Pages from two Strathmore Watercolor Notepads

Hi guys!

I know it's been a while so I'll give you two pages from two different sketchpads (from the same Strathmore family). I recently created a Tumblr account and so have been posting a lot of my notebook/sketchbook pages there. I wanted to share with you one of my first watercolor sketchbooks of this year.

Until this year, I would hardly sketch a smaller version of any painting in an actual sketchbook before tackling the larger piece. I would just spend more time on the under-drawing for the actual painting but I had acquired these watercolor sketchbooks last year and decided to hone my drawing skills, play with techniques and actually journal in some of them. It's been SO much fun!

This is an A5 (5 1/2 x 8 1/2) Stratmore 400 Series hardbound sketchpad with 140 lb cold-press watercolor paper. I use this notebook exclusively for exploring flowers in watercolor. I love these so much that I bought two in this size from Michaels, and gave one to an artist friend (they make awesome gifts!)

In one of my larger lettersize Stratmore, I will be doing mainly portrait sketches. I have only done about 10 portraits in all the nine years I have been painting, mainly because I was a little intimidated, to be honest. The way you see people may not be the way they see themselves and I always feared that I would not get the "personality" or "spirit" of the subject just as much as the accuracy of features. I have done two portraits of Bob Marley, one of my sister, one of her in-laws, one of a colleague at the Gleaner and sketches of my parents but little else (ee portraits at www.wandekagayle.com) and yet, I had never finished a self portrait! It was such a strange and interesting way to "see" oneself but I really like this loose sketch I did last night.

Favorite things:

I LOVE the rough texture of the paper. It's cold press but it also feels a little coarser than other paper with a similar weight. It may not be ideal for doing finely detailed work but I enjoy watching the watercolor do it's thing on these pages.

I love the hardcover binding. I also have the small spiral bound notebooks, but those I use as just paper-sources for individual work rather than a journal-type collection of drawings.

Thanks for stopping by:
Also, please check out my YouTube channel for art journaling, watercolor and acrylic demonstrations and my Facebook Art Page.

Page from my Letter-size Hardcover Art Journal

Hey there!

I'm so pleased with myself these days because for years my journals have sat blank but recently I've been very inspired. Today's page comes from a letter-size (A4) Royal and Langnickel Hardcover Sketchbook. I finally did a voice-over demonstration of one these pages on my Youtube channel. Here it is:

Here is the finished product:

Page from my Largest Art Journal

 Hey there!

Today's page comes from my giant (12 x 14) Artist's Loft art journal I purchased from Michaels that sat on my art/sketchbook shelves for a year without use.

It originally had a black hardcover but I redesigned it with scraps from my old Desigual and Africa Import handbags (I am in love with prints, so when one of my dresses or bags becomes shameful to be traipsing around in, I cut it into scraps for later use as I did here).

So, because the pages are not meant for heavy media - this is just 80lbs - I had to fuse at least four pages together using Modge Podge Glue and Sealer.

Then, I was free to glue scraps of old calendar sheets I saved (every artist needs to have some kind of scraps container) as well as photos and then paint over with gesso and acrylic paint, adding stamps and scribbles to top it off.

This is stage 1: I glued down scraps of printed paper and pictures

The end result

Right page

Left page

Favorite Things about this journal:

• I  love the size as there is so much I can do on each page (though sometimes it is cumbersome to carry around)
• I like how durable it feels (because of the sewn spine)

Regarding today's page - I wish I had avoided the buckling more. Usually when I use an old debit card to smooth out the background it helps but here it had a mind of it's own! ;)

Page from an Altered Planner (Mixed Media Project)

Hey there!

I found this small Orange Circle Studio daily planner in the clearance aisle at Hobby Lobby several months ago and I can honestly say I purchased it because I thought it was cute. That's all. Such is my compulsion.

The thing is that I hardly use planners. I actually alter one plain ruled notebook to be a planner of sorts - writing out my schedule and to-do lists. I just always hated the limited spaces designated for each day in planners.

So, how was I going to use this, I wondered. I realized that I could alter it using mixed media (I've been on an art journaling kick for a while now).

This is what the pages looked like before

To transform each page, I would glue four to five sheets together (hence the paperclips in the previous picture), so that the pages would be thicker to withstand the heavy body acrylic paint and other media such as scraps of paper, Gesso and gel medium.

Then, I would either add printed scrapbook paper or old pictures I saved for my mixed media project or I would simply paint the Gesso as a base for future work. I decided to transform all the pages, by creating at least a base to begin with for later creations.

On this page, I have added a picture of jewels I saved from an old calendar, then, painted it lightly with Titanium White mixed with Magenta, then before it was fully dry, scraped away some of the paint to give it a distressed look.

I did the same technique as the picture above, using Cerulean Blue acrylic paint instead.

Favorite Things

I love that it has an elastic band and since altering pages tends to bulk up the book, this would work to keep the pages from popping up. So far, the pages are somewhat flat when open. but since I am not done with many of pages, it will definitely secure my future additions.

I love the cover the most and that the pages are sewn together in signatures, which makes it that much studier. :)

Pages from my Farewell Tribute Notebook

Hey There!

Today, I share a few pages of one of my most cherished notebooks - one of the few that made the journey with me once I immigrated to the States at the end of Fall semester 2009. It features comments of well-wishes and gratitude from former students and colleagues - a farewell tribute notebook.

Teaching is not my first love. In fact, I have had this love-hate relationship with it since 2006. So, whenever I feel like all my efforts are futile, when the students in this country look at me with glassy-eyes or furrowing brows, I look back on this C R Gibson journal where past students have left me messages of hope, messages that say that I somehow made a difference in their lives.



Here are some pages from my former students :)

Page from my Mixed Media Art Journal

Hey there!

I wanted to share a page from my Art Journal. I used to think that art journaling stopped at the pre-teen years but discovered that like with any art form, it has no age restrictions. I really enjoyed creating this mixed media page with scraps of found paper, gesso, and acrylic paints.

I transformed the simple black hardcover with a printed fabric and a large decorative button.

 Step 1 - I used Decoupage Glue to bond this background paper to two pages of my journal. 

Step 2 - I used Gesso to mute the designs so that only the sections I wanted would peek through

 Step 3: Then I added yellow and red acrylic paint and scrap papers. I used bubble wrap to press and titanium white to make textured designs on the page.

Step 4: Then, I added a few more touches, an old picture of myself at 18 I found in my scrap container and a few words. Then, dusted it with some glitter paint and a generous coat of Clear Glaze.

Page From My Story-Drafts Book

Hey there!

The muse always calls me at the most inconvenient moments - like this morning on the bus when my story-writing drafts book was tucked away in my bag. I never write or read when traveling because of pesky motion sickness.

I had this Chekhov volume from the library in hand because I had planned to read one of the stories my writing prof suggested while I waited for the bus. The bus came lumbering down the road just as I cracked it open, but something about the smell of the book triggered a memory of summer days and despite general feeling of nausea, I jotted something down...in the library book...in pencil...and I swear I will erase it...lol and later transcribe it to the notebook stipulated for said purpose. :)



That notebook is a grey Semikolon notebook from TJMaxx in January and I have been using it for brainstorming and  writing my short stories.







<--- This page is a recent writing session for my story, "Birdie."

It was actually going well. I know it doesn't appear that way. lol.


Writing using paper and pen has always been my method. Once I get to the computer, I am in the revision stages.

There is something personal and intimate about using a fine-point gel pen to create meaningful strokes on sturdy sheets of paper.






Favorite Things:


I love the thick, textured, off white pages!! ------------------------------>


I love that it's not too fancy, like the ones I use for daily journaling, but not plain either! It can take abuse and I think that gives it character.

I like the pattern on the inside of the cover.