Book of Days : Self-portrait

I really wanted to do at least one page from a Book of Days lesson this month, and this one is a graphite transfer self-portrait designed to celebrate all of our proudest moments for the year. 2020 will be remembered by everyone as the year that COVID-19 came to New Zealand. For my family and me, it’s the year that I fought breast cancer and won! Last month some children at my school hosted a Pink Ribbon Fundraising week in support of the Breast Cancer Foundation New Zealand. It included a High Tea event where I was invited to speak to share my story and celebrate my positive outcome. I used this photo from that event for my journal page

This doesn't look like me but perhaps she is my inner wiser self. I don't love it and I don't hate it and I've completed a page in my art journal and played with paint today so calling it a win ♥

Effy's just released all the info about her collaborative year-long class Book of Days 2021 HERE. Registration opens 15th November (that's Monday NZ time) US$99 until December 31st, at which point it will go up to $120.

I've done Book of Days for the past 5 years. THIS LINK will take you to all the work I've ever done inspired by those lessons. 

Book of Days : Resilient

So excited to have reached the last spread in my altered art journal! I introduced this journal in January last year, and this was how it looked in January this year. 

Decided that the best way to finish this book was with a Book of Days portrait lesson from Melanie Rivers in June called Resilient. She encouraged a loose and playful style.

I began with my face sketch on the right hand page, and felt I needed to honour myself as I end this journal. No curly hair for me at present and I am still making my peace with that. I also had to come up with something other than hair flowing to the facing page! This spread was a struggle in some ways and a healing in others. 

Pleased to have included Shine in my spread. And in a lovely flash of inspiration and closure, this last spread uses the same stencil from my first spread!

I finish with huge gratitude for my creative practice and this art journal which has helped me navigate the challenges of 2020 so far. 

Obviously this recycled book needs some work on the spine and I'd like to alter the cover in some way. I'll share that when it's done and looking forward to introducing you to my new art journal.

Find out more about the collaborative year-long class Book of Days 2020 HERE. Effy's currently working on what 2021 will look like and has said registration will open on November 15th. THIS LINK will take you to all the work I've ever done inspired by Book of Days through the years. 

Book of Days : No Mud No Lotus

I haven't been posting as much since my energy has been low this month. This was to be expected as I finished my last round of chemo but makes it no less frustrating. Art has always helped me navigate difficult times and I couldn't go past this lesson from Effy. Here's a peek at her lesson (top left) and what else is on offer in Book of Days for June : 

We began with the intention of creating the lotus on the left hand page and using the right one as our palette to develop into a separate painting. Effy began with watercolours so first thing I had to do was cover my left hand book paper in my recycled art journal with watercolour ground. The Ground means the watercolour paint doesn't soak into my page but as you can see the colours haven't flowed as they would on watercolour paper, plus you can see the brush marks of spreading the ground (wasn't noticable when first laid down the colour which also dries lighter). It's okay for a base layer.

Once dry you must always spray with workable fixative so the watercolour won't move with the next layers of media. Love what develops after...the right hand side is using up leftover paint and ink.

Find out more about the collaborative year-long class Book of Days 2020 and join us HERE. THIS LINK will take you to all the work I've ever done inspired by Book of Days through the years.

Book of Days : Autumn bliss

I haven't been posting Book of Days lessons lately but it's for lack of time rather than enthusiasm! That seems crazy in lock down but I'm keeping myself happily engaged.  I've still been inspired by Effy with Free online weekly Journal Jam sessions - I've completed 5 spreads in my art journal so far. This is a preview of what we had on offer in Book of Days for March and I've been wanting to have a go at Effy's lesson (top left)

Stabilo-all pencil blended with water and I love her already

I love using found words so it's great for me to be using an altered book for my art journal. The words found in her hair will influence my choices for the rest of the spread : She was blissfully present.

This week I managed to get her finished.

In the Northern hemisphere they are dreaming of Spring, but here in New Zealand we are in Autumn. Decided I'd find an appropriate quote next and this is perfect with the use of the word Bliss echoing the found word.

Really annoyed with myself that I forgot to protect my found words with gel medium and I got black paint on my "blissfully" word which I couldn't save with a pen so once I had my white lettering done, I painted black back over those words. It was hard to do but I would have always been annoyed if I'd left it

I decided I wanted some Autumn elements in her hair. Lovely stencil and my natural sponge so I could mix colours and I love the finished spread.  

Effy has released Book of Days 2020 for half price for the month of April! 
EDITED : Effy has extended the sale through 'till the end of May. Go HERE and USE COUPON CODE birdsofafeather. This is the year-long art journal class I have taken every year since I won the second-half-year edition in July 2016. Highly recommended. Now US$60 for the whole of 2020! Read about this class HERE and then use coupon code: birdsofafeather for your discount. THIS LINK will take you to all the work I've ever done inspired by Book of Days through the years. Be great to see you in the group.

Back in my art journal : Page Bloom

I realised that I haven't played in my art journal for a month! I've been doing lots of other things, just not in there and I miss it. Decided it was time to tackle a lesson or two from Book of Days. This is a peek at what we've had on offer for February (not including bonus lessons!)

The Page Bloom by Kiala Givehand called me first. It's made in 2 pieces with some tricky folding for the top square. I love working in an altered book but sometimes the illustrations can be a bit obtrusive so I began by covering the bits I didn't want with sheet music - I won't worry about that showing through.

Inspired by my February book, I am very drawn to using those colours for this page : pink, orange, yellow with a bit of blue for dark accent. Backgrounds : 

Then the Bloom fold-out

Because this part is created separately I was very excited to think that I would be able to add stitch. First the collage

And then the trimmings 

The page blooms as it opens

To reveal all my favourite delights

Find out more about the collaborative year-long class Book of Days 2020 and join us HERE. THIS LINK will take you to all the work I've ever done inspired by Book of Days through the years.

Book of Days : January with Effy Wild

I am loving all the offerings for January in Book of Days 2020. This next journal page is inspired by Effy's lovely Bloom Lesson (top left)

I don't usually work much with watercolours, but I have worked using them over watercolour ground on my last 3 out of 4 pages in my altered art journal! It started with my whimsical mermaids, then there was my guardian angel in brighter colours and most recently my wish feathers and art card. I really wanted to try out Effy's lesson but last time I tried this technique I borrowed metallic watercolours to go over the black gesso. I want to feel more bright than moody at present, so I've covered my spread with Goldens watercolour ground which goes on white so has the advantage of lightening my page but not fully disguising the background text and I love both of those things.

I used watercolours and then gorgeous iridescent pebeo paints - they are divine. These are just 4 of them, I think I have most of their colours. (purchased in New Zealand at Gordon Harris - just looked up for that link and they are currently on sale....Effy uses these so I think they are also readily available in Northern hemisphere)

Created my blooms and glazed the background

This is my garden of intention so wanted to add some found words.

White doodles change the look of the flowers entirely ♥

I try and use my word of the year often in the art I create at the beginning of the year to really embed it in my consciousness. Here's my Bloom spread complete

Find out more about the collaborative year-long class Book of Days 2020 and join us HERE. THIS LINK will take you to all the work I've ever done inspired by Book of Days through the years (I began when I won 6 months of this class in 2016) 

Book of Days : January with Sal Scheibe and Rachel Kentish

I've joined Book of Days 2020 as the only online year-long art journal class I'm doing. I am always inspired by Effy's lessons and I love that this is a collaborative platform now with lessons presented from 24 artists over the course of the coming year. This is a sneak peek of our offerings for January - amazing right?

I wasn't really sure where to start but the next spread in my journal already had paint on it and I thought I could manage Sal Scheibe's lesson (bottom middle) about words for the year over the top of it. 

Sal used watercolours for her face base. I needed to use acrylic to cover some of my background. I suppose I could have used my watercolour ground. Maybe next time. I love that these words appeared at the very beginning. I used a black posca pen 0.7mm to outline the lower ones and bracket the ones at her eye so I don't paint over them later by mistake. I like the idea of "shoulder friends" but am not at all confident drawing animals. Trying out a bird sticker instead. 

Painted hair and coloured pencils are currently my favourite method for face shading. 

I actually think her face is done - I like the suggestion of the background text and don't mind the previous layers of colour beneath. Click on any photo to see it in larger detail.
I really love using stencils in the hair area. I was going to just use the rose, but then looked below it and decided she could feature all those lovely hearts and just before I did that I decided that's going to be where my words go. I also used the little dot pattern to add light to the darker area on the opposite page for what I want to add next.

Quite early on in the piece, I realised that there's a lot of space to fill on the left, and I decided that adding Rachel Kentish's wish feathers lesson would be a magical way to finish my spread. I want my background to be more unified = a glaze. My go-to is to use Goldens Hi Flow transparent paint with some extra glazing medium added. 

First I put in the feather shapes using a stencil and my watercolour ground. Then I added the glaze across the remaining background. 

You can now see why I added those white dots - wish I'd done more of that but I can add some extra elements on top if I feel they are needed at the end. I don't mind that the bird is obviously collaged but I like that the glaze helps to soften the white edges. Little bit nervous about using the watercolours to create the feathers, but Rachel's teaching is so good that I adored every step.
Layer 1 wet with salt sprinkles

Layer 1 dry

Layer 2

Layer 3 = feathers complete ♥

And then it was time for just a few more finishing touches across the page - gold dots help unite the page and disguise some of the background text a bit more. 

Find out more about the collaborative year-long class Book of Days 2020 and join us HERE. THIS LINK will take you to all the work I've ever done inspired by Book of Days through the years (I began when I won 6 months of this class in 2016)