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Art Journal background mark making
Creating art journal background mark making is a time to experiment and get messy. The fear of the blank page can often be intimidating. It can stop you from making anything at all. That would be a huge tragedy. Don’t let fear steal ANYTHING from you.
Art journaling is about play. Making art journal backgrounds with mark making can help loosen you up.
Creating backgrounds consistently will help dispel the fear of the blank page. Soon, you’ll be itching to get to your journal to let loose your visions.
So, let’s look at creating art journal background mark making.
Mark making gets paint on surface. There are tons of ways to do it. Many artists have their own of of mark making and teaching mark making. This article covers some easy and fun ways to make marks.
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Let’s look at some Fun with making art journal background mark making and breaking the fear of the blank page.
Creating stencils
You don’t have to go out and buy a ton of stencils. Even if you already have stencils sometimes it’s fun to use non-traditional stencils for Art Journal mark making. Push those creative boundaries. I didn’t use a ton of supplies on this page. Here’s the list of supplies. Both colors of Fluid Acrylics I used come in a nice set, same with th craft acrylics.
Anything can become a stencil. Do you have a bottle cap? Yep, that can be a stencil to start making marks.
How about some bubble wrap? Bubble wrap is so much fun. I like to pull mine in a circle so the bubble are firm, making sure to get paint only on the bubble portion. I then dip then in Teal Fluid Acrylic Paint and start putting it down randomly on my page.
I created this page in my handmade art journal. For more on making your own journal read my article How to make Your Own Art Journal.
You can add lots of color, or stick to a single color. Don’t think about it too much. The hard part is to let go of the judgmental nature that wants to whisper in your ear as you work. Let your intuition take over. Have fun let the color and the feel of the page move you. Coffee and good music help to let go of over concentration.
Bottle caps
You can use fun caps for art journal background mark making. Bottle caps are fun because they come in so many different shapes and sizes. I used an old lid to a contact case to make incomplete circles using Magenta Fluid Acrylic Paint.
I really liked that the circles were not complete. It added interest, made it a little more unique and abstract. Abstract painting is a great way to express yourself through color and shapes.
I then added some daffodil yellow craft acrylic paint in the center, keeping everything loose and free. I don’t want it to have a polished clean look. I want more of the abstract painting effect.
When I do art journal background mark making I put myself in a free, fluid state of mind.
I then added some quickly drawn flowers. These flowers are not symmetrical or perfect. They are fun and free and happy.
Ribbons
As I was creating Wassily Kandinsky came to mind. He’s known for his bright colored abstract paintings. I decided to take a piece of ribbon, drag it through some hot pink paint then drag it across my page. I also added some light watercolor crayon to parts of the background.
When creating random marks anything goes. See what is around you. Look for objects that have interesting edges or patterns. You’ll be amazed by what you can use for a stencil. If you’re using acrylic paint it’s pretty easy to clean off from most surfaces without leaving any stains.
Play with Color
Don’t be afraid to play with color. I used a lot of bright colors. I adore color. You don’t have to keep everything the same tone, though.
I used my fingers to create a dark purple and yellow border to help bring everything together a little more. I flung some Golden Fluid Acrylic randomly and let it dry.
I decided to add some black. I traced have circles using a cup. I used my lovely black Tombow marker. Tombow markers are water soluble. This means I can take my paintbrush and activate it using it almost like watercolor paint. You can see how the black fades from the line into an almost half moon shape. I also added some purple Tombow markers to add more color.
Collage
Finally, I found a image and some words that caught my attention for this page. Everything on the page is super colorful, so I like the contracts keeping the girl and the words black and white. It helped to make them pop and stand out. Art journal background mark making can bring out so many possibilities. You need to believe in your art, create your art, and enjoy!
I was tempted to keep going and keep adding. However, I’d didn’t want to overwork my page and I was really happy with the overall look. I wanted to keep some white space. It’s okay to have the white of the background show and not be totally covered.
Dont be afraid of art journal backgrounds
When making art journal backgrounds remember to keep the play alive. Don’t be afraid to get messy, paint with your fingers, mix bright and dark colors or break the rules. Use whatever you have to make marks. As you can see, you don’t have to have a ton of supplies.
Start with what you have. If you do want to buy more, go for it! Don’t feel guilty. Art is a worthy cause. Even if it’s only for your eyes! Making art does help make you a better person. It helps relieve stress, brings joy, and helps you look at life more creatively.
I’d love to see your art journal pages. Make sure you go and like my Facebook page or join my private group devoted to art.
Go make some art.
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