I had just seen a wonderful video entitled “Mixed Media Negative Planets” by Dana C on a Youtube Pinterest post and was really intrigued by the idea of working with negative space. Then the prompt for The Documented Life Project was “Layering; when not to stop” so it seemed like the ideal time to try the new technique resulting in this final set of pages:
However, I started by gessoing the center fold of the pages so no paint would seep through. Then splotched on acrylic paint and gesso, stencil and stamps, dabs of this and that, winding up with this hodge-podge.
The next step was to take my circle stencil and make a few circles over interesting areas in pencil. Then took a mix of light purple and gesso and painted over it all except for the circles. This was the result:
Then with the circle stencil again I added a few more circle in pencil that generally touched the ones I had already. Then painted with a slightly darker purple acrylic over everything but the old and new circles and the left side of the page where I plan to put a planner and journal leaving this:
Again, the same thing of making more circles generally touching those already there before adding a dark purple over everything but the circles and also adding a border on the left.
Started to outline the circles with pencil to have them stand out and have some shading as well as adding in date circles on the left. This picture shows it as much bluer than the pages actually are.
Finishing touches of pen and charcoal around the circles and begin the planner/journal, which is so wonderful in organizing one’s thoughts and events. In time, this journal will become a memoir for me and my family.
But couldn’t stop – still needed to add something else – stars. But first I added black acrylic paint splatters, then silver acrylic with a stencil and added in stars and finally the tip-in for the month’s Art Challenge and Journal Prompt, resulting in these pages ready for more journaling and planning as seen at the top. Here is a close-up of the “planets”:
I was amazed by how the thought process of negative space is so very different from what one usually does in painting something.
healing haven 