Hello friends, and Happy May!
For some reason I had in my mind that Monday was going to be the 1st, I don’t know why, but possibly something about it being the May Day Bank Holiday here I just automatically associate that with May 1st. I’m so glad when it comes to scheduling that I look at dates and not days or this post might have been on the wrong day haha. Anyway, since it is the first of the month, and because it is May and therefore #MerMay, let me share my DT inspiration project for the May Main challenge at More Than Words with you. This month the main challenge is as follows:
Yay – two of my favourite things: the ocean and to add splatters to my page – so I’m very happy this month.So here is my full page spread for this month, if you know the area you might recognise the view or perhaps my tweedy background might give you a clue.
As the theme was ocean, I thought I would use this A3 page that I had watercoloured a while back and never used. It was a little big to fit inside my journal so I had to cut it down to size (9.5 x 12.5 inches) to get it to fit inside my book. I felt a little bad cutting it down but it was just sitting around not getting used anyway and I know I will use the leftovers for tags or something.
My idea was to use this watercoloured page as my base but then build up a scene on top of it, so I needed to do that using some collage.
As my scene was going to represent the Isle of Harris in the Outer Hebrides, a place I know and love, it needed to have a few things – mountains, beaches, machair, and some local wildlife! I pasted down all my collage papers which included some gel prints, some envelopes, a paper bag and even a flour bag which you can see on the left (it has the use by date on it).
As I worked on my piece, adding definition to the sky and the mountains and the beaches, I realised that the greenish watercolour on the left side reminded me of the Aurora Borealis, something that is very visible in Harris at the right time of the year so I decided to leave it as it was, and blend it into the sky on the right. I was also trying out the idea of adding some Harris Tweed scraps to add to the beaches and coastline.
As the challenge theme asks for splatters, I added mine using gold and white acrylic and then over the Aurora side, I added some splatters of metallic watercolour in green, blue and purple. As you can see by this stage I had also added some of the local inhabitants – gulls flying over the mountains, sheep grazing on the machair and a puffin watching over them.
Here are some close ups showing more detail…
The background in this photo has an assortment of Harris Tweed, some Harris Tweed yarn which is used to weave the tweed, and a couple of photos from Harris showing the puffin colonies and the sheep which wander freely across the islands – including along the roads which can get a bit hair raising if you’re not used to it!
I am also linking up to Art Journal Journey this month where the theme is “Birds” since I have two kinds on my page – seagulls and the puffin on the rock. Also if you look closely there is even a little mermaid since it is also #MerMay this month.
Hope you feel inspired to join in the challenges this month.
Let me know what you think in the comments. As always, thanks for reading!
Ingredients
my handmade journal, watercolour paper, scrap papers for collage, Mijello watercolours, Coliro metallic watercolours, white acrylic ink, gold acrylic ink, acrylic paint pens, black pen, white gel pen, glue, matte medium, Harris Tweed scraps,
Challenges
More Than Words – May Main Challenge – Ocean and Add Splatters
Art Journal Journey – May Challenge – Birds – I have gulls in the sky and a Puffin on a rock
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Elle, what a beautiful art journal page! I especially love the hand-painted sheep, puffin, sea-gulls, and mermaid! It’s perfect for the More Than Words theme and the AJJ theme, too!
Lovely scene, great page. I haven’t been to Harris but would love to visit it one day.
When I saw the puffin, the sea and the rocks I had to come over and have a look. Then I saw the tweed and I knew it was Harris.
I have been camping for eight days at Uig. One day we went to Harris and visited a lovely artwork show.
I hope we go again because I loved it. And I love your artwork.
Oh I love how you collaged this one. Beautiful art work. and great for the bird theme and the other theme you did. Hugs June x
It’s very beautiful project with great colours. Lovely splatters 🙂 Thank you for joining my theme at AJJ 🙂
This is a very beautiful collage, great colours, and very atmospheric. Thanks so much for linking to AJJ, much appreciated. Have a great week, hugs, Valerie
Splatters and ocean are two of my favorite topics too, so I am adding this challenge to my want to do list. I am loving this spread Elle. I think of Iceland when I see it, but of course it could be any northern jut of land or island where I haven’t visited. The sheep are adorable as is your puffin. Thanks for sharing with us at AJJ, and Happy May to you. hugs-Erika
I have never been to Harris but I think I would love it! The puffin on the rock made me smile, I haven’t seen one for years! This an absolutely wonderful page Elle and perfect for Matilde’s AJJ theme this month! Hugs, Chrisx
Oh this is magical and love the little duck on the rock ~ lovely palette ~ Xo
Wishing you laughter and love in your days,
A ShutterBug Explores,
aka (A Creative Harbor)