Note: I realize that many of you are experienced book makers and art journalers. However, this tutorial will make no assumptions about where you are at in your path. It is written for anyone, even those with little or no experience. You are welcome to follow exactly, or adapt it to your own skill level and needs.
For this tutorial you are going to make a colored background across a two-page spread in your art journal.
The materials you will need are:
- Your Art Journal, dashboards and clips or washi tape
- Inexpensive, water-based markers
- Water
- Paper towel
The tools you will need are:
- Dashboards and clips or washi tape
- Medium round paint brush
- Piece of plastic, plastic picnic plate, plastic palette
- Small dish or jar to hold water
Optional things you may want:
- A plastic mat or other item to protect your work area
- Apron so you don’t get ink on your clothing
Here are the steps for creating a simple background.
Select three different colored markers. If you’re unsure of what to select, try choosing two primary colors (red, blue or yellow) and the secondary color that mixing those two would create, (red + blue = purple, red + yellow = orange, blue + yellow = green).
Open your book to the first, full-page spread. Place your dashboards under the pages and fasten in place.
Using your paint brush and water, paint each page with clear water. Don’t use a lot of water, you’re just trying to dampen each page evenly to prepare it for the marker ink. You may need to move your dashboard clips temporarily.
Scribble with each color marker on a section of your palette.
Dampen your brush and pick up one color of ink from the palette. Starting in the corner furthest from your dominant hand, paint the ink onto the page. I am right handed, so I’m starting in the upper left corner.
Continue picking up color and painting, working across the page towards the center. Overlap the edges of sections of color a bit to help blend them. You may have to scribble more ink onto your palette as you work. Try to work quickly so that you are not working into dry edges.
Continue across to the other page.
Fill the second page with color.
Let dry.
Congratulations! You have just painted the background of your first pages. Yes, it IS that easy!
If you would like to join a group of fellow art journalists, follow along with these and other tutorials, and show off your work, you can find this and more in the Micro Art Journal group on Facebook!
#microart #microartjournal #miniatureartjournal #miniartjournal #miniatureart #tinyjournalnation #allthingstiny #allthingsminiature #microartjournaling #tinyartjournal #travelersnotebook