I’m so excited to be part of another YouTube hop! This time I’m a participant and a sponsor. These hops are great ways for not only YOU to learn and meet new artists, but also for ME to do the same! You also have the opportunity to win some amazing prizes donated by our sponsors:
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For my tutorial, I created a journal page using my top ten favorite supplies for a quick journal page. These basic supplies are some of my favorites to break a blank page or add a finishing touch. I enhanced the pages with a few other supplies including stencils, acrylic paint, and a stamp.
So, just why are these my favorites? Let’s discuss each one!
- Ledger Pages & Ephemera
I love the layers of mixed media, and old book pages, ledger sheets, and other ephemera are my favorite way to break a blank page. Adhere these down with gel/matte medium and then layer on top. As you create layers, the ephemera below will peek through and create lots of interest. - Black India Ink
Any color India Ink is awesome, but I use black the most. You can use the dropper inside the bottle to write with, use a dip pen, or just use it for some fun drops like I did at the end. Often, this is my finishing touch on a page. - Black Acrylic Spray
Marabu makes some awesome acrylic sprays! The beauty of these is that they are acrylic, so as you create all those awesome layers in mixed media, the ink does not move or bleed. I’ve also dipped a brush into the bottle and painted with these or added splatters. - Simply Simmons Brushes
It might be weird to list a specific brush, but if you are like me and often forget your brushes in water, the perfect brush is so important. I’ve left these brushes in water for days (shhhhh!!) and they are still going strong! I’ve only ruined one (so far) from sitting in the water too long, and I just put some tape over it! They are a great price point, which allows you to have multiple brushes of each size. I also really like their watercolor brushes for the same reason! - Clear Gesso
Clear gesso is important when you want to preserve the ephemera. I layer it over my ledger pages to keep them in tact. This allows paint to sit on top of them rather than soak into the paper — allowing you to wipe away and use lots of water and other mediums as needed. I used Dina Wakley’s in this tutorial; hers is super smooth and silky. I also love the small containers for when I travel. - White Gesso
If you’ve ever taken a class with Dina Wakley, you’ve probably heard her say that gesso is like underwear! It’s so important to prep a page with gesso for many reasons. (I can get into that later if you’d like!) However, on this page I used the white gesso in place of white paint. I rarely use white acrylic. I like the opacity of the white gesso much better. - Black Archival Ink Pad
The importance of this ink pad, besides that it stamps really well, is that it is permanent and waterproof. Another important feature when you work with multiple layers of mixed media! - Gel Medium
So, there are several mediums… gel, matte, and Dina’s new “ultra thick” gel medium. They all serve different purposes when it comes to adding ephemera of all different weights to your page. Matte medium (and in this case Dina’s gel medium) are thinner and better for thinner papers where gel medium or Dina’s “ultra thick” are better for heavier papers. These are similar in concept to mod poge, except not as sticky and better quality. - Word or Phrase Stickers
Tim Holtz has several versions of these stickers – and I love them all! You can also cut text from book pages, but that takes time. And, for a quick journal page definitely not in the top ten! - Stabilo All Pencils
There are several colors in these pencils, but I use the black and graphite the most. I love, love, love… (love!) these pencils. The black is super dark especially when it’s activated. I think you just need to try one for yourself to understand! 🙂
Now you know a few quick reasons why these are some of my top go-to supplies. I’d love to learn what yours are. Do we share some of these? Am I missing something? Let me know in the comments!
I can’t wait to hop along with you and see what each artist’s favorites are. Be sure to follow the directions to be entered to win the sponsor prizes.
Use Your Wings
