Paint & Craft Techniques

Let's begin by gathering basic painting supplies.  

Basic art journal supplies:
1.    Gesso: What is gesso?  Gesso is the primer that helps your paint stick to the paper or fabric (or other) surface, and also keeps the paint from soaking into your journal page. Gesso can also add body or strength to the paper, so that you can apply heavier elements such as layers of collage.  Remember that gesso is entirely optional. In fact, most people don't use it at all. I use any gesso that's cheap, from the fine art supplies section of Michael's or any art supply store. (use your weekly coupons).  Gesso makes the paper stronger, so it doesn't suck up the glue or paint so much, and it has "tooth" to grab whatever I apply to it.  Buy a large container for economy and keep small plastic containers filled for daily use so that you don’t contaminate or dry out the large container. 
 
2.    Medium: mediums thicken or thin paints without harming their adhesive, binding, or film-forming qualities, and allow artists to achieve myriad effects such as increased flow and rapid or slow drying. They also have been proven to guard against yellowing and cracking over the course of many generations. They can make your paint translucent and can act as a glue! 

3.    Oil Pastels:  These remarkable crayons are better than crayola crayons!  They are soft and creamy, easily smudged.  Use as the last step on a page to highlight by simple techniques like dry blending into true secondary colors, and wet blending into watercolor techniques. My favorite brand is  Portfolio Oil Pastels. 
 
4.    Acrylic Liquid paint:  I love inexpensive acrylic paints, they dry very quickly, can be thinned with water or medium, wide variety of colors available and easily found. My paint rack inspires me to combine colors and play! 
 
5.    Paint Brushes:  I use mostly one style- a flat brush.  Get them at your LCS with a coupon!

6.    Paint trays: the smaller the better to conserve paint, or use disposable paper plates.

7.    Paper: the heavier the paper the better!  Paper is sold by the lb weight- for acrylic painting you need a minimum of 65lb paper. You can use a wire bound book (minimum 65lb paper), or individual pages that you will bind together later. Check out your local scrapbook supply stores, or the big chains for books to use. I love the wire bound books, they are easy to use and scan. Wal-Mart has a good one for $6.88 in the scrapbook section. (you will have to use gesso on the pages to make them sturdier, but a good starter book)

8.    Ink- StazOn ink is permanent and comes in a variety of colors. You can order online or from your LCS.

Nice to have items:
1.    Adirondack Color Wash Spray: Tim Holtz created these and they are fun and inspiring to play with.
 
2.    Ranger Stickles glitter glue:  a variety of colors and styles 

How do you start a faithart journal?
My advice is to let go of the censor in your head that says, you are not artistic, you can’t draw, you don’t know what you are doing, etc. If you started with an easy topic- a song perhaps, or a bible truth, that usually flows to the page easily. What color is that song? What color is the truth, is it a bright happy color, or a dark color symbolizing death, or fear or anger.

Journaling a page or two
If you have no idea how to do this, I highly recommend "The Creative Call" by Janice Elsheimer as a resource. In her preface, Janice tells how the book came about…. “she and others wanted to focus on practicing one’s art in order to discover a deeper relationship with God.” I love spending time with Jesus doing my bible study by creating art of what I am learning from him. If I don’t doodle, or create I feel lost and disconnected from HIM. Try doodling your prayers, picturing what the bible application looks like to you in a notebook. Nothing fancy at first. Once you experience the intimacy with Jesus, I think you will want to take it to the next level and get a special journal and continue with this new way to worship God!

Creating a personal faithart journal
If you want to continue, then the next step to purchase a journal and prepare the pages in advance.  I love the wire bound books, they are easy to use and scan. Wal-Mart has a good one for $6.88 in the scrapbook section (you will have to use gesso on the pages to make them sturdier, but a good starter book).  

Acrylic painting
Try using a moist brush, with a little paint, if you have applied texture to your gesso, the paint will be darker in spots and lighter naturally. Use a paper towel in your other hand, as you apply the paint to wipe away, for the most beautiful effects.
 

Stamping, journaling, stickers, etc
Sometimes I draw, sometimes I use stickers, sometimes I stamp an image or words. This next step in the process is where and God and I meet and hopefully he is speaking to my heart and hand! When I first started journaling, it was hard to not feel inadequate and crazy to think I could create art! Over time, God has given me wonderful pictures in my head and works my hands and gives me persistence and perseverance to keep at it and create what he puts on my heart!

If you keep at it and ask God for directions, you

will be amazed at what HE will speak to your heart

that will be translated to your faithart journal page!