I have previously worked in my black Dylusions Journal, but those experiments focused on adding white in some form; doodles, text, or painted areas.

In today’s video I’m in full color mode and as you’ll see, with a little thought and preparation you can create pages that are beautifully vibrant.  The black of the paper can mute the colors a bit but that works too; the darker colored areas appear to have depth.  And that’s always a good thing on a journal page.  Flat pages tend to be less interesting.

The key to working on the black pages is to create light areas before you do anything else.  My process is to use Gesso and as you’ll see in the video, your fingers make excellent tools to apply it.  An Ink Blending Tool is another option and produces an entirely different look as does using a palette knife to scrape on a layer of Gesso.  Most interesting of all: using Gesso with stencils to add that first layer in a more precise pattern.

Those application methods work with paint too and my choice for today is Dylusions.  With the color range extended to 18, you have lots of options to experiment with.  One of the last things I show in the video is a comparison in application methods of gesso and the paint.  Using an Ink Blending Tool tends to create a softer, more blended look.  Applying gesso and paint with my fingers produces an entirely different look that’s sketchier and not blended at all.  Use multiple methods to apply the gesso and paint and you’ll be rewarded with a completely different look.

Supplies For This Video:

Black Square Dylusions Journal

Black Strathmore 6″ x 6″ Artist Tiles

Dina Wakley’s White Gesso: 2 ounce Tube or 4 ounce Jar

Palette Knife

Inkssentials Mini Ink Blending Tool

Inkssentials Mini Tool Replacement Foam

Joggles Stencils

Dylusions Paint

Joggles Foam Stamps

Sharpie Water Based Paint Pens

Stampotique Originals Stamps

Joggles Stamps

Joggles / Bloobel Stamps

Joggles / Virginia England Stamps

Joggles – Margaret Applin Stamps