Mixed-Media Resolutions Quote Art Journaling Page

My name is Sally Lynn MacDonald and this is my first project to share with you as a guest designer with Faber-Castell Design Memory Craft.  I have created an art journaling page today using several mediums in combination to show you how well they work together.

This page is the first one I've made in 2013 and something I am dedicating to my daughter, Brianna.  I wanted to incorporate a favorite quotation (that I wish I could attribute, but sadly it is anonymous) as a title or resolution page on her art journal page.

"I Choose...
to live by choice, not by chance
to be motivated, not manipulated
to be useful, not used
to make changes, not excuses
to excel, not compete
to have self-esteem, not self-pity
to listen to my inner voice, not to the random opinion of others."

I started with a piece of watercolor paper with a digital print around the edges as my base.  I then sketched a rough outline of a face onto the paper.

Then, I added a few lines for possible placement of hair, creating a 'peak' and filled in the skin tone with a peach Gelato.

Use a large waterbrush to blend and disperse the color evenly over the face.

Working wet-on-wet, apply the pink Gelato around the edges of the face and features.  Create shadows for a more defined nose bridge and shadow under the chin to create dimension.

Watercolors always look best when you build up several layers of color.  Bring in a little sunlight with the yellow gelato along the top of the hairline, above and below the corners of the eyes, along the nose and under lip and chin areas.  Blend colors with water brush.

The last color used to shade is something you might not expect, but if you think of shadows as being blue it works.  The earth's atmosphere is blue as the sky, so shadows are naturally cool blue.  Add it sparingly and play with the intensity.

Now I used the Paper Crafter Crayons to create the eye color.  I like the precision of the crayons, the fact that they will resist other mediums so that I don't have to worry about my watercolor work bleeding into that work area and the range of colors is really fun to work with.

I like the pupils to be a deep, rich black.  Therefore I used the Stampers Big Brush Pen in black to fill them in.

Once all the wet areas are dry, in order to soften existing lines and add some shadows, I went around the edges with the gray Pastel Pencil and smudged the lines slightly.

Time for some makeup!  I used the metallic pink Gelato and a pink Pastel Pencil for definition on the lips.

The brown Pastel Pencil fills in her brows and adds some lashes around her eyes.  To deepen shadows around the edges of the face and under the chin I blended in a Pitt Artist Pen in Warm Grey III. 

I've also used the Paper Crafter Crayons to add some movement and texture to the base layer of the hair.  These marks won't blend and will resist subsequent layers.

Now I've applied the Stampers Big Brush in yellow ochre, using flicking brush strokes to create texture.

I added Paper Crafting Crayons in brown to deepen the roots.  Then I applied the peach Gelato and blended it in with a water brush.  Lots of water has been applied so I speeded up the drying process with a heat tool so that I can start working on the background.

Gelatos are a quick and easy way to fill in the background.  I scribbled the teal, blue metallic and a bit of bright green into the corners and wet it a bit with a water brush.

To blend the background to the edge of my focal point, I used a wet fan brush with quick motion to blend the colors.  A little overlap is ok.

Add journaling or a quotation, and you are done! 

I hope you've enjoyed today's project and I look forward to answering any questions that you may have about its creation.

Sally Lynn MacDonald
www.sallylynnmacdonald.com
www.facebook.com/sallylynn.macdonald

Comments

[Sherri Caramico]

Just Beautiful as always Sally Lynn! Thanks for sharing and the great Tutorial too!

[kip]

beautiful and very informative!

[La-Vie Borde-Perry]

Your work is phenomenal!! Thanks for sharing.

La-Vie

[Dawn Carlyle]

Amazing - thanks for sharing....

[Marilyn Nimmo]

Beautiful work, Sally Lynn! What a cool way to write down those goals.

[Trexxann]

This is beautiful, so inspiring in every way.

[Linda]

Awesome Sally!