July Challenge!2013

Here is the challenge that I posted on www.artjournaling.ning.com

Challenge!2013

Something many of us seem to do when we first explore art journaling is watch videos.  That is how I found art journaling.  I was a scrapbooker and watched Scraptime with Christine Urius podcasts.  I found her blog and followed that.  A few years back I saw a tag on the side of her blog that said “Art Journal Every Day” .   Followed the tag and was hooked.  I started out slow.  Watching videos and making backgrounds, collecting supplies.  But then I was stuck.  All these journalers and their videos.  They all seemed to have a style.  How could I find my own style.  So I continued along making backgrounds and doing some doodling.  I felt like I couldn’t really follow along with the videos because I would be copying.  I felt like what I put in my journal had to be my own unique work.  One night I was watching Mixed Media with Journal Artista, Paula Phillips, she was doing a valentine page.  I liked the colors and her process and started to follow along.  I followed along partially till I thought the page was done.  I didn’t copy completely so I was ok with that.  I call it my Paula Phillips, Betsy Johnson page.

Time passed and I still was not comfortable following along.  I joined Art Journaling.ning and found this challenge group.  This was a big step for me because I finally finished some pages.  I found this challenge group very motivating and inspirational.  Several months ago I found some more art Journal shows on Ustream and Youtube videos.  I really liked the process and the finished pages these journalers created.  I finally broke down and started following along with the live feeds.  How could I learn new techniques if I didn’t practic?  I looked at these videos as my art classes and worked along and figured out what techniques I liked and didn’t like.  I started completing more of my own art journal pages. 

So my challenge for you is to find a video of an art journaler you enjoy and work along.  Try something new, either a technique or product.  I’m going to suggest yellow for a color.  It is summery and a color I don’t use often in my art.  You can use yellow or if there is a color you shy away from use that.

-Use a video for inspiration of someone you enjoy watching

-Try a new technique or product.

-Use yellow or a color you tend to shy away from.

-If you want, share with the group if you like to follow along or just watch for inspiration.

It will be great to see what videos other people watch and find new ideas.

Here are some examples of videos I’ve followed along with and the finished work.

Mixed Media Mondays with Tracy Weinzapfel         

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fAPl15VuLkk  this piece was titled “Express Yourself”.   I followed along closely and ended up using a charcoal pencil which I had never used before and really liked it.  I’ve used it several times since.

Inspiration Wednesday with Donna Downey    
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zUMMJBcKFFM       This time I followed along and drew a face.  I had never drawn faces in my art journaling before.

Both of the pages were done in my left over journal.  This is a journal I only use to clean my brayer, stencils or any left over paint.  I got this idea from JournalArtista Paula Phillips and here is one of her videos detailing her left over journal.  You can view the video on her blog dated April, 18, 2013.   http://www.iamjournalartista.com/