Silver Elephant Craftique: Blank Page Muse Art Rubber Stamps: Romance Art Journal Page

Welcome to my first ever art journal post! Art journaling is new to me so I wanted to keep it simple by using supplies I am familiar with, such as distress inks and sprays, die cuts, paint, and red rubber stamps. I love this stamp set from Blank Page Muse called Romance Rubber Stamp Set. It comes with 6 beautiful graphic stamps and 6 sentiment stamps.

Since February is National Creative Romance Month and Romance is the theme for the Blank Page Muse monthly challenge, I thought it would be fun to make my first art journal page with hearts and romance-themed stamps! You too can make one and enter it in our monthly challenge!

Supplies:

Blank Page Muse Stamps: Romance Rubber Stamp Set
Removable tape to cover edge of journal (I used washi tape)
Gesso & paint brush
Distress oxide inks: Spun sugar, Picked Raspberry, Candied Apple, Fired Brick
Wide removable tape to cover center binding coils of journal (I used 3M Durapore tape)
Wax paper
Distress sprays: Worn lipstick, Festive berries, Wilted Violet, Picket Fence
Heat gun
Solvent black ink pad (I used StazOn)
Thin white paper, such as tissue, tracing, or onion (I used onion paper)
Stamping block or stamp positioner
Colored pencils - any brand - pink, green, purple, peach, sepia/gray
Heart die cuts in various sizes, colors, and paper patterns (I used 12)
Distress ink & ink applicator: Vintage photo
Collage medium, matte
White acrylic paint and small stiff brush for splattering

Instructions:

Cover the edges of the journal page that is next to the coil binding. Put wax paper behind each of the pages to protect the other pages. Use a paint brush to add a light layer of gesso.

Using a blender brush or foam applicator, apply the distress inks in the order shown.

Cover the center coils with wide tape to keep it clean when spraying inks in the next step

Put the journal in a fairly deep box so when you spray, the over-spray will be contained in the box.

Spray a light layer of the Worn Lipstick and let it dry before adding the next colors in the order shown. Make sure each color is dry before spraying the next one. Spray as much or as little as you like. You can use a heat gun to dry in between each color. After all the colors were sprayed, let mine it dry overnight. Continue to prepare the stamped images and die cuts.

Using a stamping block or stamp positioner, stamp the images with waterproof black ink on thin white tissue paper, tracing paper, or onion paper. Use a heat gun to help dry the ink and to heat set it.

Use color pencils to add color to the stamped images.

Fussy cut the colored images. Use Distress ink to distress the edges. Ink the Old Paper in the center of the image and Vintage Photo on the edges.

Cut out 12 heart shapes in various sizes, colors, and patterned paper. I used left over hearts from previous projects. Distress the edges using Vintage Photo Distress Ink.

Assemble the hearts and stamped images onto your pages until you find a layout you love. Take a picture of it before you adhere the pieces down to use as a reference.

Use collage medium to glue down your heart pieces only (do not glue the stamped images!). For hearts that will be overlapping a stamped image, do not put glue on those parts yet. Keep it glue free so it will be easier to slip the stamped image under it.

Next step is to do a little paint splattering on the page and hearts. Add a couple drops of white paint onto an acrylic block. If it's thick, add a drop or two of water to thin it. Using a paint brush, flick drops onto the hearts and all over the page.

Adhere the stamped images using collage medium. For the overlapped pieces, put some collage medium on a palette knife and slip under the heart.

I had fun making my first art journal page. When I was doing some research on how to start an art journal, it was overwhelming. There were lots of information on bullet journals, junk journals, collage art journals, sketch journals, word art journals, etc. I figured if I call mine an art journal, it can be any type of art and it can be different each time I make something. It's so fun to do! Give it a try.