Kids in Creek ~ Playful Journal Page Demo

The was a fun assignment I gave myself. So, of course, I chose one of my favorite and most playful images. This happy image came from a combining of several photos from children playing in the Ashland Lithia Park Creek. I was doing a purely demo class, illustrating some of the techniques we'd be using at my upcoming Women's Journaling Alpine Retreat, hoping to entice anyone interested.

To prepare for the class, I did start early. I applied some "Light Molding Paste", a medium by Golden to add dimension to the upper green leaves (see the dimension in this angled photo?). With this product you can build up absorbant layers. I've never used more than one layer, since I'm primarily working in my journal, but it is fun, flexible and dries spongy yet, holds shapes. I tried to replicate some leaf-like textures in the upper left and top of the image.

I'd created the stamp earlier too, thinking "what would the children be playing with?". I loved the simplicity of the toy boat and specifically selected colors of joy and colors that would unite the entire double-page spread of my open journal. I did apply the stamps very last to my page, when I could see where my text ended and how much visual space I had.

When class finally conviened, I worked from the large blown up image, so the class could see from what I was working. First, I establish the whites, with my wax crayons, that are to be solid or rather scumbled in effect for the water reflections and some on the highlights of rocks. Next, I work in strong yellows to add glow behind the leaves and the brilliant colors of the clothing. While some of the yellow is still moist, I begin dropping in leaf colors in that Molding Paste area. Only when the yellow is dry do I glaze in delicate transparent layers of orange and pink of the children's outfits. And thirdly, I work up the water, it's reflections (cuz I already have those greens on my palette), rock detail and lastly, the final touchs to the wee-ones playing.

I loved the effect of everything together, feeling it absolutely represented the spirit I felt when I was watching those silly kids parade and play in the creek, coupled with the outrageousness of my Elinor page (see previous post). What you think?