If you’re using a spiral bound notebook or sketchbook, you can tip in items using a paper clip. This allows the item to easily flip independently of the facing pages, and it gives you access to the back of the item.
And yes, I’m obsessed with trees lately.
mixed media collage in art journal
I made this sketchbook three years ago and finally finished it.
8 x 6 inches, 24 pages of Canson 140 lb cold press watercolor paper, single needle Coptic bound with black waxed linen thread
Radish
You are what you are (sour AF)
gouache on 140 lb Canson cold press watercolor paper
I had been planning on going to the animal shelter yesterday after work. So of course, on my way to work yesterday morning, the brake warning light on my car came on. Instead of looking at dogs, I dropped my car off at the auto shop. They called this morning to say that there’s a broken rear brake line, leaking rear differential, and a broken brake caliper slide, all of which will cost about $500 to fix.
I’d like to stop hemorrhaging money soon, pleaseandthanks.
gouache on 140 lb Canson cold press watercolor paper
The background color is a little off on this. It’s not that bright and minty. I’m too lazy to scan it, though.
The paint is some old cheap-ass tubes I need to use up.
M. Graham and Schmincke gouache on 140 Lb Canson cold press watercolor paper covered with tissue paper coated with Daniel Smith transparent watercolor ground
I pasted a piece of textured kraft paper into my journal with acrylic medium. I covered that with a thin coat of Daniel Smith transparent watercolor ground. After drying 24 hours, as recommended, there were still opaque streaks. So next time, I’ll know that thin is not thin enough. Must apply even thinner!
I’m really happy with the way the finished product handles, despite the streaks. I think it will be a nice addition for collaging elements into journals that you later want to use wet media on. The ground also comes in opaque white, if you don’t want the underlying surface to show.
I bought this jar of transparent watercolor ground months ago, but haven’t done anything with it. I thought I’d test it today.
Applying it was simple–just like putting on a top coat of acrylic medium. There was a texture left over from the brush, though, that could be obnoxious. That should be somewhat controllable, by blotting at the end with a paper towel or a wet wipe.
And now we wait for paint to dry. It’s rainy and damp today, so it’s taking forever.
M. Graham and Schmincke gouache on 140lb Canson cold press watercolor paper
It isn’t anything fabulous, but I made an art!
I hate the saying that money can’t buy happiness. I suspect it was created by filthy rich people to gaslight poor folks into thinking they didn’t get a raw deal.
The thing is, it almost sounds reasonable, taken at face value. But lurking under the surface is the ugly fact that poverty–and I do not mean temporary or situational poorness–kills joy to death. The constant, overwhelming stress of waiting for the other shoe to drop is incompatible with happiness.
So, maybe money can’t actually buy happiness, but it can remove otherwise insurmountable barriers to it.
red paper boat 