Art Journal Challenge: Weeks 3 & 4

Hi, hi, hi.

If past history is anything to go by, I will actually succeed in responding to each of the 52 weekly prompts in the UKStampers Art Journal Challenge ... I just might not do them all in the designated week!

I managed the photograph myself each week of 2009 for 'My Year in Outfits' challenge I set myself ... I just didn't quite finish each page in the same week:

And when, during the same year, I followed along with Emily Falconbridge's '52Q - A Year of Mini Art Journaling' ... I used to save up several prompts and work on more than one at a time:

So either I am either truly able to comfortably dedicate myself to 52 full weeks on the same thing ... or else 2009 was a fluke ... The Year of the Year Long Project! I guess we'll find out in 46 weeks time when the UKStampers challenge is completed!

For now though, I have responded to 4 of the 6 prompts so far. Go me!

Week 3's prompt was to write about school, use lined paper and splash on some ink.

Lined paper? Hello favourite product! Splash ink around? I'm in! Write about school? ... not so much.

While reading through other people's delighted responses to the prompt I just had a complete block. Seeing how much the others had enjoyed the chance to reminisce about schooldays suddenly feltquite alien to me.

Don't get me wrong, school wasn't the worst time in my life ... [even though it kind of led up to it!] and if you'd asked me a week before the prompt was released if I could tell you ten lighthearted things to say about it ... I'd have been convinced that I could. And I could. I just didn't want to!

Just like when I was at school I almost went ahead and played along ... because I didn't want people to think I was trying hard to be different. But even at school I managed to fight those feelings and stay true to myself ... so sticking to my own ideas in a page in a painty book was really nothing in comparison!

I'm happy with it. And in it's own subdued, smudgy, nothing-quite-clear way ... it's kind of a fitting response to the 'where-did-you-come-from-and-why-now?' feeling I had about making it!

Week 4 was much easier! To write about childhood sweets. But, call me awkward, I ignored the bit about childhood ... in fact I did the exact opposite:

I'm still getting used to how the fibrous paper in the journal reacts to paint and ink - even after sealing it with gesso, but I do rather like some of the texture which shows through.

I haven't yet quite conquered stamping onto it - below you might just be able to work out the phrase 'Trick or Treat' running down the left side of the page? The colour inks I used just blended in and I was too afraid of spoiling the whole page to go over it in black:

'Trick or Treat' is a fitting phrase for the bars of chocolate with salt I like. The chocolate is dark and velvety and the hints of salt take the edge off the creaminess at just the right level ... most of the time ... until every now and again, a few minutes after I've eaten some, a grain of rocksalt just re-appears from nowhere ... and that's not quite the same rich experience!

There are 2 new prompts ready for me to tackle when I get the chance. Neither of which, at the moment, appear to be having a detrimental effect on my mental health ... so that's a bonus.

I'll bring my pages to show you when they're done and you can judge for yourself!

Until then, I'll see you tomorrow for what will be the penultimate Tips for the Twitter-curious lesson.

Julie :-)