Grungy Vintage Art Journal Page with Lindys Magicals

Hi friends! Preeti Datta (Dutt Preety) on the Lindy’s blog today to show you step by step how to create a Grungy Vintage Art Journal Page using Lindy’s Gang Magicals.

Art Journalling is one of my favorite forms of creative expression because there are no rules to it. You can create whatever you like! Today, we will use one of my favorite Lindy’s products i.e. Magicals. These dye based pigment powders are incredibly potent and a little goes a long way. These are the most versatile colouring product because they can be used to create custom coloured paints, pastes, gels, sprays, can be used to watercolour etc.

Today we will use only 4 Lindy’s Products to create this Grungy Vintage look, 3 Magicals and 1 Embossing Powder. The same techniques can be used to create cards, tags, canvases, altered projects etc.

Basic Process

To begin, apply Heavy White Gesso to the Art Journal page to prepare it for mixed media work.

Now, to start building the background texture, create a collage on the page using washi tapes, old book pages & strips of design papers.

Create a DIY Colored Gesso by mixing Clear Gesso with Bayou Boogie Gold Magical. Just a tiny bit of the powder is enough to colorise the blob of clear gesso.

Next, to tint the background and also add background texture, apply the colored gesso all over the page in an uneven manner using a palette knife and brush. At some places, use the palette knife to create thick grungy texture and at others, use a paintbrush to get a smoother finish. Also, create splatters. (Most of this colored gesso will get covered up later on when we add additional colors but it helps to prepare the surface for additional coloring, gives a vintage tint to the colors we add on top and it doesn’t get too easily mixed up with the Magicals we add on top. Hence, we add the colored gesso at the start.)

Now comes the fun part, adding colors. Start with lighter colors and then step by step, add more colors and increase the intensity of the colors according to your liking. Keep drying the page between each layer. We start by diluting a little Bougainvillea Fuchsia Magical powder with water in a paint palette and then adding it to the page using a water brush. Let the color spread naturally, create ink splatters and then dry.

Next, to add more interest and texture to the background, apply heavy white gesso through a stencil onto the page. (You could use any of your favorite texture pastes or gel mediums as well. I’ve used heavy white gesso here because I like the consistency of it.)

Now we add more colors to the page, create depth and add more texture. For this, dilute the three Magical powders (Bayou Boogie Gold, Bougainvillea Fuchsia & Bells of Ireland Green) with water in a paint palette and using a water brush, add the colors to the page. Also, create ink splatters for a grungy vintage look. Then dry brush heavy white gesso over the page a few times using a dry flat brush. (In this step, you can add as much color as you like, go as light or heavy with the colors as you prefer. Dry brushing with heavy white gesso will soften the colors and yield the effect you personally prefer. I enjoy darker, more dramatic contrast, hence, I’ve added more colors. You could also make this look soft and elegant.)

Now stamp the background with your favorite stamps using brown archival inks and also distress the edges of the page using the same inks.

Next, prepare a few die cuts for layering by heat embossing them. Since this is an Art Journal Spread in a Journal Book, we will keep the composition relatively flat and non-dimensional, so that it is easy to close the journal book at the end. Here, we use Cool Man Copper Detail EP. Then, adhere the black die-cuts behind the heat embossed ones, a little off-center, to create a shadow effect. Using Lindy’s Gang Gripper while heat embossing makes it really easy to hold die-cuts without burning your fingers. This tool is a real lifesaver and a must-have for all heat embossing.

Now, color some lace by spraying the lace with water and then dipping it in the diluted Magical- Bougainvillea Fuchsia. Then dry and distress it.

Now, color some floral die cuts with the diluted Magical- Bells of Ireland Green using a water brush. I absolutely love this green and the beautiful shimmer in it.

Now, gather all the elements for layering. Create a visually pleasing composition by layering all the elements including die cuts, a vintage photo, vintage ephemera, old book pages, lace, gauze and word stickers. Distress the edges of all the ephemera to create a vintage look. Adhere everything using a strong glue. To finish, create ink splatters by using a fan brush. This lends cohesion to the project. For the ink splatters, we have used 2 Magicals, white and black acrylic paint.

Here are some photos of the finished Art Journal Page…

Lindy’s Products

• Magicals- Bayou Boogie Gold, Bougainvillea Fuchsia & Bells of Ireland Green
• Embossing Powders- Cool Man Copper
• Gripper

Other Products 

• Tim Holtz Word Stickers, Archival Inkpads & Collage Medium; Prima Marketing & Finnabair’s Clear Gesso, Heavy White Gesso, Heavy Black Gesso, Stencil & Stamps; Tacky Glue; Fantasy Dies; Versamark Watermark Inkpad and Ranger’s Heat Tool.

Thanks a lot for your precious time
Stay Blessed!
Preeti