Carol Ponsford: Let's have some fun in our journal!

Hello creatives, Carol Ponsford on the blog today to share a journal page I created using 

Pam Carriker's "Create Face" #S646 and an alphabet section of #L60 stencil.

 I used several other stencils for the background which I will have listed at the bottom of this post.

To start I spread a layer of Dina Wakley Media White Gesso on the journal page with 

an old gift card. After the gesso is completely dry, I used my fingers to loosely 

spread and blend a variety of PaperArtsy Fresco acrylic paint colors all over the page except 

where I planned to put my focal point on the page. (for this page it was in the bottom left)

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Next (while the paint is still damp), I laid a stencil on top of the paint and using a baby wipe,

I rubbed through the stencil to remove the paint and leave the stencil pattern on the page.

I then started layering some paint on top of the page by dabbing paint through a 

different stencil. I repeat this process using several paint colors with an assortment 

of stencils. Once I had the look I wanted I set this aside to dry. 

Then I went back into areas with some white gesso and lightly covered some of the areas

 (as shown below), I added an additional layer of color in some areas. This process of 

layering creates a great deal of depth that I like because I feel it gives more interest to the page.

I also used the edge of the gift card to add some vertical lines by dipping the 

edge in some paint and lightly placing it on the page and swiping it downward. I let 

this dry before going back to do some stenciling as a top layer as shown below.

To add the face I first lightly outlined where I wanted her hair to go since I 

wanted it to go beyond the edge of the stencil. I laid the stencil 

down and sponged the reddish paint for the hair and lips of the girl.

I then took the black paint and sponged the eyes, nose, and neck areas. I wasn't sure if

I wanted to have the diamond on both eyes or just one so on a separate piece of scrap paper

I sponged on the eyes and took a black Posca marker and drew the diamonds 

around them as shown in the picture below. I auditioned one, then both on the face to see how 

I wanted to finish the face then proceeded to add the diamond on the left eye only.

I also added some additional width to the neckline because it looked a little wonky, 

so I just continued the black lines as far to the left as needed to be in proportion.

I used a Micron pen to trace the letters from the alphabet stencil to say 

"Send in the clowns" and then filled them in with a black Posca marker. I 

ended up using a fine white pen to add highlights to the lettering.

To finish off the page I took an empty tape roll and dipped it into black 

paint and added some rings around the page. I also took a black Posca marker to 

outline the hair and face and sketched some lines around the edge of the page.

Here is a list of all of the stencils and PaperArtsy colors I used on this page:

Stencils                                                                     PaperArtsy Paint

S646 - Create Face                                              Snowflake                         Blueberry

S003 - Repeating Fleur de Lys                            Little Black Dress             Blew

M160 - Organic Roots #1                                    Zesty Zing                        Wisteria

M031 - Journal Texture #6                                  Slimed                               Electric Violet

L651 - ATC Mixup                                              Green Patina                     Cerise

L601 - Alphabet                                                   Smurf                                Scottish Salmon 

Jan 2022 StencilClub Pattern Party                      Peach Nectar                     Cherry Red

Thank you so much for joining me today on the blog. I hope you 

will find some of the techniques I shared helpful to jump start work 

in your journal or artwork. Until next time, happy creating!

To see more of my work please visit my Instagram page.