Art Tutorials
Art tutorials that provide step by step directions on how to do an art technique or project. These are to help build a foundation of creative techniques that can be used as a mental wellness and self-care exercise. These include techniques such as drawing, gelli printing, embossing, art journal projects, card projects, watercolor painting, acrylic painting, mixed media work and collage work.
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How to Design a Scrapbook Page
Do you ever struggle with how to design a scrapbook page? As it is National Scrapbooking Day, we will be talking about techniques for creating stronger layouts. If you have never tried scrapbooking as a creative practice, give it a try! It is a great medium that gives you an opportunity to reflect on memories and journal about your experiences. Looking back through scrapbooks is also a fun way to remember the amazing experiences of our lives. Designing a Scrapbook Page When learning how to design a scrapbook page, there are 3 things that help in the creative process. Tip 1: Using Coordinating Papers Start with coordinating papers…
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How to Create a Traveler’s Notebook
There are so many fun Traveler’s Notebooks available for sale, but have you ever tried creating your own Traveler’s Notebook? Today I will be demonstrating how to create a Traveler’s Notebook using a stitched binding. Why Make a Traveler’s Notebook I have shared about how to use a Traveler’s Notebook in a previous post. In that post I share some of my ideas on how to use a Traveler’s Notebook in a variety of ways. Traveler’s Notebooks are not only fun to use but are also quite easy to make. The process of cutting the paper, sewing the binding, and assembling a book can be a great self-care activity. It…
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How to Create Layers Using Ink Blending
Creating in a journal is a great self-care practice but it can be challenging to add layers and dimension to a page. Today we will discuss how to create layers using ink blending in your creative projects. Layering Inks Layering inks is a great way of creating dimension in your projects. There are several things to consider when you are creating layers with your inks: Color Values In my last article I shared about how to use color values when creating a monochromatic project. By using a variety of color values this creates different shades and intensity of color, which adds dimension to your project. Type of Ink Certain types…
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Monochromatic Art Journal Project
Have you ever tried using a color wheel when designing an art journal layout? This week we will be learning how to create a monochromatic art journal project and talk about the color theory behind this concept. What Does Monochromatic Mean? Monochromatic means “containing or using only one color.” When applying this to an artistic application, it is choosing one color as the basis of our project. It can be challenging only using one color in a project, but by understanding how color values work, we can create a very dynamic layout using only one color. What are Color Values? Color values refers to the lightness or darkness…
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Using Alcohol Inks with Stencils
Have you ever tried using alcohol inks with stencils on a large project? It can sometimes be challenging using stencils with alcohol inks because of the loose nature of the medium. If the stencil is smaller than the surface that you are using, it can leave harsh lines detracting from the overall design. Layering Alcohol Inks One of the ways to prevent harsh lines in your alcohol ink project is by layering alcohol inks. One thing to keep in mind when using this technique is that when you add more ink, it rewets and often resists the ink below. When it resists, the ink will push the previous layer of…
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How to Use a Traveler’s Notebook
Have you ever used a traveler’s notebook as part of your creative practice? Today we will be discussing how to use a traveler’s notebook to elevate your creative practice. What is a Traveler’s Notebook? The Midori style traveler notebook that kicked off the craze started in 2005, but the concept of a traveler’s notebook or journal has been around for a long time. They were used for taking notes and observations when people were traveling. A traveler’s journal includes a notebook cover that has an elastic strung through the middle to hold a notebook, or notebooks in place. The covers can be made of a variety of materials, including leather,…
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How to Cut and Color Intricate Die Cuts
Have you ever had frustrations when working with small die cut images? This week we will be talking about how to cut and color intricate die cuts successfully. I will be sharing a few of my favorite materials and tips on how to get successful images every time. The Challenges with Cutting Die Cuts There can be many challenges when working with die cuts, especially delicate ones. It takes some trial and error to figure out the best way to run the die cuts through your machine so that they will cut consistently. Here are 3 tips that will help you get consistent die cuts. Using a Quality Die Cut…
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Gelli Printing with Die Cuts
Have you ever wondered how to make those lovely Gelli print backgrounds and how to incorporate them into your projects? This week I was playing with combining Gelli printing with die cuts and Pan Pastels and had some fantastic results! Gelli Printing with Die Cuts Gelli printing with die cuts is a great way to combine and duplicate images in your art pieces, cards, and journal pages. I love using die cuts in my prints and then cutting these same images for use as focal images on my page. I find that using a repetitive pattern in my pieces bring cohesion to my art. What to do with Gelli Prints?…
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How to Paint a Night Sky
This week we will be learning how to paint a night sky using watercolor paint. This is one of my favorite self-care exercises as it is simple and so relaxing. What makes learning how to paint a night sky so fun is this technique can be used with other colors and other applications. This provides practice and an understanding on what colors you can create from blending watercolor paints. The Inspiration The inspiration for this project was thinking about the warm summer days when I can get out of the city and see the stars. I love the night sky, there is something about the expanse of it that is…
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Valentine’s Day Slimline Card
As Valentine’s Day is just days away, I wanted to share with you how to make a Valentine’s Day slimline card. Valentine’s Day cards are fun to make, but what if you want to move away from more conventional colors for these cards? In this tutorial we will be creating a card that does not use red or pink, but the more muted greys and greens. Slimline Cards Slimline cards seem to be everywhere. The style and dimension of these cards lead to some great creative possibilities. The panoramic style of them allows you to approach creativity and cardmaking in a different way. When used in an upright format, the…
