Sunday 22 May 2011

A fight between intuition and too much thinking!

Hi everyone, I hope you are having a great weekend.

This latest page I want to share was a labour of love and learning. It felt like a tug of war between my intuition and my thinking brain. At times there was just too much thinking about what colours and techniques to use without letting the page form naturally. Whenever I stopped flowing and tried to apply too many rules and reasons for doing things, the layer just didn't look right. Many times I did another layer and walked away cause it just didn't look how I thought it would. Whenever I just relaxed, breathed and let my intuition guide me the page came together. 
Sometimes we struggle against the tide trying to put the "right" colours together, trying to balance the page from the beginning, ignoring the evolving process that is so much a characteristic of art journaling.

So here is the process
For the background I gessoed the page thickly and then pressed the two pages together. opened them up and let them dry naturally to create the texture underneath. Over the top I brushed on Jo Sonja Sapphire and wiped off the excess.
then was a wash of jo Sonja Harbour Blue
and a layer of randomly stamped flowers.
I then used Jo Sonja Yellow Orange with a makeup sponge and a Crafters Workshop Stencil called Flower Frenzy as well as a Gerbera stencil














At this stage I wasn't really happy with the colours so I doodled some flower outlines with a white paint pen
I still wasn't wrapped in the results so used the Crafters Workshop stencil called Mini Daisy cluster and sponged white all over the page
Still not happy because it was too harsh, so I mixed white with Harbour Blue and scrapped over the pages.
 I really wanted to get a nice contrasting colour so pulled out a cutout with a floral pattern and sponged white all over the pages then sponged Jo Sonja Tiger Lily randomly
OK so I am feeling better about where this is headed now because I got out of my own way and picked colours without thinking too much.
So I have left this page now and gone to work. I'm sitting at my desk at lunchtime with my favourite scarf on and realise that it is my favourite scarf because of the colour combination. My first thought is wow, these are the colours I can add to the page of my journal. Hence the next steps. Here is the scarf, gorgeous bright colours that just make me feel better on a cold Melbourne day.

 I needed a border so used the Tim Holtz On the Edge Die called Scrollwork cut from a piece of chipboard to use as a stencil
 Jo Sonja Cadmium Yellow Mid was the colour I used with a bigger, softer, more open sponge
 I sponged again with the same stencil but just in from the edge of the yellow layer using Jo Sonja Yellow Green. I also scrapped it down the page in random places


 Next colour was Jo Sonja Brilliant Magenta. I dry brushed this on the page so I could retain the texure underneath. I just love dry brushing or smooching.


  
  Next layer was  stamping with a floral stamp with words in the petals and impress Tangerine and Versa Magic Cloud White
  So this is where I am at and I am really happy with where it is now. So onto the words
 I am a big Sonia Choquette fan and one of her early books called Your Heart's Desire. It is in a workbook format to help you remove obstacles, focus on your dreams and to empower you to manifest your Heart's Desires. I have had it for a while now and have done some chapters sporadically but now the book calls to me to be read from start to finish. Funny how you can have books for ages and not ready them till you are ready to hear what they have to say.

So I found a small pad of Adhesive patterned papers in my stash and a sheet of striped paper in the colours I have used. I cut and tore strips, worked out where I wanted them and wrote a quote from Sonia's book on them and a bit of personal journaling in a Blue Sharpie. 
After I stuck them down I rubbed Jo Sonja Titanium White around the main title, dipped the credit card in the white and underlined the words. I re-stamped a couple of white flowers and there you have it.

So what obstacles or excuses have you put in your way consciously or sub-consciously? Do you tell yourself that you could not possible do something. Surprise yourself, give yourself permission to try something and you will find that what you thought was  a huge immovable mountain was really a smoke screen hiding your potential creative self, ready and waiting to be invited into your life.



“The chief enemy of creativity is  
"good" sense.”
 Pablo Picasso

Namaste
Lee 

9 comments:

Janet said...

Lee, I thought it looked good at several stages but you pushed on and now it looks beautiful! Some of my favorite pages have been ones where I just "randomly" chose colors. Thanks for sharing how you worked through this page. I always learn something from you and I'm always inspired.

Kerryanne @ Shabby Art Boutique said...

I think it is wonderful Lee that you include the whole process, even when you are not entirely happy with where it is going. The colour combinations are bright and uplifting. Hope your week is as inspiring as your journal pages.
Hugs ~ Kerryanne

Anonymous said...

How much fun are you having over here, with all of your yummy colours and layering! Awesome!

I really need to purchase some intricate stencils too.

Thanks for visiting!

Ciao Bella!


CREATIVE CARMELINA

Anna Rosa Designs said...

Hey Lee,
Wow, you are a persistant young lady!
Love how you work at something for soo long and achieve such wonderful results.
Hm, I will have to get a copy of that book and read these sorts of sayings more often.
I can always count on you for inspiration. Thanks honey,
Have a warm, cozy day,
Hugs,
Anna

Kelly said...

Lee, thankyou so much for coming by my blog today, you truly encouraged me with your wonderful comments. Plus it inspired me to come by your blog and discover your amazing journal pages here that I absolutely LOVE! I almost purchased that flower stencil you have here and now after seeing what you did with it I really wish I had! Next, I love how you came up with the colors! It's a perfect match to your scarf! Now you've got me curious about that book so I'm headed off to google it! Love the pages Lee! Thankyou for blessing my day with inspiration!
Hugs
Kelly

Mary C. Nasser said...

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE your pages!
Thank you for the step-by-step tutorial so I can try!

So glad I found you through the “All Kinds of Artists” Artist blog hop!
I am your newest blog follower. :)
Looking forward to seeing your upcoming posts!

I welcome you to check out my art blog, too!

Best,
Mary C. Nasser
http://www.marycnasser.com/blog.html

Arlene said...

Lee - I can really relate to what you are saying here about letting your intellect get in the way of your intuition! I have done that too. Love what you've done with your journal pages. Great colors and design! Thanks also for stopping by my blog and leaving your lovely comment! I'm so glad to have discovered your blog too!

Arlene said...

I forgot to add that I love Sonia Choquette too! I was fortunate to have taken a workshop with her in San Diego at Louise Hay's conference a couple of years ago! What fun it was!

An'Angelia Thompson said...

Great pages, Lee. I really like the colors and I love the Picasso quote!

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