HeartYour challenge, should you choose to accept it: Stitch a love note or kind word to yourself or to someone you love. Action Steps Bring your imperfect, messy self, take what you need, and know...
Lovingly Stitched by Alyssa Griese
Dig in
Art Journal Catalysts
Watercolour
Imperfect Face by Iris Fritschi-Cussens
OKYour challenge, should you choose to accept it: Draw and paint an imperfect face with simple raw art journaling techniques Action Steps Bring your imperfect, messy self, take what you need, and know...
Our Archaeological Dig by Lisa Goddard
VulnerabilityYour challenge, should you choose to accept it: Work in layers to express different aspects of yourself and your life. Imagine an archaeologist peeling back each layer in 200...
Floral Sister Pages by Camila Garcia
EnoughYour challenge, should you choose to accept it: Create a double-page spread in which one flower is explored in two different ways using the same colour pallet. Work with your favourite media...
Week 2 – Watercolours + pens + something found
CourageThis season we are collaborating with a partner, or being our own cheerleader. Download the Season Sidekick for a list of prompts to work from. Char and Claudette are choosing three items...
Challenge: Daily Chroma
Look for an inspiring object/s and observe all the colors in it, not simply the main hue, but all the shifts in tone with highlights/shadows, etc.
Challenge: Messy and Loose
Have fun with messy lines and loose watercolor using an ink and wash style.
Challenge: Wild Abandon
Moments#gmseasonofmomentsYour challenge, should you choose to accept it: Create with wild abandon. Let go of perfection and expectations and gather things that you love. Art...
MIND
Self #gmseasonofself Download the Season of Self: Mind Sidekick Save this file to your computer, print it out, and keep it inside your journal to spark journal ideas. For each...
Bonus – The Witch’s Garden
Welcome to the bonus lesson where we will stretch and blend and reimagine the symbols and techniques we have created so far. The idea for this bonus spread is to use all of the elements of the first four lessons to create an all-encompassing art journal spread. This is how I usually work: my art process is all about seeing and showing connections. The theme for these pages is the witch’s garden where all sorts of amazing things flourish. What would you like to have in your garden? What will you feed and nourish and what weeds will you take out? This is your chance to work intuitively and tie together all the totems that you have identified throughout this class.
Transformational Tea
Reflection In this tutorial, watercolor pens and a squirt bottle magically transform paper towels, as the process of appreciation changes your reflections about yourself....
Embodying the Fool: How to feel the fear and take the leap anyway
Starting can be difficult. The way ahead is obscure, we are afraid of failing or of getting lost on our journey. So how can we set off boldly, how can we be daring? We must embody the Fool. The Fool is an archetype that allows us to take a leap of faith, to go ahead even if we are fearful. When we are able to look ahead with enthusiasm and energy and when we know that whatever lies ahead is part of our journey and will support us, we are embodying the Fool archetype. This allows us to feel free as well as (perhaps paradoxically) in control of our own destiny. That is when we are happy to start. We will use water soluble media to create an inspiration wave to encourage us to start. Let’s gather this wave of positive energy and let’s be intentional in finding the mantras that carry us forward and let’s take that leap! Let’s start in this creative journey together.
Transform your Imposter Syndrome into a Trickster Goddess
Failure Lesson by Emily Mulroney Emily is an artist. She’s also an explorer. Curious and open-minded, Emily enjoys exploring an array of creative pursuits and...
Step 4 – Eff comparison
Failure Comparing ourselves to others is one of the most debilitating ways we stop ourselves from creating. We create our own idea of perfectionism from others....
Turn Your Inspiration into Art
Creativity You are an artist. You have harnessed the world around you and have turned it into your own creation. Now, let's put it all together and make some art with it. I...
Abstract Emotions
Watercolor Mosaic Background
Bonus: Art Journaling Formulae for Busy People
This section will include 10 step-by-step formulae for making art journal spreads to take the overwhelm out of art journaling.
Lesson 5 – Prompts
How I interpret prompts and how I utilise the techniques I have demonstrated so far to make my pages. The goal is to give you a starting point for using prompts in your own pages. It will include a run-through of my interpretation of four prompts, with hopefully four very different spreads at the end.
Lesson 3b – Watercolour
Watercolour drips, Pens + Crayons, Dreamy Clouds, Gelli Printing, Galaxies
Part 1 – Spirit Animals
Why do you need a Spirit Animal? What is the point? Why can’t a quiz on Buzzfeed tell you the answer? A Spirit Animal embodies a trait or a quality that you have in your personality or that you would like to invite into your art journal. Take the time to meditate on this, try to focus on a part of you that you like – or something that you lack – and that you would want to symbolise through an animal. You give the meaning to that animal because it is your Spirit Animal.
Part 4 – Claiming the Female
Women’s lives and stories have been interpreted through the masculine lens for a long time. The idea of the witch came out of men being afraid of the knowledge that certain women had. They wanted to control women and so invented this idea of witchcraft as something to be afraid of and repress. And I would like this lesson to be about not being embarrassed to tap into that shared knowledge and history. To acknowledge that we are women and that we participate in society and matter just as much as anyone else. I want women to be proud of this and to be intentional in our art and lives.
Lesson 6 – Watercolouring a Face
It’s time for my absolute favorite lesson of this class! I really enjoy coloring in my sketched faces and I think it’s what really brings these drawings to life. So, in this lesson I’m spilling my watercolor secrets and I’m going to show you how I do it.
Lesson 3 – Abstract Backgrounds
This lesson is broken up into three parts: acrylic backgrounds, watercolour backgrounds and collaged backgrounds. I will very quickly take you through a selection of techniques using each medium/technique. At the end of the lesson you will have a vast array of tricks up your sleeve to make fast, abstract backgrounds for your art journal spreads.
Lesson 2 – Abstract Galaxy
In this lesson I am going to show you how to paint the easiest of watercolor galaxies! We won’t be using reference photos or anything, we’ll just be splashing watercolors around and experimenting to create a gorgeous, abstract starry scene.
Lesson 4 – Watercolor Milky Way
Yay, welcome to lesson four! In this lesson I am showing you how to paint your very own Milky Way galaxy with watercolors! My process for this is pretty much the same as lesson 1, the abstract galaxy, however I work off of a reference photo so that it ends up looking like the Milky Way!
Lesson 3 – Watercolor Moon
What goes well with galaxies? The moon! I love anything that has the moon on it, If I see a collage with the moon, I will instantly love it, or if I see any sort of moon accessory- it’s mine!
How to Paint a Geometric Galaxy
I’ve gotten a bit of a reputation for including watercolor galaxies in my work, but I just can’t help it. I love painting galaxies and starry scenes, so now I am thrilled to be sharing my techniques with you.
Lesson 5 – Wonder and Surprise
Wonder isn’t something that necessarily springs to mind when we’re thinking about all the different emotions we experience, but it’s a unique one, and really worth spending some time with.
Lesson 6 – Unconventional Marks + Tools
Some of my favourite unconventional mark making tools I use in my journals.
Lesson 5 – Simple Shapes
Often we see shapes as separate from the idea of mark making, but shapes are comprised of marks to create them. We use marks to build the shapes we want to see. Shapes can be used to portray all kinds of expression and emotion to a page.
Lesson 4 – Lines, Lines, Lines
Lines can be utilized in many different ways to create visual interest in your artwork. Lines can be used as a graphic element to create drama, help draw the viewers eye across the page to a point of interest, create backgrounds with controlled line work and more.
Lesson 1 – Mark Making Warm Ups
3 different warm up exercises designed to help you loosen up and also connect internally with your marks.
Joy Notes and being inspired by yourself
Freedom Ali Ali Brown is a wife, mother, teacher, intercessor, singer, musician, photographer, filmographer and artist. She is a life scribe who has kept a journal for as...
Liberate yourself through abstract art (Perfectionism is an illusion)
Freedom
How to make a travel watercolour set
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xoY16ouEtKU
Paint a Flutter of Ethereal Watercolour Butterflies
Freedom Hi Messians, this is Clare with my final tutorial as a Get Messy creative team member and what an amazing year it has been! It has been so great to be able to work with...
Connecting to Culture: Creating a Paper Theatre in Your Journal
Ubuntu Elly here, adding my thoughts to the Season of Ubuntu. We have all had weeks now to wrap our minds around the concept of Ubuntu and part of my thought process has been...
Words bring us together: brush lettering using watercolor and ink
Ubuntu Hello! Alicia here again to share a tutorial on using watercolor to brush letter quotes in our art journals. I have been playing with letters for over 4 years now and...
Loose Watercolor Flowers
Sasha Zeen shows you how to paint loose watercolor flowers.
Paper dolls: making your illustrations interactive.
For our final play date of the season we are making paper dolls. Animal, monster, human, cartoon superhero? Turn your illustrations into moving characters.
Create texture in your art journal using minimal supplies
This tutorial will show you two different ways of creating texture in your art journal using minimal supplies, making it the perfect beginners technique.
Junk drawer as treasure trove: using household items to make marks in your journal
Use common household items — things from your cupboards, drawers, and mail piles — to make marks in your art journal.
Illustrating people: Easy tricks to add to your tool kit
Drawing is one of the greatest ways to learn how to see, because when we sit and spend time looking at something in order to draw it, we must give it more than just a passing glance. Here are some arty tips on how to draw people.
Playful Printmaking
Kindness Hello Get Messy Family! I am thrilled to share one of my favorite art journaling techniques with you. This is one that I find easy to do, inexpensive, great for all...
2.4 Tanyalee Kahler – Watercolour Backgrounds
Tanyalee Kahler teaches how to make three types of minimalist watercolour backgrounds that you can quickly use to fill up an art journal.
Translating Music to Paper
Nature Hey friends. For todays post I wanted to show you something that I absolutely love doing in my journal. And that is, making playlists or working with...
How to journal with leaves
Nature Hi Messians! Today I am going to share with you some ideas on how to get nature directly into our art journals. I have used different types of leaves for all of my...
Three watercolour background techniques
Nature Hi friends. In this tutorial, I will show you three of my favourite watercolour background techniques that I do over and over in my journals. LINA Lina is...
How to use the language of flowers in your art
Nature Hi creative peeps! It’s Riet here. I can’t believe it’s nearly the end of my time as creative team member. I feel quite nostalgic writing this as I can remember the...
How to find hidden imagery in paint spatters
Connections Hello, beautiful Messians! It's Ashley here, and today I'm sharing a quick challenge to stimulate your creativity and inspire you to get messy. When I was a kid,...
How to create layers with transparencies
Connections I love being inspired by what I learn from other artists. Over the past couple of years, I’ve learned so much from talented, and generous artists, and I’ve...
How to make an envelope journal
Connections Hey y'all! It's Katie here with my tutorial for the Season of Connections! Have you ever had a penpal? I used to have half a dozen of them when I was a...
A guide to continuous line drawing
Connections Hello, messy tribe!Sasha here again for the Season of Connections. This Season seems so intimate and deep to me, so I wanted to come up with a tutorial that...
Imagining and creating fantastic creatures in your art journal
Fairy Tales Hello Messians, it's EmK again, and I am thrilled to be here for the season that I've been anticipating the most: Fairy Tales! I've always fancied myself a writer...
Techniques for creating woodland backgrounds
Fairy Tales Hi Messians! As we are in the season of fairy tales, I thought a cool idea for my tutorial this week would be to explore that woodland, forest look that is...
How to use brush lettering in your art journal
Fairy Tales Hi! Olivia here with a quick and easy art journal page. I’ve listed the supplies and basic project steps below, but watch the video to get the...
How to make and use your own colour catalogue
Colour Hello, hello! It's Ashley here. This season has been such a blast, so I wanted to round it out by sharing a simple color catalogue you can create and use for continuous...
A guide to mixing your own colours
Colour Hi, lovely Messians! Sasha here today! It's our favorite time again, isn't it? The start of a new Get Messy season always feels magical and special. This is the time, when...
Expressing yourself through colour
Colour Welcome to the Season of Colour! Vanessa here to usher you in to this Season. As is always the case when we start a new theme, I need to find a way in. I need to figure...
How to combine contrasting media
Contrast Hi again messians!In this post, I will share with you quick tutorials on contrasting mediums. These are the tools and products you wouldn't necessarily think about...
Art journal your spirit animal
Art 101 Hi guys, it’s Riet here. Today I want to show you my Raven Nest Journal. It’s about my spirit animal that I discovered last year. I dedicated a whole journal...
Painting dreamy watercolour backgrounds
Art 101 Hello, beautiful creative Messians! Sasha here today. This is my first time posting here as a member of Creative Team. So, I am a little nervous, but also very excited...
Art Journaling with Children
Gifts Hey, it's Sarah here. „Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up.“ - Pablo Picasso. Every child is born with an unbroken...
The Mailable Art Journal
Gifts Hello, splendid Messians! I'm jazzed as hell to be back sharing another post here on the blog with you. Especially one that's about giving! Most of the people...
How to create a collage of hands
Gifts Hey Messians. It's Nina here with a fun and simple idea for your next art journal spread. Since we're in the season of Gifts I thought it only appropriate to...
Creating expressive pages without looking
Gifts Hello, Julia here again to share a new type of creative practice with you... This past year, I have started to create in a new way (for me, at least). It’s...
Creating depth and dimension without bulk
Dreams There are a ton of ways to get some gorgeous depth into your art journaling that doesn’t involve a lot of bulky doo-dads. I’m going to show you how you can use...
Creating art inspired by double exposure photographs
Dreams Hey everyone, Katie here, your resident doodler, painter and galaxy-obsessed artist! Are you loving the Season of Dreams as much as I am? Dreams are so magical...
How to find animal shapes in your paintings
Dreams Hi everyone, Vanessa here. I hope the Season of Dreams has been full of inspiration for you so far. Interestingly enough, both Essie and I came up with the...
How to add drawn features to watercolour backgrounds
Dreams Hello, excellent ones! It's Essie again, this time with a really simple post about adding pen details to watercolour artworks. I feel like I need to start this...
Painting Water Colour Portraits
Music Hi Everyone, it's Tanyalee back with another tutorial for the Season of Music. This season I decided to show you all how I make water colour portraits. They aren't your...
Color Theory
Music This week we have the amazing Sarah Fuchs here with us to teach us all about color theory, what it is and how to use it to improve your art journal pages.I remember clearly...
How to Paint a Watercolor Galaxy
Music Hey everyone, Katie here today with the long awaited galaxy tutorial! You may or may not know, but I'm basically obsessed with space related things, so I often paint moons...
Paper Aging & Distressing Techniques
Music Hello lovely Get Messians! It's Zinia here to share with you some fun techniques to create aged and distressed look on your pages.When I think about music, one of the first...
How to make Watercolour Collage Paper
Introspection Hi lovely Messians! It's Essie again, here to share a video tutorial (ooh, faaaance!) of how I make watercolour collaging paper. I love to go through...
Easy watercolor tiny book
Lists Hey messy people! Nina here.When you’re taking on a huge project – like a daily challenge or a 30 lists album – it can prove quite necessary to take a shortcut on some...
Six fun watercolour techniques
Lists Hey friends, it is Katie from the Creative Team here again! Watercolors are my favorite medium at the moment. I discovered them early last year and just fell in love with...