creative lenna

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An altered book page

HOW I STARTED . . .

I have continued slowly but surely to follow the lessons in the online workshop Novel Approach all year long! And it's a good thing this workshop was offered as work at your own pace, because that's what I have been doing! I believe I have 2 more lessons to move through for a total of 22 completed, wow! I feel good about this, because I have learned a lot and worked on many different pages in 2 hardcover books and been inspired creatively. I am hoping to finish up the last 2 lessons before the new companion workshop - Groovy Grunge - comes out!

The spread of pages I did here were inspired from doing the lessons in Novel Approach. For this particular spread I went off on a tangent. Since I was not following any particular lesson, I thought it would be fine to share some photos here. For the actual lessons you need join the workshop and it's worth the small cost. There are many step-by-step videos, a group to discuss your work with and detailed written instruction are included. Go here to find out more!  

I started working on this page spread because when looking through one of the books I've been using for this workshop, I came across some unfinished pages. Months ago, I had taken leftover paint, spread it on the pages of this science book and run a texturing comb through the paint - see above photo. I had also sprinkled Gold Pigment powder on the wet paint and left it to dry. I could have simply let this spread stand as it was, but after working on a lesson yesterday, I was inspired to do more. My first idea here was to add more paint! See below - I used a brush and my fingers to spread and blend the new paint around the combed, textured paint that was already there. I did not cover up the entire page, but most of it. I enjoyed choosing complimentary paint and blending it with my fingers. I looked at it at this point and asked myself, "Is it done?" . . . NO! It needs something more. 

MORE PAINT ADDED  

TISSUE PAPER and Stamping

I decided my pages needed a bit of tissue paper, something light and almost see through to go over the painted areas. And then of course, I had to add some rubber stamping! 

 

I got happier about this set of pages as I collaged paper on top of the paint and added things. It was the right choice to add more. I also enjoyed working in my altered book first thing in the morning! No email or Facebook checking prior, just a cup of coffee which got drunk very slowly because I was so busy! I am noting this and paying attention to it. Many thanks to Tammy Garcia of Daisy Yellow art for your Workshops and your inspiration. I am so grateful!! The full finished spread is below.

part of a dictionary page

What do you think? I believe as Tammy states below . . . that it is more about how this made me feel to create this set of pages than what it looks like :) It's fun if you like how it looks, but it's more about what making it feels like . . . I feel GOOD!!