Artful Journal Pages Using Gold Leaf

July 08, 2017

Artful Journal Pages Using Gold Leaf

In documenting the journey towards my dreams and wishes, along with how they manifest and the sychronocities that appear, I use a travelers notebook journal and decorate the pages using mixed media. I like to use them to experiment with different techniques, yet also to evoke a feel good feeling when I go to wrote on them.

Gold leaf brings something magical to the pages so I decided to incorporate it to mine.

Below is a step by step process of how I created pages using watercolours, acrylic, and gold leaf. There is also a process video at the end.

Using Watercolour & Stencils

After applying a couple of layers of watercolour, I wet a sponge and, using a stencil, rubbed over the dry watercolour to create this bubble effect. Next I added contrasting colours as focal points of interest.

Adding Acrylic

I then proceeded to blend titanium white acrylic paint with the watercolour focal points until I was happy with the results.

Prepping For Gold Leaf

In order to apply the gold leaf I sketched out my design first so I could see where to apply the glue. I used a fine brush to apply it and rather than waiting the 20 minutes for it to dry, I sped up the process using a heat gun.

Applying Gold Leaf

Next I carefully placed the fine sheets of leaf using a small brush to smooth them down. Next is where the magic happens! I used a rough sponge to brush away the loose leaf leaving only the stuck down pieces...