Tree Art Journal Page and Prompt

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Art Journal Prompt:  Tree

 

Instructions:

In honor of Earth Day, Plant a tree in your journal today.

 

Example Page:

  

 

How I made my page:

 

First step – Background.  Several steps but so simple to do. Yellow – I put a couple of drops of yellow paint in the center of each page and swirled it around with a credit card. Pale Olive Green – then I put some drops of a pale olive green (it’s got a name but I don’t know what it is!) around the yellow and used a damp sponge to smoosh it around – leaving it rough but blending with the yellow in the center.  DON’T cover the yellow! Dark Olive Green – I put this paint on my tray and picked it up with my sponge and pounced it around the edges and center line (the seam between the two page) of the pages… blending it with the lighter green. Antique White – Finally I scraped and sponged some antique white over the pages to lighten and age the green and yellow colors.

Second step – Sun.  This is supposed to be easy and fun… take a breath and let it go as you swirl your brush.  Have FUN! Golden Yellow – I used a 1” flat brush to make a rough circle Red – For this I pulled out my worn out 1” brush and dipped the tips into the yellow and then the red and starting in the center, I swirled the brush until the colors blended into orange. Golden Yellow – with the same brush I went right into the yellow again and did it roughly in the center.. not looking to blend this time but to leave a streaky yellow pattern.

Third step – Tree Trunk.  All one color – a very dark brown.  I used a small flat brush and a rigger brush to do the tree trunk.

Fourth step – Leaves and Grass.  This is easier than you think and I’m giving you a practice sheet so you can try it out yourself. Tree – I used a fan brush and dipped it into dark olive green and brown paint. Then I just tapped the tips onto the page over and around the branches of the tree. Grass – I did the same as the tree for the grass and then went back and did it again with a little yellow and the lighter green on the “dirty” brush.

Fifth step – Title.  I added the Earth Day with an orange marker and went around it with antique brown acrylic ink… then I did a little journaling in the same ink.

 

pRINTABLES FOR tODAY’S pAGES:

I’ve created a practice sheet for you to work on pouncing loose leaves and grass.  Print this sheet, insert it into a plastic sleeve and you’ll be able to use it over and over.  After you’ve painted the leaves and grass, wipe off the paint and start again.

You can do this.. it’s easy.  Check out the trees in your yard or the parks around your home.  Try to emulate the shapes of the leaves.  With the single trunk you can do several type of trees.

 

Supplies used today:

• masking tape
• dip pen nibs
• acrylic ink
• liquid acrylic paint
• gesso

 

A Word from Tee:

Happy Earth Day darlings!  Go plant a tree in real life too!

 

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