Modeling Paste Mocking Me

Image 1

Did you ever start a project with one idea in mind and end up with something totally different? I thought I'd make a nice 3D dragonfly out of modeling paste and then do a page around it.

Welllllll, I bought a giant jar of Soho Modeling Paste from Jerry's Artarama. Super great deal!  I have enough modeling paste to last me a few years now.  The thing about modeling paste is that a little goes a long way. I had too much on my stencil and I ended up stenciling dragonflies in every darn art journal that I have going at the moment.  I also used it with at least two other stencils.  It was like it was growing. 

Then every time I use a stencil I had to wash it immediately. So I'm running back and forth from the kitchen to the studio. All the while I'm thinking... "run lots of water... I don't want my kitchen sink clogged with modeling paste. How would I explain THAT to a plumber?"  

After all that, I had to let all the dragonflies dry so now I can't even work in a journal because they all have wet modeling paste in them! Luckily, I was going to a Stampin Up party so I could get away from the wet paste mocking me. 

Fast forward to yesterday.....

When I looked at my dragonfly that I'd stenciled on wax paper (image 1 above) he did not call me at all. He didn't say a single word about where he wanted to be on a page so I put him to the side.  The dragonfly I did use was actually the last bits of the modeling paste slapped down with no thought in my Altered Cook Book.  I loved him. He called to be sprayed with Ann's Homemade Salty Ocean Distressed Spray and Radiant Rain.  I love how the color settled into the ridges.  

Part of me wants to remove the writing but I felt compelled to write Dragonfly Wishes so I've decided to leave it.  A little doodling finished off the page.

Notice... there is more modeling paste at the bottom of the page. That was done with a Crafter's Workshop stencil and the never ending modeling paste. 

Link to: Documented Life Project, Paint Party Friday, Art Journal Everyday

Being Me Is Enough

The prompt for DLP this week was use gesso and the one for Journal 52 was Just Be... This is what I ended up with after playing for a large party of Saturday. I started with a thick layer of gesso. I carved lines in it with an old paint brush that was very stiff with paint.                                      

I thought I'd try a gesso/newspaper transfer. I was told to let the gesso almost dry and my impatience got the best of me and I didn't follow those instructions.  My gesso was too wet and I kind of made a mess as you can see above. I decided I'd go with it and see what happened.  

Next I tried some yellow spray ink. I have no clue what kind it is. It was in a bottle I've had on my shelf for months.  Next I added some pink Radiant Rain.  I ended up spilling the pink spray and as I type I still have pink fingers even have a shower, many hand washing and even cleaning brushes.  I'll go to work with pink tinged fingers... Oh well they are use to it by now I hope.

I love this next photo because it shows the texture I got from using the thick gesso. After it was dry and I'd cleaned up my pink table I added more pink and yellow creating a bit of orange in the background. I also used some Golden High Flow Acrylic Purple paint with a homemade mark maker (aka a credit card cut with pinking shears) and a Catalyst tool to add additional texture to the background.  I also used whatever else was sitting on my table to make additional marks. The truth is I just played until I liked how it looked.  I added bits of green and orange craft paint and a few stamped images.  

The flower is made of gelli prints and a Sizzix die.

I found the quote on facebook and have been saving it for the right page.  I love the idea that it's ok not to be perfect. The quote was perfect after the mess I made with the transfer.

The large words were done with a paint pen from WalMart. It's something I tell myself often. Being Me is Enough.

If you are art journaling I hope you are playing and having fun. Whatever you create is enough because it's yours.  There are so many things in life that are difficult... art journaling is not one of them. It's a place to play, have fun and let go of the anxiety of life.

 

 Link to: Documented Life Project 2015, Journal 52, Paint Party Friday, Art Journal Everyday,