Upcycling a Board Book into an Art Journal

I got the idea to upcycle an old board book into an art journal from this YouTube video by Ceri Griffiths. 

https://youtu.be/XijpQxrfh_8?si=7RH4uvZHCJKXcnuS

Ceri walks you through the process of removing the printed surface of the book to create a blank board book to journal on.

Inspired by Ceri, I thrifted a board book at my favorite Goodwill store and prepared it for art journaling.  Then I dug through my painted papers and other collage scraps, pulling out bits that appealed to my artist's eye.  I didn't use them all, but followed my Intuition, that tiny voice within, and started gluing down papers, adding text, drawings, tissue paper, whatever!

  The brown "calligraphy" below on the left is from a Wanderlust 2024 class with artist Eugénie Bilotte.  You can find Wanderlust - a year of classes in art journaling -- at Everything Art (https://www.everything-art.com/). 

The fern on the right is a gelli print on a book page.

I love black print on earth-toned papers -- from tea bags to old book pages and cardboard.  On some page spreads, I simply created a background of collaged papers.  I can add more later as the inspiration strikes.

Other pages came together with a focal point and a theme, like this bluebird & nest page about the revitalization & nurturing I receive from time spent in nature.

My favorite page of the entire book so far is this one, reminding me to follow my Intuition (rather than my inner critic, the Hobgoblin).  I mingled collage, hand-cut stamps, gold acrylic ink and ink pens.

The beauty of creating in an art journal is that you can use any medium you have, from pencils and ballpoint pens to bits of paper from your daily life, to stencils, stamps, paints ... anything!  

And if you find you don't like something you put down, you can paint or collage over it, shaping the page in a new direction.  Just listen to that quiet little voice -- your Intuition-- and follow what it says.  

I find my Intuition never leads me astray.

Happy Creating! 

Thrift Haul: Faber Castell Pitt Graphic Pencils

On a recent trip to the Pittsburgh Center for Creative Reuse, I found this little kit of pencils and snatched them up for $1.25!  What an amazing find!

The kit included a 2B, 4B, 10B and 12B Pitt Graphite pencil, and a soft white pastel pencil, all by Faber Castell.  The graphite pencils cover a wide range of values, from black through light grays.

I tested out the kit by making this sketch of my potted indoor fig tree in my nature journal.  The tree has just begun to unfurl new leaves in the winter sunshine.

I love the dark shadows I can create with these pencils, and the way they stand up to hard pressure.  The graphite didn't break as soft pencils often do.  

I was also surprised at how I could erase marks cleanly with a gum eraser.  Most of my other 9B and softer pencils leave behind residual marks when erased.

If you're in the Pittsburgh area, I hope you'll stop by the Pittsburgh Center for Creative Reuse.  It's my favorite thrift shop by far.  The staff are kind & happy to help, the supplies are of good quality and ever changing, and the vibe is creative & friendly.

 Happy Creating!

Vintage Art Supplies

What is it about vintage art supplies that thrills me?  I get swept away into idealism and nostalgia for the materials I remember from my childhood, when I spent endless happy hours drawing, painting, and creating in a messy state of wonder. 

The price is usually cheaper than modern materials, and the quality is often much better.  And, I like to think that forgotten art materials feel pride and delight in being used for their intended purpose rather than being left to gather dust, or worse,  dumped in the landfill.  

They want to be found by someone who will love them and make art with them!

 

A week ago, I found a box of 72 Koh-I-Noor graphite leads at the Pittsburgh Center for Creative Reuse.  A half gross of professional grade 4B leads, just waiting to create amazing drawings! All for $12. A bargain!

At 3mm thick, the graphite leads wouldn't fit into any mechanical pencil I had.  An internet search led me to a vintage mechanical pencil on ebay, for $12. 

It arrived on Black Friday, and I excitedly ripped into the package, and loaded it up with a lead.  There's a magic to new art supplies.  With the winds of excitement blowing you along, you freely explore all the different types of marks your new tool can make. There is no right or wrong, just discovery and play.

And this is the best approach for art making with any supply -- no expectations, only explorations and experiments.

I began making sketches, and discovered that the thick lead created wonderful masses of tone when I turned it on its side (above).

I could sharpen the tip with a sandpaper sharpener or even a regular pencil sharpener, and get fine lines. 

The 4B graphite created dark tones, but also seemed quite strong and stiff, able to take a fair bit of pressure from the side.

I set out with my pencil and sketchbook, and found barnwood, winter weeds, and songbirds outdoors to sketch.

And at the end of the explorations, I had a journal filling with sketches, and a pencil that seemed happy to be back to work.  

I hope you get a chance to test out some art supplies -- vintage or modern -- soon!