Day 16 – if you are going through hell
Day 17 – When sparks fly
Day 18 – Don’t give up – play
19- Use what ever you’ve got
Day 20 – What’s right with you
Day 21- Finding your higher purpose
Day 22-love the moment, right now
Day 23 – Accessing your genius
Day 24-Is your life shrinking or expanding
Day 25- dare to be powerful
Day 26 – passion is energy
Day 27- Make your own mantra
I have been doodling and trying to work neatly since I moved up to Edinburgh. I am very messy naturally and my hand eye co- ordination was dreadful until I did my graphic design course.
During the 30 day journal project organised by Lisa Sonora I have been pushing boundaries with my techniques. I have enjoyed finger painting with acrlyics but I would like to devise a technique that uses the doodling and ‘kidnappers ‘ text that I love too.
I had a go today , building up layers sanding and using all three techniques. However I forgot to do stages photos and I wasn’t sure I could replicate it. This is about 5 layers. And is Day 20 – “Always remember you are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.”― A. A. Milne
I started again , I wanted to do something about living in Edinburgh – I struggle emotionally being here and I wanted to explore some of that
I have started doing a crossword everyday to keep connected with Jon and Deb ( we share answering clues ) I cut up articles and pictures from newspapers and added blue patterned bits that came off the first design when I sanded and ripped the pages. My doodle reminds me of the big wheel that goes up in Princes Gardens during the Fringe and Christmas Market. I glued and gessoed a print of my doodle to seal it.
I added a thin layer of turquoise acrylic and another layer of gesso. I wanted to make sure the doodles were well protected.
I wanted to build up the layers slowly , I finger painted 4 different blue based paints onto the edges of the image and wiped of some of it with a damp cloth.
I started added text using words that I associate with Edinburgh like rain, Fringe, home etc.
This is normally where I would leave a spread. I want to add depth and more interest with shape and tone so I layerd more paint around the edges. This has the effect of levelling the design elements
I felt that I had added too much paint so I used another technique – removing paint with a damp cloth through a stencil – this works because of the layers of gesso protecting the images.
The work was very flat and Matt so I painted a layer of self levelling gel – this means that’s he surface is prepared for me to draw over the top. I let it dry over night so that all the layers dried out.
I sanded the surface lightly and then drew out a shilouette of the Edinburgh Castle. I wasn’t sure if I wanted it a dark colour or not – it looms over Princes St quite grey and gloomy but I fancied teal …
I wanted the castle to stand out a bit more so I added a thin veil of white to the background as if it was sky .
Day 9 – revisited
I didn’t like how samey my Day 9 ‘ making art everyday ‘ turned out so I attacked it with abrasive cleaners and then finger painted over the top!
Day 10 – Being present – brave enough
Was all about layering and attacking – obviously in a destructive mood still 
Then I added text using stencils – I love working like this but there is always the threat that my dyslexia will rear its head – hence the ‘smaller’ than desired ‘path’ on the right hand page. 
Day 11- Daring to be my self – group hug
I love bright colours and playing wth the spectrum – 2014 I had an exhibition that used lots of permanent marker pens as the main medium – I was horrified today that lots were drying out so there are a few more colourful pages coming up.
Day 12 – Difficulty as a way finding tol – how I built up my layers
Day 13 – On fire from within – Pablo Neruda
My Mate Deb wanted more souls work and challenged me to do some finger painting – I can’t remember who produced the image of the lady – I liked the fact that you can see all her organs – the purple and red page were already in my journal , where I had smeared leftover paint onto the pages with a credit card
Lisa sent lots of links to Pablo Neruda poems the image is an illustration for
“As if you were on fire from within.
The moon lives in the lining of your skin.”
Day 14- Rejoicing in ordinary things – I love a cup of tea and fancied line drawings of all my favourite things – cups and saucers are a bit over done so I smeared the page with a used tense instead
Day 15 -The art of resting
I needed this today – my back has seized up and I needed to move and smear paint with my fingers ( again)
The last 2 days I haven’t felt very brave when I journaled. I prepare lots of pages in advance with spare paint and scraps of paper. This feels safe – I enjoy tearing up my old flyers, the colours are ones I love ,so I feel very comfortable using them.
Day 8 , I made patterns and kept layering adding found words and an awkward looking model, dressed in clashing colours and textures – she suited how I feel regularly – gauche – though I wouldn’t wear clashing fabric . So I am projecting on to her.
Day 9, I tore my flyers into finer strips and layerd over some prints and hand drawn mandalas. I could have finished there but the page wasn’t talking to me – I did enjoy the colours and textures though
I added loads of found text and images of girls – different sizes and different coloured skin – it was very messy .The background didn’t pull everything together like it had in day 8. I decided to leave it. I had added the quotes without really engaging with them .
I awoke at 4.30am – I have been trying to stick to a very simple diet but had succumbed to a polenta cake. I was wide awake and hot and bothered.I decided to take a risk and add some more layers to day 9. It didn’t really work and was too busy – the white didn’t knock the background back as I had hoped.
I added my favourite teal as a varnish. Then I decided to attack it with a scritty( an abrasive kitchen sponge). This has had its precedents- when I work with wax resist and watercolour – I regularly bleach and scrub work in the shower. However there is always a risk that you will loose everything …..
When I worked intuitively with My friend Deb we painted over the top of very busy pieces with white – I fancy drawing some large letters and blanking out the background. I can’t decide on ‘is it worth it’ , ‘brave’ , ‘courage’ , or just ‘take a risk …. ‘
In 2014 I had an exhibition at my hairdresser’s on Dundas St called Trigg – my hairdresser has been let down so I have offered to help out
I have a small show from 2nd March to 5th April. I designed a flyer to advertise it.
The work is some that I completed last summer after worked with my friend Deb. We used acrylic ink and lots of layers and strips of magazines . Some of the work is abstract and some of Edinburgh Castle. It is all small scale and framed in simple white frames (from IKEA ) .
The phone number is for Trigg the hairdressers- you can phone for appointments or info about the exhibition
I decided that I wanted to journal using a program, that provides daily prompts- so I signed up for Lisa Sonora’s at http://www.lisasonora.com- you get 30 days of prompts via Email / Facebook or her blog
I have really enjoyed the discipline and someone else inspiring me to think through the process of art making
My first 9 days of journal pages -I like building up layers – I use old books and prepare pages – using lots of different papers and left over paint. Then I doodle and layer with more paper, stencil acrylic paint and images . My favourite way to add text is to use letters cut from magazines.
Day 1 – Daring to begin
Day 2 – seeking my people
Day 3 – daring to Dare
Day 4 – The cost of perfection – seize the day
Day 5- Dilema
Day 6 -selfconsconciousness 
Day 7
The prompt today was about self consciousness and bravery .I like art making and earning money by exhibiting – but I dislike getting my work exhibition ready , organising publicity and private views. I always feel so exposed . I used up old flyers on the next few pages – reminding my self of when I have been brave in the past . I think the course is good for me – I have signed up for another exhibition in March …..
Day 8 – courage is whispering to me now
Day 9-art every day
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