I'm still on course to manage at least one entry each month to the Art Journal Journey challenge. Erika's theme for September is Polka Dots, Stripes, Plaids or Patterns, so I've been getting stripy with this page.
I've also stuck to hues of blue-violet with my neutrals, so this page is just in time to fit in nicely to this week's Monochromatic theme at the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge.
The background started with stripes of washi and tissue tape.
Over that, I added a soft wash of gesso and then applied stripes of DecoArt Crackle Paint with a palette knife.
The palette knife means the top line of the crackle paint is completely straight, but then I've smeared it downwards in each case to create more random, loosely shaped stripes.
The next step was to add some stripes of colour using my Daniel Smith Moonglow watercolour stick. It goes on like hard crayon...
... but once you apply water with a brush, it blooms into the most glorious free-flowing pigment.
Funnily enough, this was the colour which informed last month's AJJ entry too, But while there's moonlight...
This page is considerably smaller than that one, though - it's in a journal which is 8.5 x 6 inches in size.
And the moon is involved this time around too - on this lovely Japanese washi tape.
Finally for the background... lots of spatter, both of the leftover Moonglow pigment that was on the craft mat, and of the new soft white from PaperArtsy, Cloud 9.
The stripes of tape provide somewhere for the two paper dolls to stand and sit. Happily, there's a nice thick "bench" for the seated girl to perch on, and some sturdy crackled paving to support the one standing up.
I added some Pumice Stone shading around the two girls to bed them into the page. And some wild thread adds movement and energy behind them.
Their bold expressions seem to me to work beautifully with the words.
The quote forms a whole new set of stripes, stripes of text, this time.
I used Stormy Sky and a wash of the Moonglow over the top to create the background, before stamping and embossing the words with Wow Vanilla White powder.
I always find it deeply moving that these powerful words come from a girl barely older than these two Paper Dolls, who never made it to her sixteenth birthday, yet somehow found the strength to endure hardships and horror almost beyond imagining.
The sequins capture glimmers of light and reflect them back at the viewer...
... those shafts of brilliance echoing the power of one's inner strength and courage.
I hope you like this strong, stripy page. The words mattered a great deal to me on the day I was making it, and I came out of the craft room feeling a lot better than when I went in. I hope you've found some time for restorative art this weekend.
For those who follow the dollshouse side of things, there's a fantastic new post to enjoy over at Cestina's Dollshouses today.
Stripes will always add that certain something.
Anthony T. Hincks
Once you can accept the universe as matter expanding into nothing that is something, wearing stripes with plaid comes easy.
Albert Einstein
I'd like to share this at Art Journal Journey where the theme is Polka Dots, Stripes, Plaid or Patterns
At the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge they would like us to work in Monochrome
30 comments:
A wonderful posting and a fantastic page that looks like a melody of the soul Alison. The Anne Frank words are beautifully explained here. I love all the stylish elements coming together so perfectly, you are a master of all those media and with your own quotation stamps you can create the most thoughtprovoking art! Thank you so much for joining AJJ again dear Alison. Happy new week ahead!
Susi xxx
Your work looks amazing! Thanks for your tutorial.
Its so special all these strips you made. Wonderful colors too!
Fantastic journal page, and love the cool colours. Beautifully done! Have a good week to come, hugs, Valerie
Such powerful words.....Thank you for the step by step on how you did your glorious background. The soft colours and the stripes, along with the crackle look amazing x. The little girls look so at home on their page and glad you found them both somewhere to stand and to sit. Thought provoking creation and absolutely fabulous x.
Stripes and textures work together so well. this is amazing Alison. I also love the quote as well as the way you stamped the quote onto the blue paper. This is a great piece for the Art Journal Journey challenge. Huge thanks for joining us and for linking this great piece. Have a super week. Last in September, already. Wow. Hugs-Erika
I was out of town over the weekend, so am slowly catching up to what I've missed. Using the washi tape as stripes was really clever. I was intrigued by how you used the gesso. I also like how you used the words as another form of stripes. What a clever way to continue the theme. I confess I've never heard of those watercolor sticks, but they certainly work well and put out the perfect amount of pastel color.
Anne Frank was wise beyond her years. Maybe it was because of the times in which she grew up, or maybe it was because of all the hardships she endured, but she certainly had a unique perspective and outlook on life. You picked a fabulous quote to match the entry that celebrated Erika's theme at Art Journal Journey, dear Alison.
A great page and just love how you’ve built up your background, beautiful
Love
Amanda x
I love the background on this page Alison. It has made me want to try out the very same technique that you have used - love how you have built up those stripes with the various strips and the Crackle Paint. Gorgeous subtle colouring too, must investigate that moonglow stick, the effect is lovely.
The words are wonderful and the fact that you have incorporated them into the theme of 'stripes' is great - and then we have the girls - they sit/stand beautifully as you have grounded them perfectly.
A truly wonderful page.
Hugs, Neet xx
Beautiful art and wonderful quote. Thank you so much for sharing with us.
LOve every single bit of this, Alison. Thanks for sharing the technique you used to make the background, I have to try it!
A gorgeous page Alison and words that came from the heart of a very special young woman. Her story will touch many in the coming years as it has in the past.
Yvonne xx
I love everything about this page, so sweet and beautiful, just perfect with these two little girls (inspiring for me with my twins of just 12!) and your words, absolutely wonderful.
And I've seen (very, very quickly yesterday your last stamp words sets, LOVE love them (and definitely on my wishlist for at least 2 of them!!!!!)
Looking forward to your future samples with your new stamps Alison... Huge congratulations. I wish you a lot of success with them as the previous ones, so deserved!
Hugs,
Corinne xxx
Exquisite!
Beautiful words and beautiful page.
I always enjoy admiring your work, the words, the details, the colors, it’s all so cohesive and always reflects such incredible feeling. This is beautiful. I really like seeing how the crackle paint went on creating lines as well as organic texture. ~Ann x
The background you created for the girls is very striking and yet peaceful at the same time. I really love the quote too, it fits so perfectly. I did enjoy a wonderful restorative weekend of crafting with Tracy Evans and lots of lovely like minded ladies - always so refreshing. Anne xx
Love your stripy page, with all the wonderful texture Alison, the threads makes a great way of "binding" the girls even more together .
Reading the quotes of Anne Frank, is heartbreaking, knowing in which circumstances she wrote them .
Hugs, Dorthe
A fabulous journal page Alison..I love the stripes and definitly the colours..I also love the quotes and the girls and the added sequins..awesome page.
Luv CHRISSYxx
This is so lovely Alison, so wonderfully created.
The stripes of horizontal words and then the vertical paper dolls balance so beautifully on this page filled with paints and textures.
Great thought provoking words. (I didn't remember her being so young but it says so much about her.) Love the threads and crackle!
It's a gorgeous page of art~ Hugs, karen o
Beautiful page, Alison! Love how the washi tape was used for the stripes.
Wow, what a fabulous art journal page! The background that you created is amazing, I love how you used the washi tape and tissue paper to create the stripes 😀. Wishing you a lovely week! Hugs, Jo x
Gorgeous page Alison, the light and feminine background is perfect! Nicola x
Alison, you've prepared a lovely monochromatic backdrop for your girls, and I especially love the crackle. Wonderful, thoughtful words, and yes, so incredible coming from such a young girl. I'm happy you were restored after creating this--I know working in an art journal can have powerful emotional effects, and I'm glad these were positive this time. Hugs!
I love that striped background with the colors. The quote by Anne Frank is so strong and moving. Have you been to the Anne Frank house in Amsterdam? I was there years ago, and still remember everything very well.
Big congrats on your new stamps!! As always, you choose the best quotes and sentiments.
Charming mixed media piece. I dig your palette, and seeing your process too!
Love the background, and it sounds fun to make too! Love the combination of words and paper dolls, good match! xx
Oooh I really like this one, especially how you've made the background, and of course the quotes are perfect xx
An excellent beauty of a page! LOVE the simplicity of the strips of tape with the texture! LOVE how you stamped and embossed the quotes on the strips. Gotta get those!
I can see how this must have improved your humour - not only is a beautiful finished page but the way you made it has so many different techniques you could lose yourself in it for a while! I must investigate those colour sticks! Chrisxx
A beautiful page Alison, wonderful textures and depth in the background to go with those strong words. Having visited her house in Amsterdam and various exhibitions in the UK, I'm always amazed at such a strong character for someone so young.
Avril xx
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