Smash Art Book

As promised I am now showing some of my pages from my Smash Art book. I have been working in this book in between my Folk art Painting. I find it more creative as I paint what I feel, and it also gives me samples and ideas to look back on. Sometime a simple idea can lead to a folk art design.

Smash books are a way for everyone, even if you have no experience in this type of craft or art, you can still use it to express how you are feeling at the time, it does not have to be painted, craft items are often included into smash books. Some books or pages can be very personal to the person creating them and may never be shown, a form of therapy, If you use acid free products you could also use it as a photo album or journal,  there are plenty of other examples of how to video's on the internet to help you get started.

I started with a basic art book from the local VH dollar shop, cost was $5.50. Taking a piece of watercolour paper (140g) slightly smaller than the front cover, (which is plastic by the way). I taped down the paper to a board while I worked on the pattern. Using a permanent black texture pen (also from the dollar shop) I drew in the horizontal wavy  lines and did a bit of doodling between them, the bottom half I used a stencil and drew through the holes in the stencil, moving it around as I worked. Then I coloured it with water colours, let it dry and glued it to the plastic cover with PVA glue. Make sure that the edges are stuck down.

These two postcards are from a lady  I bought a purse from on Etsy, Bo, sent me these as a little surprise in my parcel. I was not sure what to do with them, as I really liked them I decided to add them to my smash book, with a bit of watercolour, doodling and some writing, it did not need anything else. This is where it can start to get personal and I like the way it is proceeding, either arty or as a visual diary. Smash books are about layering, but I like things more simple, cleaner looking, I enjoy that. How you journal is up to you!

This one is more about layering, as full as a garden can get, it was inspired by the two spiritual cards, I had for ages, with a little bit of layering using stamps, splattering, stenciling and some painting this page emerged. 

Work is ongoing and I intend to keep going with this type of work as well as with Folk Art.

Next Sunday I am attending a workshop with the Mountains and Rivers, looking forward to that and I have a teacher that I have not worked with before so it should be fun! Photo's later. Enjoy!