2019 April Monthly Muse - Week 1 - Backgrounds

Discussion in 'Art Journaling' started by bcgal00, Apr 5, 2019.

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  1. Apr 5, 2019 #1
    bcgal00

    bcgal00 Say, "birdseed!"

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    Hi everyone! The monthly muse for April will be all about backgrounds, focusing on four creative processes to help you in designing your art journal background. On each Friday (April 5, 12, 19 & 26) we will explore a different process to help inspire your creativity in getting your art journal page started.

    April Muse:

    Week 1 - Unobstrusive Backgrounds

    Art journaling is very subjective to the creator but what I find to be at the core of art journaling, is an expression of emotion, feelings, letting the internal thoughts come out. You may or may not add photos, elements, doodles...it really is up to you. You may have a plan, an idea of what you wish to create, or you might prefer to start with your background and then be spontaneous, let the thoughts flow and see what comes of it.

    I would like you to start your page with your background. Decide what colors you want to work with, do you prefer bolder, brighter tones or do you want to keep it soft and dreamy? You can always add or take away from the background design if you work with non-destructive layers.

    Here are some ideas for unobstrusive backgrounds. They all have color, texture and shapes but they don't compete for what has been added to the page, the added artistic intent stands out against the background. They all are blended to some degree.

    [​IMG]

    Create your background or select a blended paper background. Try some watercolor brushes, work with gradient maps, layer papers, change the blend mode....don't be afraid to experiment. Be as creative as you wish!

    Here's my sample page. I blended a few papers, added some low opacity brush layers overtop and changed the blend mode on some layers.

    [​IMG]

    You may create any style of layout (ie. clean and simple, artsy, pocket style etc.) you wish, with or without photos. Create any size page you wish. This is for everyone, so have fun and see where the inspiration takes you. If you want all 4 Muses ( 1 for each week this month) on one page that's perfectly ok or you can make 4 separate pages!! It's totally up to you! :)

    Please post your layout to the Art Journaling Gallery HERE prior to April 30, 2019 and then post it in this thread by copying the code (at the right of your gallery image) from the box under "Share BB Code".

    We will draw a winner at the beginning of next month for a coupon!! You can use any products in The Lilypad store or retired products from current Lilypad designers, (just make sure you follow our gallery guidelines).
     
    bcgal00, Apr 5, 2019
    bcgal00, Apr 5, 2019
    #1
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  2. Apr 5, 2019 #2
    rchansen

    rchansen in the sweet tooth recovery program

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    Can't wait to play with this later this weekend!!
     
    rchansen, Apr 5, 2019
    rchansen, Apr 5, 2019
    #2
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  3. Apr 5, 2019 #3
    Dalis

    Dalis Jose Cuervo is NOT a good friend

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    This sounds fun!!!! My favorite thing is to work on backgrounds!!!!
     
    Dalis, Apr 5, 2019
    Dalis, Apr 5, 2019
    #3
  4. Apr 5, 2019 #4
    Janisn

    Janisn Well-Known Member

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    I think I got this. Used six elements and papers from five designers to make the background paper. Then used Rebecca's Mary for house and word art.
    [​IMG]
     
    Janisn, Apr 5, 2019
    Janisn, Apr 5, 2019
    #4
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  5. Apr 5, 2019 #5
    caapmun

    caapmun Well-Known Member

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    I used 3 papers from the Parker kit to make my own background - and then used paints, stamps etc over the background also.
    [​IMG]
     
    caapmun, Apr 5, 2019
    caapmun, Apr 5, 2019
    #5
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  6. Apr 6, 2019 #6
    RJMJ

    RJMJ There is a shade of red for every woman.

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    Yeah!...I Love This Monthly Muse Challenge Idea!...I Use A Lot Of Papers In My Layouts & I Blend So Many Into The Background All The Time...It's My Regular Thing To Do...I Used 4 Different Papers Blended Here...I Liked The Result With Just Three But Something Seemed Missing To Me...It Needed More Depth & A Bit More Contrast & A Bit More Pattern...I Added A Floral Paper As The Last Paper & I Was Afraid It Might Be A Bit Too Intrusive...But Lo & Behold...It Wasn't...A Testament To The Amazing Papers All Working Together In The Same Kit...Eventhough The Paper Was A Large Floral Print...It Blended Seamlessly With The Other 3 Papers I Had Already Added...I Tried Several Blend Modes & Quite Honestly...I Liked Them All...But The One I Ended Up With Really Spoke To The Right Amount Of Color & Balanced Out The Layout Design Exactly The Way I Wanted It To Without Taking Away From The Elements,The Photo,The Out Of Bounds Frame Technique I Used & The Brush & Stamp Work...

    *For My Eye On Beauty Layout-I Used:Springcape-Little Butterfly Wings

    [​IMG]
     
    RJMJ, Apr 6, 2019
    RJMJ, Apr 6, 2019
    #6
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  7. Apr 6, 2019 #7
    Rikki

    Rikki Next I'm going to look up naughty limericks

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    I think I will work on one page this month to get back into the swing of things. My mojo has been absent for a while. Making backgrounds is such fun!
     
    Rikki, Apr 6, 2019
    Rikki, Apr 6, 2019
    #7
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  8. Apr 6, 2019 #8
    SharLamb

    SharLamb I should have been a Supreme

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    SharLamb, Apr 6, 2019
    SharLamb, Apr 6, 2019
    #8
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  9. Apr 6, 2019 #9
    Cherylndesigns

    Cherylndesigns All glasses should be bigger than 1.5 oz

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    I agree - I loved creating this background!!

    [​IMG]
     
    Cherylndesigns, Apr 6, 2019
    Cherylndesigns, Apr 6, 2019
    #9
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  10. Apr 7, 2019 #10
    Rikki

    Rikki Next I'm going to look up naughty limericks

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    OK, background is done, :)

    [​IMG]
     
    Rikki, Apr 7, 2019
    Rikki, Apr 7, 2019
    #10
  11. Apr 7, 2019 #11
    KAPOH

    KAPOH Well-Known Member

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    KAPOH, Apr 7, 2019
    KAPOH, Apr 7, 2019
    #11
  12. Apr 7, 2019 #12
    Dalis

    Dalis Jose Cuervo is NOT a good friend

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    Here is mine:

    [​IMG]
     
    Dalis, Apr 7, 2019
    Dalis, Apr 7, 2019
    #12
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  13. Apr 7, 2019 #13
    mcurtt

    mcurtt give me all the paleo brownies

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    I'm going with one page for the entire month. For week 1, I used three different backgrounds blended together, a paint splatter, some gesso, word art, alpha & fonts.

    Week 1:
    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Apr 8, 2019
    mcurtt, Apr 7, 2019
    mcurtt, Apr 7, 2019
    #13
  14. Apr 8, 2019 #14
    Pups_r_Paps

    Pups_r_Paps Well-Known Member

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    An ATC background created from several items from two kits blended together to create an "Unobtrusive Background".

    [​IMG]
     
    Pups_r_Paps, Apr 8, 2019
    Pups_r_Paps, Apr 8, 2019
    #14
  15. Apr 9, 2019 #15
    wvsandy

    wvsandy Grinning Granny

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    Fun! I love building backgrounds!
    [​IMG]
     
    wvsandy, Apr 9, 2019
    wvsandy, Apr 9, 2019
    #15
  16. Apr 10, 2019 #16
    Angela Toucan

    Angela Toucan I keep looking for THAT wardrobe

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    thank you for the muse. Here's my page from this afternoon.
    [​IMG]

    I've got a pile of canvas backgrounds in my draw that I've never been able to do much with, probably because they are definitely not unobstrusive. Thanks for the practice.
     
    Angela Toucan, Apr 10, 2019
    Angela Toucan, Apr 10, 2019
    #16
  17. Apr 10, 2019 #17
    redplaid3

    redplaid3 Just call me Zaley's Grammy!

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    I had a lot of fun combining elements and papers from Heartsong (TLP collab) mostly and a few things from Pink Reptile. Thanks for the challenge.

    [​IMG]
     
    redplaid3, Apr 10, 2019
    redplaid3, Apr 10, 2019
    #17
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  18. Apr 11, 2019 #18
    Jenna

    Jenna Jenna

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    Jenna, Apr 11, 2019
    Jenna, Apr 11, 2019
    #18
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  19. Apr 12, 2019 #19
    marijke

    marijke Weekends are for wine.

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    marijke, Apr 12, 2019
    marijke, Apr 12, 2019
    #19
  20. Apr 13, 2019 #20
    blueberries

    blueberries Did I ever tell you I have a thing for snakes?

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    A day late and dollar short, but considering the month I've had just being here is a win.

    I love this challenge - it's always so fun to see just how many papers I can mash into one background piece :-D

    [​IMG]
     
    blueberries, Apr 13, 2019
    blueberries, Apr 13, 2019
    #20
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