metallic and iridescent mediums, napkins and glaze.

Try products before you buy! I will explain their properties as well as fun techniques

and ways to use them on your projects. And, as a bonus, I will be demoing the new

Ken Oliver Color Bursts!

Please join us even if you are a “newbie” - there are no rules or “have tos” 

in this class - just lots of fun ARTSY PLAY!

Closeup

Supply List

art journal or mixed media paper
(you can find at LBH) 

heat tool and palette knife (if you have)

one or two small napkins with images you like (if you have - I will have 
some to share)

chipboard letters for a title

Call the LBH at 817-431-7930 or Come by the store and Sign Up for this 
upcoming Art Journaling Workshop 

Count on Me Art Journal Page

I had done the background of this page awhile ago and really liked it, which hindered my finishing the page as I didn't want to cover it up.  But earlier this month I decided to complete the page and just added the cut doily, some black alpha washi tape, old hole reinforcers and some stickers for the title.  

When I glued on these items with gel medium, it reactivated some of the color from the Distress Stains I had used which are not permanent even when dry. I liked the effect, which toned down the bright white of the doily and reinforcers.

And I added a torn tag with a date stamp which means I've finished it!