Visionary Night

Welcome to part three of the tutorial!  Today, I'm going to show you ways to finish your journal page.  There are lots of techniques you can use in your journal, and I'll be sure to show you some others in the future.  Right now, we're going to focus on how I completed this art journal spread.  I really enjoyed bringing my ancestor to life in my journal.  I hope you do too.  It feels like a great tribute to one's heritage. »Waning Crescent Moon, The Steps: ***Materials and Substitutions:  You'll need a paintbrush, palette knife or old credit card in addition to a black Stabilo Marks All pencil, a Faber-Castell Pitt marker in warm grey 4, a white Prismacolor Premier colored pencil, and matte gel medium mixed with Liquid Pearls in silver pearl.  If you don't have a black Stabilo pencil, then use a black marker instead of the grey Pitt marker. Faber-Castell Pitt marker substitutes: any black or grey permanent marker, black paint, black colored pencil

This art journal spread is taking longer than I expected.  Today, I'll show you how to paint the skin and eyes of the focal image.  In part three, I'll show you a fun way to add texture to the hair, how to add glazes to the background, and how to add interesting finishing touches to your spread. Drawing the Facial Features: I used a black Stabilo Marks All pencil to draw the face and redefine the hairline in some areas.  I wanted to make sure that the drawing would show up in the picture.  Normally, I would have used my delft blue Cretacolor Aqua Monolith watercolor pencil, since it blends in well with the colors I use for shading.  I would suggest using a watercolor pencil if you have it, but use whatever you have.  When I draw, I don't use a lot of guidelines.  I divide the face in half vertically and horizontally.  Other than that, I draw the features where they look good to me.  You can use my drawing as a guide to draw your own focal image if you're new to

According to archaeoastronomy, today is the actual crossquarter day for Samhain.  I originally didn't plan to do a journaling project for Samhain this year, since I already posted the tutorials about customizing a journal.  I was so inspired by the experience I had when I did the  Gathering of Ancestors visualization  that I had to art journal about it.  Since I art journal, the tutorial below will be about what I did to create the background and start the focal on my art journal page in my Moleskine sketchbook.  I will include suggestions for other types of journaling towards the bottom of this post.  As always, these are meant to inspire your creativity.  You don't have to do exactly what I did.  You can do your own thing. Background steps: 1. Using a watercolor pencil, Stabilo Marks All, or other water soluble media that is lighter than the colors you want to use for the base layer of your background, write out the message you received from your ancestor during the 

Something that really resonates for me this time of year is honoring the ancestors, whether they're related by blood or they're your spiritual ancestors.  I created this visualization as a way to access your ancestral wisdom. Preparation: I would suggest that you record yourself reading this visualization and if you're really good with technology, you can superimpose the recording of this visualization over some shamanic drumming.  I usually just close my eyes and allow the words to paint a picture in my mind.  Although, I've had a lot of practice putting myself in trance states, so it's fairly easy for me.  Do whatever you feel most comfortable with.  Prior to starting the visualization, sit or lay down and take slow deep breaths until you're relaxed, grounded and centered. The visualization: You're standing in the center of a crossroads, four paths lay at your feet, but they are obscured by mist.  The mist parts in the East, revealing a road ascendin