Gulp!!! I think I want to Art Journal with PAINT!!

Paint is fun.. there are a lot of just collections of paints in the shop to start with ... buy a collection of paint and play with it.. layer it with elements..and excitement

 

My recommended minimal materials are:

• Craft quality acrylics (cheap, fun colors - great way to get started - Deco art is one brand). If you like paint and organic AJ, you can then venture into student grade acrylics. I know Cheryl said to stay away from Folk Art and Apple - I've used these brands on small projects - to learn with - with no issues. In my opinion, they are a good way to dabble, to experiment.
• Gesso (white minimum, black if you can and only if you like dark backgrounds). Gesso helps prevent bleed through, helps stabilize the papers, and has "grip." Some markers may not write over acrylic but, they can usually write over gesso. Some paper may not be "true white." You can make paper a brighter white using gesso.
• Paint brushes (craft quality, but synthetic fibers).
• Ephemera (stuff you find and collect - literally, garbage!!! ha!, and TLP printouts if you have a printer).
• Pens (Sharpies and gel-type pens that can mark over acrylic). White pens are a must for me - Gelly brand and Uni-ball, Signo are working well for me.
• Oh - and glue - I use simple glue sticks.
• A mixed media notebook. Spiral bound if you want it to lay flat; otherwise some clips to hold the book open. Canson has good options (Michaels, Hobby Lobby - wait for SALES!!!).

So, Hobby Lobby and Michaels craft stores have great sales and you can find craft quality acrylics in a HUGE variety of colors for $.099 - $2.00. Start with maybe 5 paints max (plus white, grey and back...to make your own colors). Could also order these from Amazon. A variety of paint brushes (I recommend synthetic as I have not had luck with real hair brushes - the fibers keep falling out). A notebook and/or paper to AJ on (mixed media notebook from Canson - medium sized, too small no room to play, too large - hard to make a completed piece for a newbie). Gesso (I like white and black). Ephemera - you do not have to buy this (anything from junk mail envelopes to paper brown bags to clippings from magazines you may already have; gauze, tea bags). And of course, you can print from TLP kits (papers and elements) to make your own ephemera. I will start dabbling in hybrid soon. Pens, like Gelly pens or Sharpies - something to add contrast to the acrylics or mark over/write on the acrylics. I am a pen junkie and paper junkie haha!


For the longest time, I used old gift cards instead of palette knives to spread large amounts of gesso or paint on the paper.

I love washing tape too - it is so very versatile but is totally optional. Michales and Hobby Lobby tend to have variety packs from $15-$20. So, if you can afford them, they are a nice pop of color, texture and patterns. I get them from Walmart too.

As time progresses and you stick with organic AJ, Cheryl is very correct in getting a heat gun (speeds up drying process and you could dabble in embossing powders).

If you like mark making, you can do that by hand...but invest in time saving stencils and stamps if/when you can. These last forever and they are not expensive (Hobby Lobby/Walmart). Always wait for sales, sales, sales.

I just got a Monoprinting Gel plate 2 weeks ago and I'm having loads of fun making a mess with it haha! Works with the acrylics and stencils. This is something I built up to and waited two years before getting one.

After watching some classes using modeling past, I'll be venturing into that too - for added texture. The modeling paste starts to get pricey and it is not a necessity.

It would be really cool to revive the hybrid pad here at TLP. Some time ago Karen sent me a package with TLP ephemera because my printer was broke (and I was in the process of moving so did not want to buy a new one). Anyways, it is time for me to use those and pay it forward. Let me know in a PM if you'd like a stash of ephemera.

Good luck!

 

you might consider following Tangie Baxter. she has sold here and has lots of cool stuff but I am in two of her art parties classes monthly and do her art reatreats. They are largely disney or harry potter themed usually. There are some others but with Tangie, I like that she teaches while she does her classes. it's watercolor based too.

 

First, you CAN learn to draw. Thankfully we have the internet and Youtube to help find lessons. Drawing is about observing shapes, light and shadows. But Art Journaling isn't focused on drawing per se. One thing you can try if you want to draw is continuous line drawing. It is where you focus on an image with your eyes, and don't look at your substrate (paper) as you draw. You also do not lift the pen or brush! It results in a bit of an abstract image, think Picasso. That takes the pressure off of attempting perfection because you know at the start it won't be perfect but it will be artistic! Here is my daughter's very first attempt from her first ever art class last week:


and she has NEVER considered herself to be artistic!
As to supplies, my recommendation is to NOT purchase much at all, until you feel you want to explore more.
Basics can be found even at Dollar Tree stores now.

• Mixed Media notebook or pad

• Gel Medium ( it can seal as well as be an adhesive, and colors may be added if desired)

• Gesso. There are recipes for making your own gesso. I did it a year ago and it went well. But normally I buy it at Hobby Lobby. I've tried several brands and like Liquitex best because it has body and I can do a textured back ground if I like.
• I use artist acrylics as I found the craft ones to be too watery. BUT you can start as I said you can find these supplies at Dollar Tree and go from there. Even tube Acrylics are there. They are a bit thinner than the Artist grade but still useful.
  
• Pitt black markers. They don't run. This means that if you draw on your paper and outline or just use the Pitts, and then want to use watercolor, ink, or another medium over it, they will not run!!! I can't do without them! Sharpies wiil run. Learned that the hard way.
  
• watercolor. You can start with Prang if you want. I've used them since Kindergarten, LOL. I have several kinds of watercolors, cos that's my preferred medium; tube, pan and liquid WC. But only one kind is needed for AJ.

There are so many things you can experiment with. My advice from 20 years of AJ is don't swallow the elephant. Eat it one bite at a time. There are so many style and methods to play with. I do several different styles depending upon my mood. You will learn what interests you. Go with that while pushing past inhibitions.
When you want to experiment, go for INKTENSE blocks or pencils. They are AMAZING! A very little goes a Looooong way and the colors are as intense as you like, or use them lightly and they are softer. They are ink and so very different from watercolor. They blend beautifully and are thrilling to use.
Gel printing plates were mentioned. After you have played with the basics, you can explore this. I have a gel plate purchased commercially, but also have one I made that is 3 years old!!! It is easy to make one and you can customize the size and shape!
For ephemera- think of all the tags, reciepts, tea bags, etc you see everyday!! They can be stamped, colored, painted, written on, glued...
The only thing I spend money on is the brushes. I buy a pack of them (flats) at Hobby Lobby or Walmart every few months.
ONE THING I CAN'T DO WITHOUT IS THIS SOAP.

IT CLEANS THE INK, GUNK AND PAINTS OFF MY HANDS AND MY BRUSHES!!! IT HAS LASTED 3 YEARS!!!

KEEP ASKING QUESTIONS!!! HAVE FUN. DON'T OVERTHINK!!

 

If anyone want to swap ephemera, let me know. I can start collecting some junk mail, labels, magazine clippings etc, and fill an envelope up to the weight limit for one stamp. Not sure how much ephemera you can get for one stamp though, guess it depends from time to time.

Oh, and I'm in Sweden.

 

@tanteva Are you willing to ship to the USA?

 

Absolutely. I'm not sure how much I can fit into an envelope for one stamp, but I will try and max it. Send me a pm with your addy, and I'll see what I can come up with. Maybe some info if you want me to look for something special ... or avoid something. I'll try and get a good mix of fun Swedish ephemera for you.

 

Thank you for kind words. I started "Art journaling" back in 2000, before it had become " a thing". I didn't know others were doing it! Tangie was my first inspiration way back when I had begun designing, I began traditional and transititioned to AJ and Faith Journaling.. Back then there were only a few designers doing AJ style. Then about 2016 it hit mainstream. . You will have a blast!!!!

 

Mine are these ---