Watermedia Journal Page with StencilGirl® Stencils

Guess what?! Most of my followers don’t realise that my pages are ALL created using primarily watermedia!

I use watercolour and traditional gouache primarily, but also anything water-soluble such as certain crayons, pencils, inks, and even charcoal.

For this post I want to show you an entire page (with layers) just from watercolours! Plus a bonus fabulous ‘secret’ technique!

Whilst I want to encourage you to explore watercolours with me, any paint will work for this page - simply add plenty of water for similar effects. 

Tip 1 - allow to dry completely between layers.
Tip 2 - don’t overwork the stenciling

Let’s get creating!

I’m working in my painterly junk journal so this begins as a medium-weight matte book page that already has a little paint on it (no primer/gesso).

I begin with a light watercolour wash using a pale pink tint. I leave small areas of white page exposed. (The opposite way of working with acrylics, although you can come in with white gouache if you wanted).

Re-use a plastic sleeve - add some colour to it. I’m using the same pink but more concentrated colour (less water). Squish this onto 2 or 3 areas of your page.

Here I use Travel Note Mini stencil in a very loose abstract way.

• Place stencil on gelli plate.
• Lightly spritz with water.
• Rub water soluble crayons/pencils over the stencil part (rather than the spaces). I’m using Neocolour II orange and pink
• Squish the page onto the plate in a couple of places

Take a soft graphite pencil, and using your non-dominant hand journal a thought in a scribble style.

I love geometric shapes as a contrast to my loose painting and linework. StencilGirl® Crazy Quilts Bold & Beautiful stencil is fabulous with over 6 designs in it!

Here I’m using watercolour with a barely damp brush. The effect I’m going for is recognisable shapes but a little grungy.

Now take a completely new piece of paper. I’m using 120g recycled cartridge paper. I won’t be using all of this but I’m taking the opportunity to create leaves for this page as well as future collage fodder!

Can I say how much I adore this stencil!? I love leaves and StencilGirl® Fallen Leaves has such beautiful leaf shapes with delicate veins that make for gorgeous prints.

Wet your paper (spray or brush). Place the stencil on it. Apply watercolours. Allow to dry completely. Voila! Faux eco-dyed prints!

For this page I chose two leaves, fussy-cut them out, and edged them with some distress ink. I also used StencilGirl® Dancing Lights stencil to add some of the same leaf colour in a couple of spots on the page.

I applied glue to the leaves but not all the way to the edges - this gives dimension to the page plus they look more like actual leaves.

A few paint splatters and all done!

I hope you enjoyed following along and are inspired to try watermedia! You know that was FOUR paint layers, right? 

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Bonus page!

I only ever create one page at a time (although several journals!) but I thought I would do the second one to show you a complete look.

I like to contrast - usually a very different opposing page but occasionally one that ties in. During the previous page I applied some of the leftover paint onto this second page so this time they tie together.

I completed it using a strong geometric pattern from the previous stencil using the same distress ink on the leaf edges, and added some pen journaling. Super quick yet satisfying.

I hope I’ve shown how a spread needn’t be complicated to be satisfying.

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And here’s bonus photo - that faux eco-dye look with the marvelous leaf stencil in a different project.

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Hi, I go by Autumn Moon online and my first name really is Autumn. I refer to myself as an Arting Enabler because I love to inspire others to have a go by showing them beauty that stems from simplicity of supplies or technique.

13 years ago I coined the term ‘arting’. I adore beautiful results but the magic of journals is the doing, the showing up, the process!

My background is psychology and I profoundly believe that arting heals. I also have a degree in Fine Arts beginning with photography then large canvas abstract paintings, but I found my creative home in journals.

I’d love for you to visit me over on my Instagram @autumn_moon_art