start by choosing a page in your junk journal that already has an interesting or well-textured background. This foundation will add depth and character to your work, allowing the layers we’re about to build to shine even more.
In this project, we’ll explore the emotional journey of creating a mixed media collage, focusing on organic elements and raw textures. Through a series of steps that include stamping, scribbling, collaging, and adding a botanical focal point, you’ll create a spread that not only looks beautiful but also captures your personal story.
This spread, titled “Layers of Emotion: A Journey Through Botanical Collage,” will guide you in expressing your thoughts and feelings through art, making each layer a reflection of your inner world. Whether you’re using this as a therapeutic exercise or simply for creative exploration, the process will help you connect more deeply with your journal and your emotions.
1. Stamp the Heart of Your Spread
Action: Begin by stamping a design or element that resonates with you.
Emotional Pointer: Choose a stamp that sparks joy or evokes a memory. Let it serve as the heart of your spread, anchoring your emotions on the page.
2. Unleash Your Inner Scribble
Action: Let your hand flow across the page with spontaneous scribbles.
Emotional Pointer: Allow your thoughts and feelings to take form through these marks. It’s a way to let go, express, and connect with your inner voice without overthinking.
3. Weave Your Story with Collage
Action: Layer pieces of painted paper scraps, washi tapes, fabrics over your scribbles (create a collage cluster)
Emotional Pointer: As you select and place these pieces, think about how each fragment adds texture to your story. Use colors and patterns that reflect your mood or the essence of the memory you’re capturing.
4. Thread Your Emotions with Mark making
Action: Add more marks to integrate the collage elements, using pens or add stitches.
Emotional Pointer: These additional marks are like threads weaving your emotions through the different layers. Don’t be afraid to layer your feelings; it’s part of the process.
5. Create a Botanical Focal Point
Action: Cut out a botanical shape from a piece of inky paper/watercolor paper and place it as a focal point.
Emotional Pointer: This botanical shape represents growth, nature, or whatever it signifies for you. Let it be the centerpiece of your spread, symbolizing the central theme or emotion you want to highlight.
6. Anchor Your Focal Point
Action: Secure the botanical cutout on top of your collage elements.
Emotional Pointer: Think of this step as grounding your emotions and thoughts. The focal point ties everything together, like a full stop at the end of a sentence.
7. Add Raw Texture with Grunge
Action: Apply paint with your fingers or using soft pastels, to add a grungy texture.
Emotional Pointer: Embrace imperfection here. The grunge adds rawness, reflecting the messy, unpolished parts of life that give it character.
8. Balance with Collages
Action: Bring balance by adding some neutral or inky paper collages on the other side.
Emotional Pointer: Think about harmony and contrast as you work on the other side. This is about creating a dialogue between the two pages, making sure they communicate and complement each other.
9. Echo Your Theme with Stamps
Action: Repeat stamping, adding it over the new collage elements.
Emotional Pointer: The stamping here reinforces your theme. It’s like adding an echo of the emotion or thought you began with, ensuring it resonates across the spread.
10. Embrace the Space
Action: You don’t need to cover every inch; let parts of the original background peek through.
Emotional Pointer: Allowing the background to remain visible symbolizes openness and acceptance of the underlying layers of your journey. It’s okay to leave some space for what’s unspoken.
