Thursday 1 January 2015

A Visual Journey 2015

A Visual Journey 2015

I have decided that this year I need to free myself from over thinking some of my designs. Don’t get me wrong, standing back, walking away and giving yourself some time can be a good thing but often I am making a small project and I start to procrastinate, try to change elements and over think so that my creativity goes out the window and I completely lose the thread. So I thought that if I made a Visual Journal/Diary/Sketchbook and practiced making quick designs at least once a week or fortnight it would help me to free myself from this constraining practice and would also give me the chance to experiment with techniques and ideas that I pick up when visiting your blogs or that I see on Pinterest.

So today is day ONE and I am looking to post something hopefully every Thursday and wondered if you would like to join me? Along the way I will tell you what my inspiration is or what I am trying to achieve and I will add a linky to the bottom of my post. There are no prizes and certainly no pressure to share every time I post but by linking we can visit other artists or crafters who would like to show us what they are doing and find even more inspiration between ourselves.







I bought this old book sometime last year and have been waiting for the opportunity to use it and now is the time. It's a fabulous hard back with gorgeous watercolour type paper pages. Some were cut and some were just torn when it was made so it attracted me straight away when I saw it on a market book stall.


I have started with a double page collage. First I prepared the pages by drawing round some of the words I wanted to show through then painted them with gesso and a little frayed burlap distress paint. When they were just about dry I places waxed paper between the pages so they wouldn't stick together and put under a heavy box to make sure they were flattened well.


My collage is made up of a variety of scraps found on my desk and as I started to design the layout and pick up each of the elements I was creating links to the book title, so that when I had finished putting it all together I added some words that I thought The Roadmender would see or be aware of when he was out every day. They've added the dialogue I felt this collage needed.


I added a little bit of stamping and consciously chose the tissue tapes to go with the design, but otherwise the pieces were all picked up from scraps that were left on my desk from previous projects. Can you believe that they fitted together so well?


The number 8 is foil tape on card and the piece I played with before making my my new year plaque (see previous post).



I hope you will consider joining in with this visual journey. Anything goes with whatever journal/sketchbook/ type activity is right for you. My Pinterest page explains it as -
'Keeping a visual journal is a journey of experimentation; giving time to be free in expressing yourself and not constrained by others expectations. Practicing design, layouts, composition, colour mixing, techniques, materials, mixed media. Creating your own exercises, titles, mood boards, taking yourself out of the box, finding yourself. Bring new ideas to life, to spark you off in new directions, to allow your own imagination and creativity to develop in complete freedom'.

Thanks for joining me today

hugs Brenda xxx

This is the code to add to your post so you can share the Link Up with your readers.
get the InLinkz code

  Please join our Visual Journal Link Up and thank you for sharing your inspiration with us.



29 comments:

Redanne said...

Such a wonderful idea Brenda - your first page is a visual treat! Hugs, Anne xx

massofhair said...

Great idea Brenda lovely pages too, will try to join in. You could always try your speedier crafting by joining in with The Speed Craft Challenge which gives a theme and asks you to complete any project in under 15 minutes. It is great fun, please do join us :-) xxx

sally said...

Wonderful idea & what a great book you're using. I've added another journal challenge this year - a French one! We shall see what kind of a journey that takes me on...

Sally

Nikki Acton said...

Fabulous idea and wonderful page - I hope to join you on this journey
xx

Jennie Atkinson said...

A fabulous idea Brenda and I hope to find time to join in as I agree we can get so caught up in getting everything absolutely perfect (well try!) that we bypass the freedom of creating art. I love your first page! Jennie x

Jane said...

What a lovely idea Brenda and your first pages are perfect, it's amazing sometimes how things fall together isn't it. I do hope to join you when time allows...back to work tomorrow for me...grr ;0) Happy new year to you and yours, hugs xx

Glennis F said...

This looks fabulous Brenda, I love it

Carol Salisbury said...

This is a wonderful idea...I was thinking more of the same but also thinking I would drop the ball somewhere along the line....maybe with this linkup I'll be able to keep up with it!
Your start is wonderful! What a lucky find in that book & it's torn pages! Also loving that you used your desk scraps....I have tons...brilliant idea there!
Thanks for sharing!

Meggymay said...

A fantastic journal page and a great idea to share with other folk.
Yvonne

Phazereyes said...

I am so the same way in regards to getting in my own way, alot! What a great idea as a way to learn to loosen up! I absolutely LOVE your chosen book! Wow, those do all belong together on this page. Beautiful!

Chana Malkah said...

Hi, Brenda! Love the idea of your JFF challenge! I stopped by to let you know that we have shared the information on our FB page and hope it will drive some traffic to your site.
I would also like to invite you to participate in our weekly challenge (if you are not already a follower) at 613 Avenue Create http://avenue613.blogspot.com

Your challenge will be featured January 2, 2015 at 10:00AM. Please stop by to say hello!
Hugz,
Chana Malkah Harris, Owner
613 Avenue Create Challenge Blog

Card-d-ology http://redoralee.blogspot.com

crafty creations said...

What a great idea Brenda - I have a box on my desk of bits that would be ideal for such a project - it'll be good to journal without too much planning - looking forward to joining in

Have a Happy, Creative and Healthy New Year

Gina said...

This sounds like a wonderful idea Brenda, and your first adventure is awesome :D XXX

Mona Pendleton said...

What a great idea Brenda! Always looking for art journaling inspiration and a place to share! Looking forward to joining along on the journey!

Juls said...

Wow, this is stunningly beautiful! :-) xx

Annie said...

A fabulous idea Brenda and it will become a real treasure for you .
I love the pages you have created here filled with amazing details. Like you I have loads of scrap pieces that could be used in this way. Very inspiring and I hope to join in too.

Also sending you my Best Wishes for a fabulous 2015

Annie x

Words and Pictures said...

Funny - I'm in much the same place... Will be back shortly to link my latest page.

Love the story woven into your images, and how the eye travels along the roadmender's journey. Beautiful use of white space - something that I definitely want to explore.

Wonderful idea to share the journey.
Alison xx

Paper Profusion said...

What beautiful artistry. Wonderful idea Brenda, can't believe how you assembled 'scraps' to look so wonderful. Happy New Year to you and yours. Nicola x

Scrumplescrunch said...

Hello Brenda,
I would love to participate alongside all who I know will join you in this experiment, and it will be very interesting to see how everyone views their progress at the end.
I am going to try and find a suitable book and attempt this, very definitely out of my comfort zone as like you I like things to be in a 'box.'
This is a wonderful idea.
I like your first attempt and a double page to boot!
Smiles:)
Sue

Marjie Kemper said...

What a gorgeous spread, Brenda. and a wonderful idea for sharing in the New Year. I will be a bit nutty these first few months, and then hope to join you on Thursdays. Pinning for now....

Lucy Edmondson said...

This is so gorgeous, Brenda!

Lucy x

Anonymous said...

Hi Brenda, your idea is very lovely as are the sites you created already ;) would maybe like to join and await your next post to decide what to do...kind regards
Ariane

Astrid Maclean said...

Oh so glad I did not miss this! Great idea, and I would love to join you!! Hope lots of others will join too, this could be great fun

Your first page is fantastic and wonderful how you put it together all out of scraps! A wonderful composition and a great collage!

Sorry I have not been around much lately, but as you know, I have been away from home with very little time on the internet. Back home now, so hoping to catch up. Belated Happy New Year to you and yours!!

Astrid Maclean said...

Oops, I just wrote a long post and now it is gone...

Anyway, I think this is a fantastic idea and I would love to join you! Your page looks amazing, a wonderful collage and even better since it came together out of scraps!

Sorry I have not been around much lately, but as you know, I have been away from home with very little time on the internet. Back home now, so hoping to catch up. Belated Happy New Year to you and yours!!

Jennidee Mills said...

I'm really starting to love the idea of altered books. I might try one. But so far I've been working in blank pages. i'll be watching this blog closely though :)

Sandy said...

It is so hard to keep up with everything Brenda but I have decided that this should be the year of the journal - especially home made journals. You are off to the most wonderful start for 2015,
Sandy xx

Anne (cornucopia) said...

What a great idea! And your first pages came out beautifully! (Is this challenge only for paper media, or is all digital artwork allowed to?)

Lys said...

Beautiful idea, Brenda, I jump on! I started an art journal last year but didn't fall so much inside... Thanks to gather everyone to try! (sorry I don't know how to put the inlinkz form on my post...).

Mrs.B said...

Hi Brenda,have been reading all your journal posts, so much inspiration and given me the courage to start.
Thanks for this.
Avril x