Art journaling inspired by Marlene

Michelle joined the From Picture to Page Spring into Sandown online show line up with this fun and quick art journaling layout, as she shares her 5 step art journaling process with the new Art by Marlene paints, stencils, stamps, die cuts, collage papers and more!

Materials List

Create a mini book from A4 gel print

Creating your own mini book is so much fun and easy for any age to master! Let’s turn these colourful A4 gel prints into a mini book, ready to decorate with your favourite mixed media techniques.

What you need to create a mini book:

Materials:
• A4 Gel Print
• spare gel prints
• gel print circles
• ephemera
• Art by Marlene Die Cut image

Tools:
• Scissors
• Circle Punches
• Glue Stick
• Washi tape
• Dina Wakley Scribble Sticks
• paint brushes
• mini ink pads
• ink blenders and handles
• stencils

Step-by-step instructions to create a mini book

Take 1 piece of A4 gel print.

Fold in half; use finger nail to crease fold

Open paper

Turn over and fold the opposite way, along the same fold. Crease well with fingernail.

Fold in half, long ways; use finger nail to crease fold

Open paper

Turn over and fold the opposite way, along the same fold. Crease well with fingernail.

Open paper; it should look like this

Fold one of the short ends into middle; Crease well with finger nail

Turn around and fold other end

Open folds

Turn over and fold the opposite way, along both folds. Crease well with fingernail.

Fold in half, along short side

Use scissors to cut one segment, along the folded edge.

Pinch middle section and fold out bottom flaps

Pull middle section forward and backward

Fold Flat

Juggle to get mini book to fold flat and close.

Finished mini book.

Now you are ready to decorate your mini book


Decorating your mini book

All of your mixed media and papercraft techniques can come into play to decorate your mini book!

Mini book cover ideas

Here we have added washi tape to create a horizon, about a third of the way up. Then we have added an image, stamped a sentiment and finished off the cover with doodles and markings using a black Fudeball pen to finish off our mini book covers.


Decorating the inside of our mini book

The two ideas we used here to decorate our mini book included using a circle punch to create a window, then adding an image of interest behind it. We also created a mini picket by sealing the base of the opening with washi tape and using a smaller circle punch to create a finger pull at the top.

We hope you have enjoyed making your mini book from A4 gel printed paper!

Please SHARE your creation in our Facebook Group / Mixed Media Studios Australia

Or on Instagram with the hashtag #MMAStudio

Happy creating,
Michelle

Sweet or Surly – mixed media canvas class

Whether you are sweet or surly, this mixed media canvas class is bound to delight – get your mixed media techniques out of your journal and onto canvas to share with your friends and family. Michelle will lead through the process of collage and painting to create this fun canvas, personalised to your tastes in the light-filled Mixed Media Art Studio in Mount Waverley, Victoria Australia. Click here for full materials list and bookings

Art by Marlene Acrylic Paints Review

Art by Marlene and Studio Light have released a new range of acrylic paints! And they have just arrived at the Mixed Media Art Studio, Melbourne, Australia. Michelle takes you through the colours in each of the 4 sets, and then swatches each colour onto a display board, showing you the colour and transparency of each paint. Colour swatching your new paints is a great way to get to know your craft supplies, and helps creating layers in your mixed media canvas or art journal.

Materials List

Art by Marlene Studio Lights acrylic paint melbourne australia

You can see the full range of craft supplies and art journals at Mixed Media Art Studio online store