For this week’s art journaling post another step by step . This time I’m journaling in the JOT Bible Life-Notes. This is a journal that is constructed like a Bible with space for you to make notes on every verse of the Bible and a couple extra pages for notes for each book of the Bible. It has lots of large blank pages to do your artwork on. To find out more about this journal you can read Randy’s JOT Bible Life-Notes Review. I will also have a various art mediums post up in a couple of weeks to show how well other art supplies work with this paper.
I chose Isaiah 9:6 because it’s a favorite verse. I love what all it says about “the child that was born”, Jesus. I’ve been wanting to do it with different lettering styles for each title. The JOT’s blank pages are large enough to use my stencils for part of them.
I was sorting my craft supplies while waiting for my second coat of gesso to dry and my son’s cat Crazy (I know Crazy is an odd name for a cat but it fits her very well) decided to “help”. I picked a couple of different stencils, two stamps from the Illustrated Faith Names of God set (this set seems made for Isaiah 9:6), and a couple of calligraphy pens for this project. I used a scratch piece of paper to help me figure out spacing and practice a couple of the words.
I started in the journal with gesso and then pearlescent watercolors for the background, a blue-green around the edges and white in the center. The paper crinkled noticeably but seems to be smoothing out a little while the Bible is stored closed. A reader recommend using a heat gun to dry the pages while holding them taut to cut down on the crinkling. I don’t have a heat gun yet but I think I’ll try it using my hair dryer and see if that helps at all.
I’ve usually run into fewer spacing issues if I work from the bottom up so I stamped “Prince of Peace” near the bottom.
A problem become obvious while I was stenciling in “everlasting Father”. The ink wasn’t drying. I’m not sure if was because it was humid, that the pearlescent watercolors kept the ink from soaking in, because it was pigment ink, or some combination there of. I’m going to run a few experiments and try to figure out the problem. This is a good reason to work from the top down like a normal person though. I wet the ink that had smeared a little with a paintbrush and tried to blend it in to the background. I kept going using the stencils and my pens trying to be careful where I set my hand. I used the uninked “wonderful” stamp set down on the page to make sure I was leaving the proper space as I worked upward. Edit 7/26/16 The reason this messed up was I was using dye inks. You can use dye inks or watercolors but not the two together. Both are reactivated every time they come in contact with moisture (even possibly damp air or your sweaty skin if they haven’t dried completely) A heat gun would have helped a little but it’s best to use archival ink with watercolor.
I decided to ink in the stenciled letters before doing the second stamp (the less stamp ink on the page for me to smear the better) and put a scrap piece of paper down to keep from dragging my hand through the semi-damp ink.
It still needed a little something after I was done with the lettering (and stamping). I found these little tiny cross stickers in my box that looked kind of like stars and added a few swirls.
And here is the finished project. It’s similar to the Psalm 5:2 I did about a month back. The ink did dry completely (eventually) but I never did get rid of all the smears. I’m still fairly pleased with the finished project. That’s part of the beauty of art journaling. It doesn’t have to be perfect. I want to try this verse again once I’ve learned a wider variety of hand lettering styles and not keep the words in such straight even lines.
If you want to know exactly what products I used for these pictures: (the clickable ones are mainly affiliate links)
JOT Bible Life-Notes
Illustrated Faith Journaling Bible Mat
Prima Marketing Art Basics Gesso, 8.5-Ounce, Clear
Sticko Classic Inspiration Words Crosses Stickers
Illustrated Faith Basics Stamps – Names Of God
Stampibilities Mini Ink Pads – Set of 12
Apple Pie Memories Stamp Blocks – 3PK
Show-Offs 1/2″ Upper and Lower Case Alphabet Stencil – Simple Script
Show-Offs 1/2″ Upper and Lower Case Alphabet Stencil – Dot
(The “Show-Offs” are Hobby Lobby’s brand but you could probaly find something similar at a different craft store)
hampton art Calligraphy Marker – Black and Blue (I think I got mine at Walmart)
CaseMate Metallic Marker – Gold
LolliZ Gel Pens 48 Gel Pen Tray Set
Sticko Classic Inspiration Words Crosses Stickers
What do you think of the JOT? Are heat guns a lot better than hair dryers? Do you know what went wrong with the ink? Do you usually work top down, bottom up, or skip around? Do you have a favorite book, video, etc. that taught you some style of hand lettering? Is there a verse you’ve journaled that you have plans to do again? Please let us know in the comments.
Thank you Lucinda. It is always a treat to see what you and Randy add to your site. It is never common and it is always illuminating. I am learning a lot from your post. Love to all.
Thanks, we appreciate the kind and encouraging words.