Week 6 : DLP 2015

Information about the Documented Life Project is HERE. Up to week 6 already which means 6 spreads now done in my journal. It's a good feeling. Now we are in February, the monthly theme has changed :

I love layers, so looking forward to seeing our challenges for the next few weeks.

I started this spread alongside one I was doing for Life Book (see the next post) since the first steps were layering. I'm going to number my photos as I go through the layers - click on anything to see it larger.

Layer 1 : book paper and washi tape (Life Book page on the right)

I was listening to Tam presenting a video for the Life Book lesson and she was discussing layering - topical ;-) She said that even if you mainly cover your layers, what you create next is often in response to the layer below. It therefore becomes an interactive experience - you have a conversation with your developing work. I love that.

Layer 2 : watercolour crayons activated with water

Layer 3 : Gesso (Life Book page on the right)

Layer 4 : stamping with script stamp (unevenly)

Layer 5 : under papers. Torn and cut as a scalloped edge

See my other spread using under papers HERE. 

Layer 6 : sectioned off my daily journaling with washi tape

Layer 7 : Paint sponged through stencil

I tried to put extra paint on the stencil and stamp with that, but it didn't turn out very well (you can faintly see it by the newsprint under paper)

Layer 8 : paper serviettes

If you tear around your image, and only use the very top layer of the serviette, the edges will blend into the background when glued with gel medium.

Layer 9 : apply paint with bubble wrap

I didn't like the darkness of the blue, so tried lifting it off with clean bubble wrap, and then rubbed over it with a wet wipe that still had some of the orange paint left on it from the stencil.When I came back after leaving time for the paint to dry,  I didn't mind this section in the overall scheme of the page, because it referenced the butterflies' darker markings

Layer 10 : small stamp used as a border top right and bottom left

I knew I wanted to add a quote around about now, but thought the area on the page too dark. This necessitated the next layer :

Layer 11 : light blue paint sponged through stencil

I also added some on the bottom left of the page to balance colours, and cleaned the stencil off top right :

Layer 12 : pencils and pens

Watercolour pencil blended with stump. White pen for highlights. Black pen for my quote. I love how "the universe" can provide the right thing at the moment it's needed...my quote came from an email I received during the week, and fits this challenge perfectly. 
I still wasn't satisfied with the spread, and realised that the only place where purple/pink appeared was in the under paper scallop borders. I was also aware of wanting to create another stencil shape and an extra flower so that I had uneven numbers which are more artistically pleasing to the eye. Lucky layer 13 :

Layer 13 : paint mixed and applied through stencil

I also applied the leftover paint with the cosmetic sponge to increase the purple on the scallop borders. 

Layer 14 : white pen

The addition of white pen to the top right stencil and bottom left purple flower meant I was satisfied that my page was at last complete

You can see all my posts about this project HERE and I've created a Flickr album for all my Documented Life 2015 spreads HERE.