'Brave' Art Journal with Belinda Spencer

 Hello Scrapping Clearly fans!!

Today I have my latest art journal spread to share with you created for SCRAPPING CLEARLY using lots of awesome product available in the Scrapping Clearly store.

'BRAVE' Art Journal

To start with I laid down some colour in my DINA WAKLEY MEDIA 6x6 White Journal using PRIMA Art Philosophy Concentrated Watercolour in Peacock and Truth. I spritzed the pages with a LOT of  water first and then just dropped the colour on. I picked up the journal and played around with the colour letting it swish this way and that.

Next I added some salt crystals and set aside to dry completely.

The salt crystals didn't really work as well as they normally do so I ended up covering most of this up! I think they didn't like such a textured surface. Lesson learnt!!

Next I tore out a face from the DWM Collage Paper Faces Pack and added to the page using a matte gel medium. I use a silicone brush to apply the gel to the surface, lay down the image and then use the silicone brush to smooth some more gel medium over the top. 

I wasn't 100% happy with the salt crystal effect so I tore up some papers from the DWM Collage Collective Book and applied to the pages using the same matte gel medium. Oh and also a strip torn from the DWM Collage Paper Backgrounds Pack. I then set it aside to dry. (To be honest I was too impatient to wait for it to dry so I sped things up with my heat gun taking care not to heat too long or too close in the one spot or the papers will bubble.)

Next I grabbed my DWM Scribble Sticks and coloured in some hair across the pages. I used a large soft wet paintbrush to activate and blend the crayons and set aside to dry. (You can see on the face that I started experimenting with the next step too)

Time to start adding colour to the face! I used the beautiful Soft Neutral PRIMA Watercolour Pencils to add some skin tones to the face just by scribbling on the colour; darker colours in the shadow areas and light where the sun hits the face.

I activated the pencil using the same paintbrush and then set aside to dry. (Or impatiently dried CAREFULLY with the heat gun again).

She needed a bit more colour so I added some more using the Scribble Sticks again and then activated and blended with the paintbrush.

Time for some detail now! My go to pens for adding final details are Posca Paint Pens and also the new Pilot Pintor Paint Pens. I used white and black Poscas as well as the Light Blue Pilot Pintor Pen for the eyes.

Next I added some stencilling using a KAISERCRAFT Mini Stencil with heavy white gesso. I added a quote torn from the DWM Collage Papers using the gel medium. I added some circles using the DWM Mini Boulders 6x6 Template and Scribble Sticks.

I finished by adding some more stencilling and doodling with the black Posca Pen. I added the title too by stamping onto plain tissue paper using the HEIDI SWAPP Old School Alphabet Clear Stamps and RANGER Archival Ink in Aquamarine and Jet Black.

Thanks so much for stopping by the blog today. I hope you are feeling inspired to have a play with your Scrapping Clearly goodies too or check out some of the awesome stuff in store now.

Cheers

Belinda

Darkroom Door Stencil Blog Hop

Hello!!

Welcome to the Darkroom Door Stencil Blog Hop!!

I am so excited about the launch of these fabulous NEW stencils that co-ordinate perfectly with all of your favourite Darkroom Door stamps!

Not only that but they come in TWO sizes to suit your every project from art journal pages and layouts to cards and artist trading cards. Perfect!!

Today I would love to share what I have been creating with some of the stencils.

Large Stencil - Circles

First I played around with my gel press and some acrylic paints to print off a whole bunch of prints.

WARNING: This technique is highly addictive! I now have a whole stack of prints ready to go for different projects. I can use them in my art journals, cut them up for project life cards, use them as card fronts.....the possibilities are endless!

I didn't waste the paint that was left on the stencil either. After a light spritz of water on the stencil, I then made a print from the actual stencil.

After so much fun and covering my whole floor with prints, it was time to get down to business and make something with them.

'Creativity' Art Journal Page

'Create Art' Art Journal Page

For this project, I used the stencil as a stamp on my art journal page. I applied black gesso to the stencil and spritzed with a little water before applying to my page.

'Just Keep Swimming' Tag

For this project, I applied Distress Oxides over the stencil and onto a manila tag using latex sponges. I flicked some water over it too creating a lovely waterstained effect.

Small Stencil - Circles

I love the size of this smaller stencil! So perfect for card fronts, small journal pages and all of your smaller projects.

'Hello' Card

This time I have used the stencil along with some Golden Light Molding Paste to create a lovely textured card front.

I spritzed on some Kaisermists and played around with some water as well.

I used the stamp kissing technique with the Carved Flowers stamp and the Circles Background Stamp to create a kind of water lily floating in a pool of water.

'You're So Sweet' Card

Next I pulled out the Distress Oxides again to create another card.

'Create Art Everyday' Art Journal Page

For this art journal page, I used watercolour pencils to colour the circles and then blended with a soft, wet paintbrush.

Once it was dry, I placed the stencil back over the page and outlined the circles with a black journalling pen. I intentionally added the pen in a scribbly fashion for added interest.

Large Stencil - Crackle

I created both an art journal page and a layout with this awesome and versatile stencil.

'Stand Tall and Proud' Art Journal Page

I began with a black journal page. I placed the stencil over the top and held in place with a little washi tape. First I applied white gesso over the stencil and allowed it to dry. Then I added a lovely turquoise acrylic paint over the top.

'Daily Life' Layout

I created a textured background for my layout by using the stencil with my favourite Golden Light Molding Paste and then spritzing with water and sprinkling with Brusho Colour in Olive.

Small Stencil - Crackle

'Snap' Card

Now when my husband saw the above textured background he thought it looked like crocodile skin, which inspired this project.

I created the background in the same way as the above layout but with the addition of some Kaisermist as well.

'Dude' Card

I decided to grunge things up a bit this time with a bit of an experiment using a product I had never used before; Faber Castell ASPHALT! So cool.

Look at that texture!

Large Stencil - Mesh

I couldn't help myself. I needed to make more gel press prints with this fabulous stencil. :-)

And then I thought; How cool would the mesh prints look on the hessian pages in my art journal? So that's what I did.

'Window to the Soul' Art Journal Page

I stamped the butterflies on one of the spare gel press prints and fussy cut before adding to my page.

Small Stencil - Mesh

Guess what? I made more gel press prints with the small stencil. I told you it was addictive!! LOL

When I looked at this one, I thought it would be pretty cool as a starting point for a layout which brings me to my final project.

'Sweet Home Life' Layout

I embossed the Bare Tree Eclectic Stamp on the layout using Super Fine White Detail Embossing Powder.

WOW!! That was a lot of projects to get through! It just goes to show how fun these stencils are to use and how inspired I was by the awesome designs. I sure hope you made it this far because now it is tome for a little treat! Make sure you follow the instructions for your chance to win THREE stencils of your choice.

Now it's time for a giveaway! 

Be sure to visit each blog and leave a comment. Five lucky winners will will receive 3 stencils of their choice! Winners will be drawn from comments left across all the blogs, so be sure to leave a comment on each blog for more chances to win! Comments received before midnight Friday 4th August are eligible to be in the draw. Winners will be announced Monday 7th August on the Darkroom Door blog and Facebook page. 

Hop along to the other blogs here: 

Darkroom Door: http://www.darkroomdoor.com/Blog 

Teresa Abajo: https://thetamarisk.blogspot.com 

Belinda Spencer: http://happyscrapspace.blogspot.com 

Autumn Clark: http://sewpaperpaint.blogspot.com 

Godelieve Tijskens: http://stampingmathilda.blogspot.com 

Anneke De Clerck: http://somefiddlingonthekitchentable.blogspot.com 

Robyn Wood: http://purplesalt.net 

Happy blog hopping!!

Cheers
Belinda