Mixed Media Mayhem - Documented Life - Coming into Focus

March Theme   Making Your Mark (Doodles & Mark Making)

March 21   Art Challenge:  As a Focal Point         Journal Prompt:  Coming into Focus

One of the things I love about using art journal prompts is the problem solving.  I love the challenge of a puzzle, finding the answer to a problem.  This week's Documented Life Project became fascinating as I sought to bring this together.  I started with the idea of my focal point.  So many possibilities.  I wanted to use a stamp I carved or a silkscreen I had made.  Going through my little suitcase of screens I came across a set of Wonder Woman images that I made from a postage stamp. I had used Photoshop to manipulate the pop comic image to give it the appearance of a rubber stamp. I used EZ Screen to convert a transparency of the image to a silk screen. First I had to have a background which I put together from the graphic liners to envelopes.  I had so many of these that I prepared two spreads...stayed tuned.

Next I looked at the comic book image of WonderWoman, observing the colors and patterns.

Using a Prima Stencil I added blue dots to the whole page.

Next I needed to add some marks that would convey the energy in the comics and I needed to use the vibrant colors, red, yellow,blue, and black. BAM. SLAP, CRASH. I saw a video (forget source) where a puddle of ink was flicked with the fingers to randomly color the page.  I used my black Dylusions ink for this.  With a series of stencils from Crafters Workshop, I added graphics in the primary colors to emulate the comic book feel.  I practiced the skills taught in Dina Wakeley's ART JOURNAL FREEDOM to balance colors and to show movement...I used Faber Castell Pens and Liquitex Basics  to fill in the stencils adding the red one last to pull page 1 and 2 together.

 Next came the focal element which I screened in Golden carbon black and embossed with black.

 Almost done.  But my lettering doesn't show intensively enough and my focal image is a little lost.

I changed the lettering to make it bolder, added a little arrow made out of printed deli paper to integrate the page, used gesso to bring out her face.

 Finally as I was cleaning up I found an old horoscope in the pile of papers on the worktable.  A perfect find...Seredipity.

 "Focus on whatever will bring out the greatest returns.  Use your insight and experience to guide you."