Thursday, January 3, 2013

Art Journal Page: Words Behind a Brick Wall


 While I was making today's art journal page, I actually remembered to keep a camera by me so I could snap a few pictures of the page in progress as I went. I enjoy my own blog posts better when I have pics of the stages of a page, so I'm assuming it works that way for readers as well.

Here goes. 

I started, as usual, with some diary writing on a blank page. This began sedately enough but quickly devolved into the pen and paper equivalent of incoherent scribbly screeching. The page actually looks pretty psychotic at this point, but it's all good.



 I colored over it with a couple of my daughter's Crayolas.



Then I drew a rough brick background with a sharpie, painted over it with some very thinned down acrylic cream colored paint,  and added a layer of journaling in pencil.


And here are a couple of the finished page, embellished with more paint, some words, and paper motifs.






 It says, "Words behind a brick wall add character and mystique." I was kind of thinking about that as I worked the page, obscuring my journaling, "walling" it in, in effect. I thought about how much is made in these days of the virtues of authenticity, being real, letting down walls, emotional intimacy, and etc. These are each cliches in their own right. And in all seriousness, I do believe we are the better off for being capable of emotional intimacy. Still. . .  I retain an appreciative regard for secrets, the enigmatic, the elusive quality of silences colored with unspoken words, the mystery of the half told tale.

In Shadowlands, one of my favorite movies, Anthony Hopkins' character says (and I'm quoting sketchily from memory here):

"Why do you look at me like that?"
"Like what?" (Debra Winger's character)
"As though I were lying to you. I mean what I say."
"I know you mean what you say Jack, but you never say it all, now do you?"
"Well, one can't say it all. It would take too much time."

I just love that scene, probably partly because it's so well acted.  But it's true. One can't say it all. Sometimes because it would take too much time, most often because of all we lose in translation.

End of introspective musings for the day.

Hope everyone's year is off to a good start! :)

Linking to Paint Party Friday and Art Journal Every Day.

15 comments:

  1. This is wonderful, love the layers. Happy PPF!

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  2. Loving your ideas behind the finished page. Happy PPF, Annette x

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  3. There is so much energy behind the cool, orderly design of this page. I love knowing that contrast is there.

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  4. thank you for sharing that bit from Shadowlands, so perfect for today.

    fun to see how you made this piece, it is wonderful and looks like fun.

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  5. Love how you can 'get it all out' and then still keep it all 'in'.... happy ppf !

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  6. This is a great way to get it all out there and still retain a sense of privacy. Some things are just personal and don't need to be shared with the whole world because the whole world wouldn't get it, anyway.

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  7. love this page and your post... Shadowlands is a great movie and I remembered that scene immediately... nice connection to what you have shown us... loved the step by step as well...xx

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  8. I never seen Shadowlands, may have to expore that. Happy New Year and I love your journal page and the steps you took. Great job. Thanks.

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  9. What great marks and layers!
    ♥♥♥
    Happy PPF!!
    Mary
    Mixed-Media Map Art

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  10. And sometimes we can't say it all because no one would understand. . . . . we each have our own perspective and that makes all the difference. What a great journal page. . . it explains more than anything ever. . .thank you for that. Blessings, Janet PPF

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  11. I always love the step by step. It is so fun to see how an artist puts her artwork together from concept to finished. Lovely page. Happy PPF

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  12. I do appreciate step by steps -I would never have guessed what you'd done to get the brick wall.Really wonderfully layered and finished. Happy PPF!

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  13. I am a big believer in hiding the words behind brick walls. If the words are nothing special, it adds depth and meaning, and if they are not very nice, no one ever has to know.

    Nice to see how this went fro chaotic scribbling to something meaningful and lovely.

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  14. Journal books are for exploring.. have fun with it. HPPF

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  15. I really love the idea of bricking that wall and keeping the words private. Very cool. And fun peeking at your blog and reading about your littles. Happy Parenting!

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