A Wonderful Life with Art

It's a wonderful life, chronicled from time to time (I only missed writing in a few weeks this year too), no chemicals used (ink doesn't count). I'm a limited edition!

Art journal page using stamps, inks, watercolour pencils by Jenny James

Art journaling in my Dylusions small Dyary on a premade yellow red page using a few favourite arty treasures. I hope it inspires you to have a go, follow your heart to create art and make smiles!

How my page was created ...

It all started with Tim Holtz's rubber stamps (Specimen cms410, Sketch Leaves cms428, Entomology cms328) and Black Soot Distress Archival Ink Pad. The images were printed onto the mixed media page starting with the big beautiful butterfly and leaves, then adding ants, bees and ladybugs wherever they fancied living.

Stamping, art journaling, colouring with Art by Jenny

I coloured in the outer areas using Distress watercolour pencils (Prize Ribbon and Salty Ocean), and blended the blues with a waterfilled waterbrush (a wet paintbrush also works).

Stamping, art journaling, colouring with Art by Jenny 

Next I painted over a few areas using Dylusions Ink Spray London Blue (applied with a brush) to enhance the colour. Once half dry, I splashed the page with water and dabbed off to create droplets and let dry again.

Stamping, art journaling, colouring with Art by Jenny

Stamping, art journaling, colouring with Art by Jenny . close up of droplets

I drew highlights and eyes with white gel pen (this could easily be done last too, go with the flow). Covering the butterfly with scraps, I splattered the page with Dina Wakley MEdia Glossys in Lemon and White.

 Stamping, art journaling, colouring with Art by Jenny . photo showing scraps for masking areas

To give the leaves a lift, I painted parts of them with Dylusions Ink Spray in Dirty Martini (its a gorgeous green in case you didn't know).

Stamping, art journaling, colouring with Art by Jenny . photo of work in progress

The ladybugs have had their shells coloured (and waterbrush painted) with Distress watercolour pencils.

Once the page was dry, I redrew a few antennae and legs in black marker, then used a paint brush to apply Distress Sparkle Texture Paste to wings and beetle shells.

Stamping, art journaling, colouring with Art by Jenny . close up of sparkle paste covered lady beetle

Lastly, Dyan's mental health day stamp was printed onto scrap paper (glued onto the page with Dylusions glue stick) and used a few Idea-ology stickers to tell a story in a weird and wonderful way.

Stamping, art journaling, colouring with Art by Jenny . art therapy

Stamping, art journaling, colouring with Art by Jenny . its a wonderful life

Sing out if you need a hand :) Thanks for visiting my creative space!

Happy Arty Crafty Day!
:)
Jenny