Journal Pages in Progress

I have finally started doing actual journal pages. I truly didn't intend for there to be so much orange and yellow, but I like the way they are turning out so far. I think each will be more simple, as my usual style is, then I will dive into some grungy, messy stuff.

This one, I feel, only calls for some text and cleaning up of the edges and black lines. The background is some super cheap water soluble crayons from Daiso, that I worked in swirls as I dissolved the crayon. I collaged some shapes I cut out of some of my play pages. The sun's rays are a page I really hated. I love the way it looks here. Then, I traced everything in Sharpie and doodled with a fine technical pen. I used a gold paint pen to do the sun rays and a white paint pen for the dots on the waves. The sun is colored in with some Inktense pencils. I am also using Inktense pencils to extend the waves so they reach the edges. That bit is cropped out. I intend to use them for the lettering, which will go along the guide lines you see. I am working on what I will say. I want it to be something really good, since this is the first page of that particular journal.

The other page is one that I made my background with Pan Pastels. I temporarily sealed with aerosol hairspray. When that was dry, I sealed it with matt medium. Then, I sketched a girl, colored her in with Inktense pencils, and accented with a black technical pen and a white paint marker. I haven't drew a whole face in years. I really like it, even if she does look a little orange. I will have to think about what I will do for the rest of the page. 

A few things that I have learned...I LOVE Inktense pencils! They will figure prominently in my work. While I love them, I have to make sure to be careful when going over fine lines with a brush. My girl looks like she has a little bit of a black eye from a slight mishap.  Oops!  I have a lot of learning to do with the pastels. I need to have a lighter hand with my pencil sketches. While I was able to erase a lot ot my sketch lines, the neck looks a little funny. So do a couple of other areas, but not enough to make me not like the overall effect. I know I have said it before, but I am having a very good time working out my creativity again. I am very glad I picked up on art journaling. The encouragement that I am getting to learn and grow and make a habit of creating is such a valuable gift.