Course description
Exactly what is Journaling Krazy Island Style? Well first, it is an art journal prompt that you will be given weekly that you can then interpret in your own unique way in your art journal. In addition to the prompts, you will receive video lessons taught by one of these artists: Claudia Rossi, Gina Ahrens, Peta Thompson, or a special guest artist showcasing our take on the prompt for that week. We will show you start-to-finish how we create our journal pages. You can then create your own interpretation of the page or copy it exactly. Especially if you are newer to art journaling, or art making in general, we encourage you to recreate the lessons to help you learn the techniques and then move on to mixing them up in your own style. If you are a seasoned art journaler, sometimes recreating the lesson is a challenge all its' own. We work hard to make sure JKIS will be fun and informative to those at all stages of their artistic journeys. We provide a list of suggested materials to have on hand when starting the course, but don't worry if you don't have every single product. We will suggest substitutions as often as we can and as always we encourage you to "use what you have".
You will learn how to use different mediums like watercolor, markers, water-soluble crayons and pencils, stamps, acrylics, inks, sprays and more. We will show you techniques that you can use to create pages just like ours plus build upon them to grow in your art making adventure. Each of us will be working in a different type of journal, and we'll be throwing in some extras each month to keep things interesting. This might include some PDFs to download, print, and use in your art journal, some tips and techniques you may not have tried before, or even bonus videos!
You will receive at least three video lessons a month with possible articles, discussions, interviews or other artsy goodness thrown into the mix. Either way, there will something new each week (for 50 weeks!) that will keep you inspired and ready to work in your art journal. As in previous years, December will include binding videos and a couple of rest weeks as it is a very busy time of year and some of us need to catch up. As a bonus, you will receive the Le Visage course for free! This is our faces-three-ways series that was part of JKIS 2015. You will also receive the Mixed Media Reference Book course for free as we feel this is a very important tool for you to have in your artsy arsenal. This is the same course given last year, and the binding lessons may be repeats from previous years of JKIS. However, all art journaling video lessons will be new lessons created just for you, no recycled lessons!
There is also a Facebook group specifically for members of JKIS where you can interact with other students, post photos of your work, see photos of other student's work, and get specific help and attention from your instructors. We want to be there for you and the Facebook group is a great place to post questions about lessons and get individual help from each of your instructors. If you are not a member of Facebook, we will be available by email (our addresses are available in the course in the Read Me...Important Stuff lesson). We, as your instructors, will do everything we can to help you along the way as you create, have fun, and grow as an artist!
Technically a 'self-taught' artist, I acquired my skills through many online workshops and courses, as well as self-study in many varied art books. I am happiest in my studio, spending quality time with my family, or curled up with a good book. My art embodies the joy I find in everyday life - family, friends, and home. Because it doesn't take much to make me happy, a playful freedom comes through in my art and art journals. I love girly things like butterflies, fairies, anything pink and (especially) glitter! Teaching others how to apply the techniques I use and trying new things together in my art journals is the greatest 'job' in the world. My latest commission made it all the way to Greece from my California studio. You can see examples of my art in my Etsy Shop, like me on Facebook, join my Facebook Group, watch my free videos on YouTube, or follow me on Twitter or Instagram.
Hi, I'm Gina...
I started making things at a young age with my Mother, Grandmothers and Great Grandmothers. They all crafted. Some were dress makers, others did needlework. I learned embroidery, crochet, sewing, cooking and more from as far back as I can remember. I love to create things. My mind is always thinking up new ideas for new projects. People are amazed at the things I come up with, but hopefully in a good way. I remember my Dad’s Mom, Jenny Bronzini, sitting with me one day at her house to teach me something new. I wanted to learn to crochet. She said I had to do it the old way then. First I had to hem the linen handkerchief by hand. Then once that was done she would show me how to crochet lace around the edge. I did not want to sit still for that and wondered why I couldn't take a shortcut. I still love a good shortcut. I love to take unusual things, change them up and make them into something beautiful. I guess this is now called altered art. Who new? I learned from my family to try to find things I already had and use them for my arts and crafts. That was recycling, again who knew? I have lots of memories like those of crafting with family and friends. I am a high school graduate with some college behind me. I am a licensed dispensing optician and formerly owned an award win-ning home daycare business. I love kids they are so open and naturally creative. As an optician I got to make things too. I was the lab tech in the back room making glasses for the patients. Art is in my blood and I wouldn’t have it any other way. Publications and Awards to date:Machine Knitters Source Magazineand The Carolinas Machine Knitters Guild Newsletter
Hi, I'm Peta...
I come from a creative family. We have always been musical and everyone either sang and/or played an instrument. I sing and play guitar. I am a wife and mother of two boys who are the best things that have happened to me! My father is an acclaimed watercolour landscape artist and is very well known in the towns he’s lived in. He jokes that every doctors’ surgery has his paintings in them! I have always been crafty. When I was a teenager I doodled and drew in a diary and covered things in fabric as well as my music. I fell into scrapbooking before it became popular, about 16 years ago. Over the years I have been published, designed papers and taught classes. I also created with fabric and became a quilter. I lovethe texture of fabric and the Naïve style of quilting. When my scrapbook layouts became so intrincate that I lost site of the photo, I became aware there was something missing and looked for another way to be creative. I started at a point where I kind of had a background. Watercolours. As soon as I started, I realised watercolours were very difficult! However I persisted and today just love to paint. I fell into mixed media painting when I was doing a watercolour canvas and suddenly had to desire to add pastels and crackle paint! I didn’t realise this was mixed media but now I will never look back. I am very varied in my artistic tastes, and enjoy a wide variety of art mediums. Art journaling is a natural extension of all these interests and I love that there are no rules exceptcolour and composition when creating any piece of art. I am an avid recycler for things for creating art and don’t believe in wasting anything! I’ll be happy to not need a bin in my studio one day! I have been appointed the creative director of the Jewels conference and my art is being exhibited in the Qld national show this year.
krazyislandstudios@gmail.com