Noah's Ark (Dec. 25, 2010)

I don't recall the specific paints I used for this background, but I can tell by looking that the yellow was painted  first, and the watered-down red brushed on afterwards. The blue at the top of the right page was a bleed from the following page, but I don't really object to it. It kind of reiterates the water at the bottom of Noah's ark. Years ago, this would have bothered me no end, and I would have probably tried to "fix it" by  painting over it, and simply ended up calling more attention to it. I do avoid the majority of these bleeds by using page protectors which are simply freezer paper folded in half and a quarter inch slit cut down the center through which your pages are pulled two at the time, and each one folded back over the freezer paper, which then protects the underneath pages while you paint these two. These move less than single pieces of wax paper which often slip around as you work, letting wet paint that has gotten onto them smear off and transfer to the back sides of the pages you are working on.

The Noah's Ark illustration was from a book catalog that I got many years ago when I was a school librarian. Have you ever found the perfect illustration for a journal page, but it was too big or too small? Just throw it on your copier to make the size you want. But...but, you say, I don't know what percentage to set. A wonderful tool I use for this is called a Proportional Scale. It's just 2 circles that revolve around each other. You line up the present size on the inner scale under the new size wanted on the outer scale. The percent of enlargement or reduction will appear in the cut-out window. Most good art stores should carry these. I know Dick Blick has them for about $5. I've had mine for years, and would hate to be without it.

Note: Some newer readers of this blog may not be aware that I offer a set of journaling lessons that comprise over 80 pages of instructions with accompanying photos. Just one of the things covered in detail is exactly how to make page protectors. To see what else is offered, look here: http://creatingyourownstory.blogspot.com/