From Diary to Art Journal: Creating Veils of Memory with Gel Resist on Rice Paper

Hi everyone, Isa Dor here! I’m so excited to be with you on the StencilGirl® Talk blog today.

Do you keep a journal? I do—in fact, I have dozens of them throughout my house!
But how often do you reread them?

For me, it used to be often but not anymore. Usually, when I write in a journal, it’s to vent about something frustrating or painful in my life, so reading over those words doesn’t usually cheer me up!

That’s why I decided to transform one of my journals into an art journal that brings me joy, creating transparent rice paper collage layers with a gel resist technique.

Let me show you how it's done!

StencilGirl® Stencils used:

Runes 6’’x6’’
Picasso’s Words 6’’x6’’
Rock Wall Large 9’’x12’’
MB Makes Marks 4-Up 6’’x6’’
Abstract Composition Backbones Mask 1 6’’x6’’
Rooted in Nature Small Monarch 6’’x6’’
Half Moon Slant Stencil 6’’x6’’
Tropical Floral 9’’x12’’
Soulful Scribbles Dots Dash 9’’x12’’

Other Supplies:

Old diary or any printed/handwritten paper, size A5 (5,8’’ x 8,3’’)

Clear Tar Gel from GOLDEN
Gloss Medium from GOLDEN
Rice paper or tissue paper
Copy paper
Graphite pencil
Scissors
Waterproof black pens: Uni Pin Fineliner 0,2 - Faber Castell Pitt Pen Brushpen
Acrylic paint white marker: Uni Posca 3M
Golden Fluid Acrylics: Quinacridone Magenta, Green Gold, Indian Yellow, Iridescent Gold Fine, Turquoise Phtalo, Nickel Azo Gold, Benzimidazolone Yellow Med.
Flat brush for gluing
Flat brush for painting
Palette knife
Palette paper
Paper towel
Water 

Be sure to try this gel resist technique on your old journals—you’ll be amazed at how it transforms their look, and your journaling experience!

Have fun and don’t hesitate to share your work on Instagram by tagging me @isador_artist, I’d love to see what you were inspired to make!

Isa Dor