D&V Journal Swap

Donna Louise Rodgers here:

I've been journalling (just for the agreed one hour, but then didn't mail the package, picked them up again, got interested,  and did another set of work etc) on our journals, somehow we have managed to swap both journals at the same time, so I have both at the moment, when I do stop messing about and post them back I have no idea if or when I will get one or both back....

but it works for Me & Virginia -

we are sooo chilled we seem to forget little things like rules!

It is relaxing and refreshing to work on Art Journalling on a basis of Trust and Friendship.  It is nice to just hang loose, there are so many other aspects of both our lives where there is no choice but to follow tight guidelines and deadlines, and satisfy the buyer/customer/boss. So this approach adds balance to the rest of our commitments.

I personally choose to believe that it is because of the Big Love created in the relatioship of freedom and relaxation that the journals have the character they now show.

 Here is the progression of a page in V's (which just has pages and pages of magic in it now)  and then a bit I did in mine (which is really developing into a 3D sculptural shape and texture).   Each entry and each page is contributing to the whole shape, I love standing it on a surface, and watching what happens = no - one can resist touching it and poring over the contents... some have been known to add to it which gives me huge satisfaction that they feel safe to do so without asking.

It all started back in April - and my book has a diary entry for each exchange...

V's blue and beige pages looked bare and not very well integrated so I picked them out for some attention

 I pulled out a freebie Carte Postale I pick up in the french autoroute Cafe stops

I cut between layers so we don't get a 'plonked on top' layering

 she's no angel, but butter would not melt eh?

 see the neck lines and head directions and 'attitude'? on both pages - mirroring - elegance.....Dior

I try to multiply the shapes to please the eye and help interest travel over all areas  especially at the edges so that unlike a picture, a journal will encourage movement into the book as well as across the page....

 integrate images by repeat design that fits the theme and colour schemes ( hardest bit as the two colours on each page do not really work together), so using the  left hand colour to pull the eyes of the viewer to right page might be the best choice using the music sheet as the co-coordinated shape?

 opposite colour swaps but same shapes

 my page in my journal - about 200 layers of watercolour!!!!! and i have one background.....

 my favorite two page spread at the moment that V did for me last round, it really is that vibrant and very tactile

 also I went mad with some home made washi tape.

I  left it out on the coffee table for general viewing and fiddling