International Fake Journal Month Wrap Up

This was my first year participating in International Fake Journal Month.  Over the past few years I have been become increasingly interested in researching my family history, so for IFJM I transported myself to a very small village in the Cotswalds, England, where many of my ancestors originated.  I hoped to learn more about the area and what life is like there now.

I prepared my fake journal by gelli printing some wild backgrounds.  In this pretend life I decided to take way more risks in my journal, for better or for worse.  Painting in thick gouache was another thing I wanted to try.

I met my initial goals and also learned a whole lot more.

• Towards the end of the second week I woke up screaming, "I MISS MY WHITE SPACE!"  From past experience, I think it may be that I need some variety in my journaling practice, rather than a love of blank white pages.  This is worth testing.
• I loved working in a single, chronological journal.
• Drawing in black on loose paper is a great way to add a drawing to those crazy, colored backgrounds I sometimes feel compelled to paint.  The value contrast was great.
• However, I need to allow space for the additional thickness added by all of this collage in the book.
• Because not all prints are successful, I prefer gelli printing on loose sheets rather than directly into a journal.
• It is possible to schedule time every day even in a busier than normal month.  In other income tax seasons I've done a lot less art than I did this year!
• I found lots of ways to add interesting color and unify a pre-painted page.  I used paper, napkins, pigment ink pads, stamping, and water-based markers as well as acrylic paint and gouache.

I'm taking all of these insights forward into my journaling practice.  I'm going to stick to one journal at a time, for now one with all white pages. LOL 

Royalty Makes an Appearance

Princess Anne is a fitting end to International Fake Journal Month.  She dedicated the first phase of a building project at a church not too far from my home in the Cotswalds, England.

The drawing was done with a Platinum fountain pen and a Pentel brush pen and collaged onto my background of a gelli print and a napkin.

Roz recommends that we put our journals away for a week so that we can look at them with fresh eyes.  I'll be back then with a wrap-up post about the experience.

I Am the Real Vine

On the last Sunday of International Fake Journal Month I painted a vine and wrote out part of today's Gospel reading.  It doesn't matter where you are in the world, the scripture passages are the same, so I can be in England (working in my fake journal) or here at home and still hear the same thing.  I love that; the lectionary knits us together around the world!

What Kind of Bird is This?

Gouache bird sketch.

Neither the fake me nor the real me have ever seen one before.  

Sketching at the Bird & Deer Park

I sketched these chickens in gouache.  The one on the recto page didn't stand out against the red background that was there so I added some green.

Looking Forward to May!

The weather has been cool and showery in England this month and I'm looking forward to a drier May.

Another Opportunity to See Some Classic Cars

Such a Sad Event

An 82 year old cyclist was killed in an accident in the nearby town of Stroud.

Tis the Season for Boot Sales!

A boot sale is a sale where you display your wares from the "boot" (trunk) of your car.  It's a cross between a swap meet and a garage sale, perhaps.  I think that you buy a place in a field to park your car, much like you would buy a table at a swap meet.

My journal for International Fake Journal Month takes place in England.  Aren't you glad April is almost over? LOL

Lots of Bird Action Returning to Our Area...

Geography is Destiny

At the WWT these birds are being trained!  This is another entry in my International Fake Journal.  Just over a week left!

1964 Morris Minor

Frogs Seem to Spend a Great Deal of Time Thinking...

A Spring Heatwave...

...is a perfect time to sit at a quiet spot on the canal and do a little sketching.  Markers on gelli print. 

IFJM - Cakes or Books?

You choose, I can't.

Gouache, Acrylic

The drawing of the bookstore looks like this:

It Wouldn't Be the Cotswalds Without a Sheep, Would It?

 

The Farmers' Market

At last a dry day to visit Shambles (the Stroud market) - just for fun, to sketch. After vegetables, text and signage catch my eye.

International Fake Journal Month - It's All Fun and Games

Stroud MP demands clear evidence before military action in Syria

Working with Thick Gouache

One of my objectives for International Fake Journal Month is to work in thick gouache.  When used directly from the tube, gouache behaves somewhat like acrylic, without the clean-up issues.  (Gouache is water-soluble even when dry).  When you use it thick, without diluting it with water, paper thickness/quality isn't an issue either.  This painting of a kite at the Minchinhampton Kite Festival was done on drawing paper and collaged on the page later.  (I also used gouache directly on my background print on the Peter Rabbit page here.)

In The News

I'm learning lots about Stroud and the surrounding area from the local newspaper.