Saturday, June 20, 2015

Is it raining where you are?  It's been raining off and on all week here!
I NEED some SUNSHINE!  But, at least when it's raining outside,
you can be spending time in the craft room and that is exactly what I have done.

Welcome to challenge number THIRTY ONE out of thirty four of the 
Compendium of Curiosities III Challenges hosted by the lovely Linda Ledbetter.  The multi talented Curiosity Crew has once again created an array of very creative pieces to inspire you.

This challenge showcases the products, techniques and style of the one and only 
Tim Holtz. We invite you to join in on the fun and create your own original art and link to our challenge. There are two chances to win with each challenge and you can win some really generous and wonderful prizes!

Speaking of the Compendium of Curiosities III Challenges, have you guys seen the entries to our last challenge using the Faux Cracked Glass technique?  If not, you really need to check them out! There is some seriously fabulous technique and art there!

Back to THIS challenge ... turn to page 47 in your Compendium of Curiosities III books and check out the Layering Stencil: Paint Resist technique. 

Altered Art Journal Pages, Layering Stencil Paint Resist Technique, Dyan Reaveley Characters

Here are my finished art journal pages done with Tim's technique in the background.  While I can't share the actual technique with you ... that is what you need the book for ... I will share with you all of the products I used and the steps leading up to and following the actual Layering Stencil: Paint Resist technique.  I will also share some little tips with you along the way.  

If you follow my blog, you know that I love to create as I go ... nothing pre planned ... just got for it.  I paint more with my fingers and baby wipes than I do a brush. At least for me, when I work this way, I seem to get  more "into" what I'm doing and I "feel" the surfaces and direction my project wants to go much better than when my hands are clean.  I hope that makes sense. 

Okay, let's get started talking about these latest Compendium of Curiosities III Challenge inspired art journal pages.


I really love altering things.  When I have some free time, I've been altering pages in a paperback children's book that was given to me; in effect, creating my own art journal! 
While art journals are nice, with a little imagination, you can pretty much make one out of anything!

The pages measure 8" x 9" each ... plenty of room to play, experiment and create!  I began this art journal spread by covering the pages above with a generous coat of White Gesso, using a palette knife.


Once I spread the Gesso, I let it air dry.  I love using Gesso on top of a substrate because it gives me a totally different surface to work on.  It allows some of the images from the pages below to still show through (depending on how heavy I apply the Gesso) and it provides me with a surface that will accept a lot of different mediums I may chose to work with.


Once the Gesso was dry, I began adding some of Tim's Distress Paint to the surface to soften the stark white background. I used a baby wipe to apply the color.  I began with Scattered Straw, a wonderful soft vintage yellow-ish golden color.


To the Scattered Straw, I added the rich and orange-ish Wild Honey followed by Tim's new luscious green Cracked Pistachio Distress Paints. Again, I was working with a baby wipe to apply the paint to my art journal pages.  Then I heat set them to speed up the drying process.


I love the richness of this background!  The colors dry to a beautiful matte finish.  But, as I was about to discover, to do the Layering Stencil: Paint Resist Technique, Tim's Distress Inks did not want to adhere to my slick new surface.

So, I sealed them with some clear drying Matte Medium.  I used a brush to apply the Matte Medium and gently heat set it to dry.  Then I lightly sanded the pages so that the inks would grab to my modified surface.


Using Tim's Layering Stencil Paint Resist Technique, I went to work.  In the photo above, you can see a closeup of my pages with all of the layers of color and stenciled images.

The resist paint portion of this technique was done using Picket Fence Distress Paint and Tim's Numbered and Splotches Stencils.

To create all of the layers of color on top, I used the following Distress Ink Colors:
Fired Brick, Wild Honey, Peacock Feathers, Gathered Twigs, Ripe Persimmon, Twisted Citron, Mermaid Lagoon

The Tim Holtz Stencils I used to create the layers of images were:  Bubble, Harlequin, Cargo, Bricked and Latticework.  

If you look closely, you can see most of those stenciled images in the photo above.

Remembering that I was working with Distress Inks and that they are water soluable (meaning that they will change or can be removed with water), I decided to spray seal my pages before going forward.  So I chose a clear, matte sealer and lightly sprayed the surface of the pages then gave it a bit of a heavier coat to seal my pages ... for whatever I may decide to add to them next.


And here is a larger picture of the finished Layered Stencil: Paint Resist Technique pages.  I am always amazed at how much depth you can achieve by layers upon layers of color and images.  And you NEVER get the exact same look twice!  (Before I began adding my embellishments to the pages, I used a messy, artsy script stamp from Dina Wakley's Textures stamp set to randomly add touches of black and yet another pattern to the pages.  The black stamping really pops the characters and marbles I was about to add.

My pages were really bright with color and have a very whimsical feeling to me.  So, I decided to add some character from Dyan Reaveley's stamp sets.  They are fun and who doesn't love playing with paper dolls???


So I stamped some of her funky people with mix and match body parts onto some Specialty Stamping Paper using Jet Black Archival Ink. (Heat set the black permanent ink.) I brought them to life using Tim's Detailer Water Brush and various colors of his Distress Inks.  I heat set all of the characters, fussy cut around them, leaving a white border and glued heads to bodies.

Some of the Distress Ink colors I used to paint onto my characters are:  Ripe Persimmon, Squeezed Lemonade, Cracked Pistachio, Mermaid Lagoon, Tumbled Glass, Festive Berries, Gathered Twigs, Picked Raspberry, Peacock Feathers, Tea Dye, Fossilized Amber and Tattered Rose and Scattered Straw when mixed together make a great flesh tone then add Tattered Rose for the cheeks.

These images were mixed and matched from the following Dyan Reavely stamp sets:  Pondering Petunia, Dependable Dotty, Doolally Dorris, Traveling Travis, and Rainbow Ruby (not all pictured above).   I also used two sentiments from Dyan's newest Laugh 'Til You Leak stamp set.  The sentiments were actually what inspired these art journal pages ... "Who left the bag of idiots open?" and "You may not have lost all your marbles but there's definitely a hole in the bag."   


I decided that I would need a bag and also some marbles to go along with my "idiots" I'd just created.  So, I wiped some Distress Paint onto a Non Stick Craft Sheet, spritzed just a bit of water, swiped a Manila Tag through the paint, gently spritzed it again and let the colors run and move on the tag and I gently heat set it.  You can repeat this process until you get the layers and the look you are going for.


Once I was happy with my colors for my "marbles", I punched them out of the tags, using various sizes of circle punches.  I inked the edges in black using my Black Soot Distress Pen and added a white highlight on each one using a Uni Posca pen.


Here is a closeup of the marble bag that I added to the left side of my page ... full of my marbles and "idiots".  I cut the back of this Glassine Bag (measuring 4" x 6 1/2". I also tore a piece out of the bag so that the marbles could "escape" from the bag, as suggested in the sentiment.


Then I began at the bottom, gluing my marbles in place using Glossy Accents on the front of the marbles to stick them to the glassine front of the bag.  I chose a glassine bag so that the marbles and my "idiots" would clearly show through.  I continued this process, stacking the marbles and adding the heads, body and sentiment.

I glued the bag in place and added shading around the bag using a Graphite Pencil, a Detailer Water Brush and my finger to blend in the grey shadowing effect. I love the depth it adds.  Next, I added the character standing to the left and shaded around her as well.  The umbrella and shadowing was added at the top of the page and I began to add the marbles spilling out of the bag. Once they were glued in place with Glossy Accents, I added Glossy Accents to the tops of the marbles and let it air dry, to add a glossy dimension to the marbles.


The characters on the right were glued in place using Glossy Accents.  Then I added the marbles underneath them in the same manner I had done on the opposite page.  I shaded around all of these elements using the Graphite Pencil, water brush and my finger to blend.


Once the sign toting characters were in place and the marbles were dry, I added black sketching lines around the marbles and the characters using a Black Permanent Pen.  I really like the lines as I think they add a bit of fun and whimsy to the pages.

Finally, I added some random white circles that were added using the cap from a bottle of white paint, dipped into the paint and randomly "stamped" onto the pages.  Using my finger, I added some random swipes of black acrylic paint to the edges of pages to sort of frame them and pull everything together. 



So there you have it ... my art journal pages using Tim's Layering Stencil: Paint Resist technique in my background.

I hope you've enjoyed going through the process with me and this has inspired you to join in the fun at the Compendium of Curiosities III Challenge.

Our wonderful sponsor for this challenge are the good folks at 
INSPIRATION EMPORIUM




They have generously donated a $50.00 gift certificate for every other challenge and we thank them so much for their participation!

And our other over the top prize packages full of Tim Holtz products have been donated for every challenge by Tim and Mario!  
We thank them so much for their generosity and support!

So what are you waiting for?  You would be one of our lucky winners!

Good luck!




44 comments:

  1. Hi Candy, you really made me laugh when I saw your journal page. I have had a few blond (senior) moments this week and had to confess to being an idiot and there I was in the bag! Thank you for the step by step to achieve those great layers. How clever to use a childrens book too. I love it all, hugs Jan x

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  2. What an amazing step by step Candy, resulting in this gorgeous riot of colour and fun! I feel happy just looking at the zany characters and those funny signs. I love the hole in the bag of marbles and the black lines around the figures. . . .I could go on listing my favourite details but I don't have all day!! Enjoy your weekend, Julia xx

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  3. Absolutely wonderful pages! Love all the layers. Such a happy spread.

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  4. Fabulous pages Candy, gorgeous layers of stencilling and blended inks and the Dyan stamps are great fun.
    Yes quite a few days we have seen some rain but sunny periods as well.
    Hope all is well with you.
    Hugs Brenda xxx

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  5. I am giggling! And that is a good thing! What a delightful, whimsical , comical journal page. It's just FUN! I love the gorgeous stencilled background, and thank you for the tip about the gesso/distress ink/matte medium. I have run into that same problem, and now I know how to fix it. Hooray! You, my dear, definitely have all your marbles! This was a great way to start my Saturday morning. Thank you!

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  6. What a funny journal spread Candy!! teeheehee You had me laughing aloud!! Thanks for sharing your steps- I love your layers of colors!! xo

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  7. Dang, girl! What a riot of color and whimsey!! I love reading your blog, I read every word. This is such a fun art journal spread and I love that you altered a children's book. Your "marbles" are very cool and I love the fab characters you've added!! <3

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  8. OMGOSH...you just made me laugh my bootie off! Love the whole story line you have going on and I think some of those might just be my marbles...hehehe...What a fun and whimsical layout you have going on and the colors...wow...a colorful masterpiece! Even my hubby said what the heck has you laughing??? Love you girly!

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  9. OMG ... love, love, love your journal pages, the techniques were amazing and I so love the delightful dylusions gang ( I think I own them all ) !!

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  10. My goodness Candy - what fun creative pages! LOVE the colors/stencils on your background and your fun group of crazy ladies and sentiments - what a wonderful project!

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  11. Wowsers, the sheer level of work and incredible detail that went into this Candy is extraordinary. Just love your post too! It's something of a different style for you but clearly you are a master of whatever you turn your hands and mind too! Enjoy the rest of your weekend. Nicola x

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  12. What fabulous pages, Candy... so full of colour and fun and extraordinary characters!
    Alison xx

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  13. I love Dyan's whimsical stamps and you have really brought them to life in the most wonderful way Candy! The background with all the stencilling is beautiful and the quotes are just hilarious. I love how you added the marbles - as ever - a wonderfully detailed and inspiring project! Hugs, Anne xx

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  14. Wow! amazing detail! Thanks for showing as much as you can. I'm going to my book to get the details on page 47 for the paint resist technique. Thanks again!

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  15. Great layering love your journal pages!!

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  16. Love your journal pages your layering is amazing

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  17. Your bag of marbles and idiots is so clever! Wonderful color, love the whimsy of these pages. Thanks for sharing how you created your fun filled pages.

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  18. This is so so so fun Candy! LOVE the vibrancy and all the layers!

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  19. This is GREAT! I love all the layers and colors, and the glassine envie/marbles idea is brilliant

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  20. fab layers in your background...great to see how you built them up x

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  21. Oh Candy - whatever project you decide to alter turns into artistic gold! Love the fact that you altered a book to turn into a journal and that you made such a fun spread! The colors are so gorgeous together and those gals have me smiling! As always your step by step photos and instructions are fabulous! Love, love, love!

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  22. So creative!! I never thought of using actual books! Next time I am at a thrift store looking for new crafty things I am going to pick up a few! Thanks as always, for the inspiration you give!

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  23. Fabulous layered pages, with the most amazing details. The background is stunning Candy and the stamped images really set this psychedelic piece off.

    TFS and I hope the sun comes out for you soon. We are having the most awful summer too.......not good at all.

    Huge hugs Annie xx

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  24. I love it when art makes me smile and these pages absolutely did just that, Candy. I love the background, of course, but those funky people and those hilarious signs just put me over the edge. What fun these pages must have been to create! Thanks for the happiness this morning. I love everything you do, my friend.

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  25. OMG! Holy Moly, Candy!! These pages are OUTSTANDING!! Just WOW!! I'm smiling ear to ear with these fun characters and that quote-HILARIOUS!!
    Simply amazing layers--I could happily get lost within these pages, Candy!! :) :)
    I'm sending you some sunshine from North Idaho!! :) :) XOXO-Shari

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  26. Your band of idiots are a riot! Such vibrant colors and personality jumping off this LO. So fun and funky! Awesome sauce! ~Niki

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  27. Very artsy journal pages, Candy! Love your LSPR technique on the background. Talk about layers of awesomeness and then all those fun characters - LOVE this, GF! Hugs!

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  28. Amazing! I am a big fan of marbles!

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  29. OMG, Candy, this is one of the best Dylusions art journal pages I've ever seen! What a clever idea with that funny bag! Wooow, I am keep looking at this fantastic creation over and over again! Hilarious characters and quotes! Spectacular pages with great use of Tim's technique!
    Huge hugs :)
    Branka xxx

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  30. This example of technique on an altered book is really making we want to try altering/journaling. Just need to learn to loosen up and play a little more, I think.

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  31. This is seriously fabulous. I love the colours, the people and especially the sentiments. I bought these a couple of weeks ago and was debating what to do with them....now I have loads of ideas. Brilliant!

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  32. This cracks me up. I love the Dyan stamps and sayings on here.

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  33. Gorgeous Candy. Keep looking at you altering these books and must give it a go. Have a great week, Angela x

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  34. Thank you for the sweet comments, I love your journaling pages too, just to say WOW, The technique is amazing. Great layering, amazing stamping and coloring. I visited last week and was really amazed...

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  35. Oh Candy, this is SO cool! Coincidentally, I just started altering a children's book (only got so far as gesso'ing all the pages as of yet); it's going to have a bird theme. Your background turned out awesome and I love the "bag of idiots" - have you been to my workplace, by any chance? LOL

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  36. WOW, what a fun page. Love all the people and colors.

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  37. Candy, you have obviously been to my home...I think that "who left the bag of idiots open?" all the time! And guess what...it's usually me who is the guilty party! Your post is so well written, so funny and then those pages are just SO inspiring! Great use of the technique, the sentiments and those crazy stamps! I love all those extra special Candy ism's: the fabulous marbles, the doodling, the bag, so on and so on! Just a great, Fun, FUN work of art! Thank you, Candy, for your sweet comments on my blog, and for choosing my FD card to be the Curiosity Crew's Choice in the 3rd installment at CC3C! What an honor and oh, SO exciting for me! I know it had to be a very hard choice; there were just so many wonderful interpretations of Tim's technique! Hugs to you! And I love that you love to make your art by getting down and dirty...same here!

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  38. Unfortunately I always arrive late with the comments, and the others have already said everything. This beautiful colored page, will certainly have brought the sun ... it is so sunny and fun! Adorable creation!

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  39. Candy...I absolutely love your journal pages. Work has been a bit of a bear recently and I am enjoying this day off with a cup of coffee, visiting everyone's creations prior to giving it a go with the paint resist technique. Your pages made me smile. I love Dyan's characters and her sentiment stamps are awesome. I only own a couple, but look forward to purchasing more. Great use of the technique on your background.

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  40. What a FABULOUS tutorial Candy... I have now read it three times gleaning your techniques. This is just the most STUPENDOUSLY BRILLIANTLY FUN journal page ever. By the way... I am the one with the turbine head - still in the bag. But one of these days... look out... I might be ready to get out too!!!! I could tell you that I love the marbles, the background, the colors, and all the girls but you KNOW I DO!!! Just so CREATIVE, FLAMBOYANT, and when it comes right down to it... your sentiments are SO TRUE too!!!! Happy 4th! j.

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  41. Wonderful spread! Holy moley, girl, I love how you have built up that gorgeous background and the Dyan gals and sentiments just cracked me up. Pinning in multiple places... LOVE!

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  42. CANDY!!! This is so stinkin' CUTE!!! & HILARIOUS to boot!!! I can DEFINITELY see myself trying this out...& having a great old time w it!!! LOL!!! 😂

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  43. what fun journal pages!!! I love them! =) LOL

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  44. OMG what you made is AMAZING!!!!!!!

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