We started at 9:30 am . . . and after some basics and introductions, started creating art journal page backgrounds by using Dyan's three basic techniques: painting with baby wipes, painting with a brayer, and a paint block technique using the Ranger blending tool. When all was done, there were seven or eight layers of paint on each page, including the stencil images and spritzes of ink. The paints we used were the new Dylusions paints developed to Dyan's specifications. ("If you stamp your feet hard enough, you get what you want.") Videos of Dyan demonstrating these techniques and talking about her paints can be seen on the Ranger website HERE.
Here's my baby wipe pages before the black stencil accents
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| I had too much paint on my blending tool :-( |
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| This journal page is ready for adding words, doodling, stamping, or whatever |
And the brayer pages:
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| Before the black accent stenciling |
We removed (i.e. tore out) six pages from the journal, on which we created "accidental" backgrounds by using the paint left over on the palette and on the brayer and painty blending tools after doing the pages within the journal. I wasn't quick enough to complete all twelve sides of the six pages . . . I managed five sides in one colorway and the three sides in another but four blanks remain. These pages will be taped back into the journal . . . I think I'll have to buy some paints . . . but not just yet - I have projects already filling up the craft table . . .
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| Five clean up sides in the pink, red, aqua, lime combo |
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| Three reverse sides of the five sides shown above |
And here is one of the two paint block technique pages I did . . .
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| Dyan would put more black accents on the page as well as pen doodling. |
The star page below is a block technique page that was painted over . . . well actually painted around a solid star shape (the inside of a stencil) that I held in place . . . when removed the painted background shows through. The black was softened by some pounced on pink paint from the blending tool. Dyan's style adds words, outlines and images, perhaps using a white pen . . . but at least four hours of drying time is necessary before adding any pen doodling or journaling.
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| The second paint block page . . . covered with black |
Next we were told to begin with a white page and a large stencil . . . rubber stamping (with Dylusions stamps) an image within the stencil shape. Then the background was filled with black. I added some pink stenciled stars and a bit of pink pounced paint for contrast. The purple and lime circles were a clean-up of blending tools.
The final step in the class (it was a bit after 5 pm at this point) was to decorate the cover of the journal using one of the three techniques we had practiced. First we painted white gesso onto the kraft color journal cover so the paints wouldn't look like mud . . . I chose to use the baby wipe technique with stenciling for my cover.
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| Journal cover opened flat |
The front cover . . .
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| Front cover |
Hands down this was the best workshop I've attended. It was an honor and pleasure to meet Dyan Reaveley. I can't begin to describe the individual she is and the respect I have for her philosophy of making art. Personally, I stretched well beyond my comfort zone with colors and patterns and the result was pretty good, if I do say so.
The recently formulated Dylusions paints are wonderful for paper painting and I can see myself incorporating painted papers into my own work. Many thanks to Traci at Papercraft Clubhouse for making a great day happen.
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