Spread 219 – “How Brian Got His Groove Back”
January 15, 2017
6.5″ X 8” altered book
Altered book, vintage and personal papers and images, matte gel, black gesso, Nova Color paints, PaperArtsy paints.
This spread is from an altered book class with Orly Avineri. I notice it takes a while to get my groove back when I have not been art journaling for a while. This spread and Spread 218 were created on the second day of class, I felt more myself and more into it.
The funny part for me was after I brought my journal home and a friend looked at my two spreads and said “Wow! Brian was in a dark place there!” Actually not I felt really good creating them. I think it was the use of black in both spreads, I used to think of black and certain colors as “bad or dark” not any longer, color is color. I actually love black.
It also took me a bit to get into altering a book. My choice was not the greatest, the pages were thin and I realized the choice of a book was very important. Get out there and create!
Love seeing this Brian. So so glad you are getting your groove back. This spread is powerful.
Thank you so much Terry!! High praise from the King of “pot stirring” on the Stand. You know I am joking! 😉 I love you!!!!
I love the black and the mood it creates. It’s such an evocative color and you’ve used it so well to help illustrate the breakthrough of the other elements as you’re getting your groove back. Thanks for sharing and starting back in journaling. I’m interested to understand any differences you see or feel between art journaling in a blank journal versus an altered book.
Beau, thank you! Working in an altered book is different, I layer a LOT on a spread. I find I work best with thick pages. What I did with these last two spreads is I glued pages together to make them thicker so so they can take a the beating I give them in journaling. I layer papers, paint, sand like crazy, I give a spread beating. So my suggestion is if you are going to use and altered book make SURE you have thick pages in your book or glue pages together – I used matte gel to glue them together.
Brian’s got his groove back ….. LOVE THAT GROOVE and LOVE YOU, BRIAN. Working with black is great fun. I don’t think of it as dark, forboding, negative, etc either. It can be fun and open up space for me. In fack I’m going into my studio soon to use some black gesso. Thanks to young Orly I learned about black gesso. Miss you!
Beautiful work Brian! I always enjoy your compositions.
I agree black is not in of itself dark or gloomy, but rather, in my opinion, powerful.
I so look forward to your posts.
Well, welcome back into the groove. Just so strong! I love bold and you have it here! 🙂