"Australiana" Inspired Art Journal Page

I have an obsession with ephemera again! I go through phases where I use it on everything and then I get sick of it and want a clean look so I put it away for another day.

Well that other day has arrived! It's back out and the collection is growing AGAIN!

I do think half the fun of using ephemera is the act of gathering it. I love to stop at little antique and second hand shops and spend time browsing through the many layers of fine dust covered papers!

So this little art journal page was born out of the love of this picture that I found in one of the books I had purchased recently.

I had a bit of a play with layers and combined mediums (must get me some more things to experiment with). I'm absolutely in love with my carbon disc at the moment. I love the chalky mark it makes on the paper but that it is also so water soluble! 

I am also very addicted to writing on my art journal pages. Some of it you can read, some of it you can't. This page has the words to "Waltzing Matilda" and the first line to the poem "Sun burnt Country". Very Australian in my eyes!

I don't mind that it's messy and I love the unpredictability of the mark making. I have learnt to embrace whatever appears from my actions and trusting that in the end it will all work out fine!

It hasn't really let me down yet. If I don't like something, I cover it up. If it's too black, I make it more white and vice versa. I don't get too hung up on if it doesn't work well because you can always change it .... or ..... worse case scenario .... start again.

I am going to try this out on a canvas too. I like to transfer my ideas from my art journal onto a canvas, I find that having a little trial run to begin with helps build my confidence.

I hope I've given you some ideas and confidence to try this crazy carefree method of creating.

Until next time xx