Pages from My Journal Got published!

I was so excited to find out that some of my journal pages were published in Art Journaling (July issue).  I just got my complimentary copy today and was surprised by the page choice, particularly given the layers of details of other pages that were published. Mine were the backs of the title pages in my journal. I guess it always goes to show one should dress up the backs of things.

In the note that was published next to my pages, I talk about messing about with watercolors in my journal. None of those pages made it into the publication, so I wanted to share some of those with you, pages that I feel are more of an expression of me.

First, here's the journal in its raw state (follow the link). I learnt how to put this journal together from Mary Ann Moss' Full Tilt Boogie class which I super-highly recommend.

The journal was originally a falling apart vintage photo album. I made the journal out of watercolor paper with album pages from the original album. Those album pages were the ones the magazine editor liked, with their vintage wallpaper pieces slipped in and bits of vintage images.

It was the back of a page like this that got published! (Yes, okay so I didn't center well)

The journal's theme came from “The Artist’s Rule” by Christine Valters Paintner, a book I am still slowly working through. She suggested creating a contemporary Book of Hours in the medium of our choice. A traditional Book of Hours is a series of prayers and psalms grouped into seven times throughout the day.

my favorite page. (flower was traced, then used watercolor)

To keep me focused and to make sure I actually finished it, it became my creative practice as part of the Chickadee Road Studio Sessions in October 2012 led by Liz Lamoreux and Kelly Barton. I also did a lot of the "catch-up" painting while on retreat at the Mt. Calvary monastery in Santa Barbara and finished the book during a trip home to Australia.

hand-drawn prayer beads with highlights! and shadows! 

I wrote poetry and made watercolor sketches that reflected on the times of the day as well as encouraging me to keep seeing those special small moments that God shares with us. 

I took photos of most of the images first. Most I drew by hand, others I traced the image onto the paper. I used ProMarkers on a couple of the pages too. I am self-taught in watercolors so much of this journal involved my discovering new-to-me ways of painting. 

could not get the colors right for the passionfruit for anything but I liked what I ended up with

For the writing I used a mix of mediums: calligraphy pens, Faber Castell Pitt pens (in black and sepia) and a dip pen. I added shadows to title letters using grey Faber Castell Pitt pens and highlights with a gold pen and a white poster paint pen.

That isn't the whole journal, obviously. Just some of my favorite pages...

Hope you enjoyed looking at these!