Welcome to International Fake Journal Month 2013!

What is IFJM?
Please read the page "What Is IFJM" for details.
Learn the difference between Faux, Fake, and Fake Historical Journals.

2019 IFJM Celebration
IFJM has been suspended indefinitely. Please read the pinned post about this below.

Participants who Post Their Journals
A list of 2018 participants who are posting their fake journals this year will appear near the top of the right side bar of this blog around April 6. Lists of participants who posted their pages in 2010 through 2017 appear lower in the same column. Please pay them a visit and check out their fake journals.

View a Couple of Roz's Past Fake Journals
Roz's 2009 fake journal takes place in an alternate Twin Cites, where disease has killed the human and bird populations. (It ends up being an upbeat tale of friendship.) Watch a video flip through of Roz's 2009 fake journal here.

Read an explanation of Roz's insanely complex 2011 fake journal.

Tips on Keeping a Fake Journal
Click on "tips" in the category cloud.

Remember, "Life's so short, why live only one?"


Monday, April 22, 2013

Tools and Materials Roz Used for Creating Backgrounds and Layering Effects in Her 2013 Fake Journal

Above: Brushes used in my 2013 Journal include, on the far left, Stencil Brushes, Foam Brushes, and rubber-tipped paint tools. Click on the image to view an enlargement.

NOTE: Same thoughts about acquisition of supplies I opened yesterday's post with applies today. I am writing about these products for informational purposes and do not believe that any of them are essential in any way for successful visual journaling. Read my previous note on my philosophy at the link.

My 2013 journal is filled with lots and lots of layers. It's pretty much "encrusted." To accomplish this I used several media and tools.

Above: Some of the sheets I printed using the Gelli Arts Printing Plate. I even printed over sketches (bottom right). Click on the image to view an enlargement.

First I used a Gelli Arts Printing Plate to print on mulberry paper (often colored sheets) or on the pages of the journal directly.

I think most of my friends would probably suggest that the Gelli Arts Printing Plate was responsible for all the chaos that ensued!

In March I was visiting a friend who'd just had foot surgery. She'd been watching videos about the plate on YouTube (go to YouTube and keyword search, you'll find a ton of stuff). As anyone who has ever made a gelatin plate can tell you it often doesn't turn out as you would hope and the resultant plate is fragile. And it degrades. So as soon as I saw this product I knew I wanted to try it and when we couldn't find one in town (we called everywhere) I ordered one online and had it in a couple days. At which point I started printing. I had already realized the paper in my selected journal wouldn't be suitable for the mixed media work that I wanted to do so collaging these papers over the pages would be a great solution. Also printing directly on the journal pages created an acrylic paint layer that "beefed" up the paper, or rather stopped the absorbency of it.

Above: Following recommendations on the internet from people already using the Gelli Arts Printing Plate I selected an inexpensive craft acrylic paint—Americana. I found this paint to yield excellent results with the plate. I wasn't worried about archival qualities because my character wasn't. Click on the image to view an enlargement.

I have friends who have used various tube acrylics, but this is the only product I've used with my plate. I will leave it to others to inform you as to their results. (Note: In October 2013 Briana Goetzen will be speaking at the MCBA Visual Journal Collective about her use of the Gelli Arts Printing Plate. I encourage you to attend the meeting—which is free and open to all adult journal keepers. We'll have a couple plates and some other supplies on hand so that you can give it a try for yourself.)

Above: Stencils of all types were used. Click on the image to view an enlargement.

I've used stencils in my real journal in the past, but because I was going to use the Gelli Arts Printing Plate I purchased a couple new stencils and got out ALL my old stencils—everything from pre-cut templates to tag board letters. Besides using these stencils in the printing process (again, any video on the Gelli Arts Printing Plate will show you various ways to use stencils with it) I also used them to add additional layers and color to my page spreads with rubberstamp ink, but that's a post for later.

Using the above items and also an 8-inch wide brayer I made the base backgrounds for my journal pages.

2 comments:

tgarrett said...

Roz- I love my Gelli plates- I have 2 sizes and lust after the really big one at 12 x 14. Golden open acrylics are so good with the plates- they don't dry as fast.

Roz Stendahl said...

Terry I just have the 8 x 10 inch one. In general I'm not big on printing in this way, and I'd have to do a lot more experimentation. I understand that the 12 x 14 is so much more "stuff" that it has to be more expensive, and that's a good thing or I'm sure I'd have purchased one.

Thank you for the great tip about the Golden Open Acrylics. I have a friend who's using regular Golden Acrylics and a retarder. Both the Open and the retarder smell too much for me to allow printing with them except during OPEN AIR TIME (i.e., when the studio windows can be open) which today looks as if it is never going to happen. (I can't even imagine what it's like up in your neck of the woods right now—though before the last snow storm I did manage 3 days out on the bike!)

What are you doing with the prints? Send me some images. I want to see. Any chance you could get down for the October meeting?

Hope all is well.