2018 #3 Watercolours: Sense of Time - A Handmade Journal with ESN {by Lynne Moncrieff}

2018 Topic 3: Watercolour

I still pinch myself when we get a lovely project to share with you from Lynne Moncrieff. Her gentle muse leads her into a dreamy tone on tone patchwork of soft, ethereal papers. They could be found objects from an attic of a bygone era. Watch and delight in how she brings this journal together. It wasn't as easy as she originally envisioned, but she makes it all look like it was super easy in the end! ~Leandra

Hi, Lynne (Adorn) here and thrilled to be sharing a handmade book.

When Leandra unexpectedly extended the invitation to write a post for the Watercolour Topic I had no direction in my mind, I was in a quandary, a quandary that had me with two false starts.  Watercolours are beautiful, instantly taking me down Memory Lane, to school Art & Design classes. Those memories brought ideas of working with delicate washes in pastel, Springtime colours but it was not gelling as a project. It wasn't until I stopped forcing myself to make a decision on a project, instead, gathering a stack of various found/re-cycled papers: handmade photo album, brown packing paper, PaperArtsy packing paper and simply painting them. The result of this painting session,  a handmade book,  place for quiet, contemplative thoughts.

The beauty of watercolours, is the gentleness and serenity they bring to brown, black and dark blue and with a hint of Twinkling H20s, in particular, a delightfully muted gold, brings a gentle shimmer to the papers.  This subtlety evokes shimmering sunlight, perfect for this nature themed handmade journal.

Transforming the papers is time consuming and involves space to spread out especially as I prefer to allow the items to air dry, allowing the paint to settle, to not be disturbed by the forced heat from a heat gun.
 
The paper below was re-cycled from a PaperArtsy delivery.  I decided not to iron the paper, allowing the watercolours to pool around the creases.

Once all the papers were left to dry thoroughly, it was time to stamp and I dived right in, inking up EAB, ESN and ELB all bringing a sense of nature and thoughtfulness which I wanted to express with this handmade journal.  I actually inked up even more stamps but decided to focus on the main ones.

ESN18

ESN03

EAB01


ELB30

Partially inking up an ESN text stamp, without placing it on an acrylic block and simply stamping randomly onto the pages, removes a blank page appearance and brings further interest to the pages.  On this double page, as I did on other pages,  a torn piece of watercoloured paper stitched/adhered is another way of adding texture and interest without adding bulk which could interfere with any future journaling.

The landscape pages (of the photo album pages) were what inspired me to not simply fold the pages in half but to play around with them as their length allowed me to create staggered pages, with a wee flap here and a wee flap there!  Flaps and stitched pockets are perfection for journals, areas to secret away thoughts.

A mini diary, simply formed from a piece of the painted paper, stitched together with brown re-cycled paper to make the pages,  tucked inside a pocket and  flap on both pages.  The pockets formed from papers which were machine stitched to the journal pages. 

Watercolours bring a particular essence, a dreamy quality, a particular fluidity which heightens the handmade paper (from the photo album) that form the actual pages of the book.

Torn, stamped pieces of papers were adhered to the pages above, not so intrusive that they would inhibit journaling but enough of an accent to bring interest to the pages.

As a side note:- the book was bound by threading nettle yarn, through the two holes already punched in each page of the photo album pages and wrapping around a twig.  This not only bound the book but the yarn, twig and addition of a feather also create visual interest and sets the scene for the nature essence of the book.

Never be limited to only using watercolours with watercolour paper.  Experiment with found/re-cycled papers from around the home.  There is nothing as soothing as settling with that stack of paper and paints, transforming into beautiful papers to incorporate into your art.  If you studied Art at school, then it is possible, like myself, you were bound with rules but this is Mixed Media, it is not Fine Art, so free yourself from any constraints that are possibly embedded and enjoy the therapeutic process of allowing yourself the time to enjoy painting papers and if your artistic soul desires, take those papers a step or two further, creating a journal. 

My two tips to leave you with are 1) always take extra time to paint more papers/textiles than you will require for one project  2) use your least expensive Gesso to prepare the re-cycled papers. 

Blog: Adorn
Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/lynne.moncrieff
Instagram: StampingandBeyond
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/lynnemoncrieff/

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