Desperation Art Prompt Page and Video

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Art Journal Prompt:  Desperation

 

Instructions:

Negative feelings, fear, worry and desperation can undermine your confidence and ultimately your health.  Today’s page is my personal art therapy to purge and control those feelings.  Join me for the therapy or just for the art!

Pour your feelings and worry onto your page then give yourself some hope to light the darkness.

 

Example Page:

  

 

How I created my page:

Here’s the video of how I did my page:

 

First step – Background.  I used the background to purge out some fears in shadow writing. Gesso – to seal the paper bag and to start with a white page Shadow Writing – I used an oil pastel to write some of my fears and worries onto my page in the same color as the background white. Color – I used neocolors to add washes of pale color over the shadow writing.  Watercolor or acrylic washes work just as well for this step. Glazes – to darken the colors I added acrylic glazes (thin paint) over the areas in pink, yellow ochre and blue Merge sections – I merged the blue sections together – it just felt right.

Second step – Naming the Feelings.  I wrote the feelings that are gripping me today on my page in pencil.

Third step – Expressing how they make me feel.  I painted a dark blot over the light colors because that’s what the feelings do.. they block out the light and joy.

Fourth step – Collage.  These pieces were chosen at random .. they had no meaning other than that I thought the texture would be good.

Fifth step – Color.  I used neocolors to shade the collage in the same colors as the background. This represents the bits of light that are trying to come through the darkness. I deepened those shades with the same glazes as I used on the background.

Sixth step – Feelings Again.  I wrote the feelings again because even when I feel better, they reassert themselves and start to grow the darkness again. I also did scribbles in pencil and thinned brown acrylic ink.  (this may be out of order.. but that’s ok too)

Seventh step – Darker Glazes.  I used this dark blue glaze to block out most of the collage.. you can still see it through the thin paint, but it’s obscured and the sweet colors of life are muted.  This is my worry and desperation again. I did the same with the other colors.. too… and brought them over the blue as well.

Eighth step – Splatters and lines.  I splattered brown and white ink on the page.. this represents frustration with myself and with the situation causing the feelings. I added deeper colors in lines in oil pastel then sealed the image with fixative. (this is not on the video.. the glare was just too much so I took it out)

Ninth step – White Wash.  I did a thin white wash over the center of the darkness and then wiped it away – this is my attempt to cover my feelings and wiping it away represents the futility of that attempt.  (also not on the video)

Tenth step – Hope. After all that scribbling and darkness I felt better and let myself a message of hope.  “The way out is the way through” and “Find a way”.  These I wrote over and over in pencil and in white acrylic ink.

 

Supplies used today:

• masking tape
• dip pen nibs
• acrylic ink
• waterbrush - you can never have too many of these!
• neocolor II water-soluble crayons
• liquid acrylic paint
• water-soluble oil pastels
• gesso
• gel medium
• glazing liquid

 

A Word from Tee:

It’s my hope that you don’t really need this art therapy like I did… but if you do… give it a shot.  Maybe on a board or canvas so it can take more punishment than your journal.  I cut through my collage in a couple of places.. but it just added to the feelings I was purging.

With love and gratitude for your visits and comments,

Tee

 

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