Ace of Wands Journal Page

Here are two pages that were in limbo for months. Ace of Wands is an interesting card. It represents that first burst of inspiration. Again, I didn't consciously make a connection between the writing and the pictures. But it makes sense to me now. (It feels like magic.)

I began with the writing; a quote from Caroline Myss on the left page, and a quote on the right page that I have in my studio about working with the unconscious. Then I put on some light colour with water soluble crayons and gessoed over the top. The crayons are difficult to write over unless you put gesso or acrylic matte medium on top.

Then I added a colour photocopy of the girl from my Girl in Green with Hare journal page. Do you recognize her? I have changed her dress. It is so fun, it is like paper dolls. You photocopy one drawing, then just cut out a new dress for her. 

Here she is, close up. The dress is from the background of the same page. I just traced the shape on tracing paper and then used that as a pattern to cut it out of the background. Easy peasy.

(I only just noticed that the dress has the HARE stamp on it. That's funny.)

The crow is a drawing that I did on some card and cut out. I like to do drawings and then just save them for when I might want to stick something in. The Ace of Wands is a photocopy of the tarot card. I drew in her belt and the flowers with some felt pens. The pages stayed like this for ages.

I didn't feel inspired when I looked at them.

I think they needed a bit more punch to get me going. I darkened up the tarot card with coloured pen. Added the crow silouhette, the border and darkened the flowers with sharpie. Finally I rewrote some of the quote in black. It feels more 'alive' to me now.