Traci Bunkers Creates a Visual Journal Page

NOTE: Please check out my new art journaling video "intervention": http://youtu.be/233zbvI0RXo It is 1 of 6 videos on the DVD that is included with my book "The Art Journal Workshop." You can find out more about that book at http://tinyurl.com/2uyob7c

This video is a peek into how I work in my visual journal. It took a little under an hour and a half for me to complete, and I sped up and edited the film so you can watch the whole thing in 10 minutes. I did not plan out what I was going to journal about--I work as I normally do, just letting come out what needs to come out without censoring myself or being concerned with the final product. I'm not trying to make a piece of art because the process is what's important to me.

I positioned the camera so that you could best see the journal while I worked, which meant you couldn't always tell what my hands were doing outside of the journal. This doesn't affect the video or watching my process other than you can't tell at times that I've applied gel medium to a piece that I'm gluing down, or that I'm dipping my paintbrush, watercolor pencils or crayons in water.

The materials that I used in this piece are gesso, Golden's Heavy Body acrylics and fluid acrylics, watercolor pencils and crayons, crayons, watersoluble oil pastels, markers, pens, rubber stamps (both hand-carved and stamps from my line of art rubber stamps that I sell), and ephemera (a self-portrait, an incense box, and a candy bar wrapper).

I frequently receive questions about how I am able to write on top of paint, so I will answer here to keep from getting deluged with more questions about it. I can write on top of my painted journal pages with just about any kind of writing tools--pens, markers, etc. The key is to not apply too thick of a layer of paint. As you will see in the video, I use several (sometimes many) light layers of paint. That is better than one thick layer. If you can't write on your page after painting, the paint is too thick, or maybe try something different to write with.

I teach visual journaling workshops as well as other mixed-media and fiber workshops. Please visit my web site at http://www.TraciBunkers.com for my workshop schedule. The large alphabet stamp I used is Blind Melon http://tinyurl.com/ykfhe99 , the stamp I used for the lines is from my Journaling stamp sheet http://tinyurl.com/y8m38ct . I also used a monkey stamp http://tinyurl.com/ydfet47 and a hand stamp from my "Evidence" stamp sheet http://tinyurl.com/ye4emp3. All of these are available from my web site. You can also visit my blog at http://www.tracibunkers.blogspot.com.

The music that is played while I'm working is recordings of Shortwave Numbers Stations, all from the Conet Project created by Akin Fernandez. The mysterious sounds and voices are believed to be encrypted messages from short-wave radio stations operated by government agencies as a way to communicate with spies. Just like my visual work, I layered many different recordings from the Conet Project to create the final soundtrack. Many thanks to Akin Fernandez for allowing me permission to use these recordings in my video. You can find the Conet Project here: http://www.irdial.com/conet.htm.

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Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• Traci Bunkers
• visual journaling
• visual journal page
• demonstration
• book arts
• tutorial
• journaling
• art journaling
• art journal page
• The Art Journal Workshop
• mixed-media

[Xykletinha]

EU AMEI ISSO !

Lindo trabalho, parabéns.

Como você confeccionou esse livro?

Parabéns! Belíssima arte.

[TraciBunkers]

@Xykletinha Obrigado! Fazendo o livro é muito longo de um processo para explicar aqui.

[BeckEhster]

where did you get the music from?

[TraciBunkers]

@BeckEhster In the info for the video is a detailed description of the music.

[robianstey]

Im generally a very positive person, but this bkground sound is extremely annoying....the sounds are from sped up filming....not only the visual but the audio as well is sped up!! Extremely annoying but the visual was good. :)

[TraciBunkers]

@robianstey I'm sorry you found the background music annoying. The audio is not sped up. If you read the info I have with the video, you'll see where the background audio originated from, and that's exactly how the various tracks sound. I found them fascinating, which is why I used them. You can always turn off the audio if you find it distracting.

[ralenciaed]

Cool page- but really creepy music

[stuff1975]

Wow--superb pages! Although I have to admit, the music was BEYOND creepy. I think I might have nightmares tonight... :S

[lastoldlady]

@TraciBunkers funny that's what i thought, there is a video on youtube which does the same thing.

[MirandaPlease101]

beautiful colors<3

[dianesilveria]

I have no idea what that background noise is but it doesn't sound even remotely close to music. Sorry but I had to turn it off!

[mistressofmagic100]

thankyou u'v actually helped me with my summer art project xx