31 Days of Scripture Art Journaling::Day 22: Focus on the Process

Thanks for joining me for Scripture Art Journaling. 

If you're new & like to start at the beginning, start here.

First of all, let me start by apologizing for the
midnight artificially-lighted blurry photos.
Sorry! I did my middle of the night best.

Now: the process.
So far I've given you a handful of techniques for you to use in your journal.
After you have a few of these go-to techniques
you can start to really focus on the process.
Try not to overthink your next step.
 Go with your intuition,
praying and meditating on the verse you have chosen as you create.

***And the most important rule of all***
Allow yourself the freedom to make ugly art.
Remind yourself that this is about letting go
and praying about how God wants to speak that
scripture into your heart and your life.

Choosing a scripture:
I love assignments. Limitations.
They provide a structure within which I can be creative.
I have really loved being a part of Pick Your Portion the last 6 months.

What do I love about it?
Having a portion of scripture assigned to me,
reading it through several times,
and choosing the words that really speak to me.
And often, it's not obvious. It doesn't just jump out.
I have to dig and read and reread.
And I end up with a new understanding.

With the start of the new year, I decided to start
reading through the gospel of John. Because I love it.
I've been reading about a chapter a day, or more if I feel like it.
This verse is from John 1.

So pick a book of the Bible to read through.
Ask God to speak to you through His word.
Read and reread and choose a verse.

Below are the techniques I used.
I'll walk you through them,
but I hope you are finding new ways
to make each page your own.

Okay, let's go...

Materials
Pretty Paper
Acrylic paint
Gesso
Gel medium/ Mod Podge
Brayer 
Paper Towels

Steps 1 & 2: 

I forgot to take picture of this page until now,
but it's the same thing we've been doing.
Follow steps 1 & 2 from yesterday 
to prep, paint, and collage your page.
It should look a little something like this.

Step 3: Add Texture

Use a brayer and 2 colors of paint to add a little texture to the page.
Just use a little paint. And roll it on sparingly.
If you work it too much it can get really muddy.

Step 4: Paint Details

Add a couple more contrasting colors with your fingers.
Dip your finger in white paint along with each color to provide some contrast.

Step 5: Add More Texture

Press a paper towel on top of the wet paint to blot off the excess paint.
Close the pages together to add some more color.

Step 6: Doodle & Paint Your Text 

First with gesso, next with black paint.

Have fun & enjoy the process!

Day 23: John 2; Creating Pockets

See all 31 Days 

I Love Us: Free Valentine's Day Printable Banner

Valentine's Day is coming up and,
while there are a lot of haters out there,
I love this day. LOVE it.

I love it for it's meaning. Not romantic love,
but who doesn't love a day dedicated to telling the
people in your life how much you love them?

I love it for it's low expectations.
No one really expects anything, so anything you do is a win.

I love it for it's inexpensive, simple pleasures.
paper hearts, little candies, and you can call it a day.
No overspending or the stress that comes along with it.

 And I love red.
So, there ya have it.

I made a Valentine's Day banner for our family and yours.
Print it out, cut it apart, punch holes in the top, hang it & enjoy.

Print a minibanner here.

 Print Page 1 here.

Print page 2 here.

Enjoy!

31 Days of Scripture Art Journaling:: Day 21: Carving Stamps

Welcome back to scripture art journaling!

Start here.

If you're new here, here is the beginning of this series,
which I will finish in the new year.
The series starts here.

I'll be posting two art journaling tutorials for the next five weeks,
on Mondays and Wednesdays to finish up the series.
If there is enough interest, I thought about opening up a
linky where we can share our journals?
Just a thought, if people are interested.

Day 21: Carving Stamps

I'm all about using what you have, or using what you find,
and not spending a bunch of money.
On Day 11 I talked about adding texture
to your page with found objects.

Today we'll be carving our own stamps.
Here's what you'll need:


A Carving Block

Speedball Linoleum Cutter (#1)

a brayer

and all the other basics:

acrylic paint
patterned paper
gel medium (Mod Podge)
paint brushes


1. Prep your journal page

First prep your journal page with gesso,
as I explained here in Day 9.
Squirt a color or two right on the wet gesso.
Spread the paint around with a dry paper towel,
a brush, a gift card, or your fingers.
Each will make a different texture.
Play around and see what you love.
Last, cover your wet page with a paper towel to remove
excess paint and give it a little more texture.
Take the paper towel and press it down on a different page
to add some color.

2. Big Paper Collage

Once your paint is dry, use patterned paper to collage your pages.
Use big pieces to fill up the background.
Adhere the paper with gel medium or Mod Podge.





3. It's time to carve your stamp.

This is fun. I know I always say that, but it really is.
I doodled directly on the carving block.
Birds again? I know, but it's all I could think of.
Here is a great page with ideas for hand-carved stamps.
The possibilities are endless. Seriously.
I could do this all day. And all night.

So doodle some pictures on scratch paper or in a journal.
Pick the 2 or 3 that you like the most,
doodle on your stamp, and start carving.
The cutter has different sized blades you can trade in and out.

4.Add texture with found objects.

Before you start stamping use a found object like a
 lid or a q tip or squished up paper towel.
{I used bubble wrap.}

5. Stamp away
Squeeze your paint out on your palette.
I like to use different shades of a color.
Roll your brayer in the paint, put it on your stamp, and stamp away.
*Tip: The first stamp can be a little muddy because
 there is so mush paint on the stamp.
Usually the second and third stamps are the best.

6. Use a Paper Towel as a Stamp

When you're done stamping, press a paper towel on the wet paper.
Then stamp another page of your journal with the paper towel.
{I hope this is making sense.}

7. Paint your scripture with white gesso.
I use the teeny tiniest brush I could find at the craft store.

When the white paint is dry, paint over the words with a color.

8. Paint over the final words with black paint.
And you're done!

Take courage, my friends.
I hope you had fun with this one.
I'd love to see what you create.
Join me on Facebook & attach a picture
Thanks for hanging in there with me!

Day 22: Focus on the Process

See all 31 days.

Sunday Scripture Art, John 10:10

Pick Your Portion: Free Printable Bible Verse Art. Matthew 16. Who do you say I am?

Jesus asks me:
I really don't care about what everyone else says,
What about you?
Who do you say I am?
With your words?
With your time?
With your wants and desires?
With your heart?
With the way you treat others who have nothing to offer you?
With the way you treat people who greatly annoy you?
With the way you speak to the least of these?
And those you love the most?

Okay, okay. I stand convicted,
yet unable to change myself by myself. Right?

And I can't believe Peter's answer: 

Join me at Pick Your Portion today 

to read the rest.

Sunday Scripture Art: Isaiah 5:13

I love this verse. 

I need to be reminded of it. daily.

I run around trying to figure everything out,

when my strength lies in being quiet and 

still and knowing that He is God.

trusting that he can handle everything 

trusting that he will show up and provide.

trusting that he is who he says he is.