Monotoned Magic: Creating Abstract Layouts in Dina Wakley Media Journal

[@amherst88]

Denise's channel is like a box of chocolates -- you never know what you're gonna get ❤

[@2lilowlsstudio]

I love that!! Thank you! 🥰

[@dorisschmeichel2949]

I agree with that!

[@doloresparra4604]

Excellent description!

[@julieferguson1964]

Always enjoy watching you create

[@2lilowlsstudio]

Thank you! 🥰

[@sarisauls9745]

Hey Denise. I am so glad that you have been focusing on your art journal! I have oodles of art journals that I have bought over the years with the grand idea that I would fill them up with collages or mixed media or whatever I was playing with at that time, but you know what happened to those. 😋After watching you dust yours off and paint such lovely and exciting pieces, I dusted off my biggest neglected journal too! I’ve been happily sloshing paint around and experimenting right along with you. Thank you for inspiring me to let go of my fear of messing up my blank journal and have some fun experimenting. P.S. I absolutely adore this painting! It’s simply stunning!

[@2lilowlsstudio]

Yay!! I’m so glad you got yours out to paint in too!! Now that I have a few more pages done - I absolutely love flipping through the pages!! So glad you are enjoying these. Thank you! 🥰

[@CnBArtStudio]

Love what the stencil did! Also like that, even though it’s cotton rag, the ink did not bleed through. ❤😊.

[@2lilowlsstudio]

That rag paper is pretty thick. I like that it doesn’t bleed too! Thank you! 🥰

[@faithisrising]

What if….I love watching you experiment and it’s exciting to see what happens. This is beautiful.

[@2lilowlsstudio]

Thank you! 🥰

[@TrueLoveX1027]

Moody. Monotone. M Mm Good! Restraint is not easy, but what a beautiful lesson in how less is more. 💟

[@2lilowlsstudio]

Thank you! 🥰

[@alysonhovanec6314]

Yes!! I started art journaling years ago, just for the fact that it makes storing my art easier, the bonus is, I feel less pressure when I creating in it. 🙏🏽

[@2lilowlsstudio]

I do love the storage factor of it being in a book! 😁

[@lealea12368]

WOW Denise! So misty and moody. I am loving all of the different pages. Each leads to a surprise on the next page and I love how it takes us on a journey! Thank you for showing up for us and ......maybe even for yourself. I really appreciate the efforts you go to, bringing all of us such enjoyment and wonder and inspiration. Thank you so much!

[@2lilowlsstudio]

I get so excited to flip through the pages now that I have a few more done!! It is so cool! Glad you are enjoying them too. Thank you! 🥰

[@gaylecewpie5012]

Yes I really like this piece, and the movement it has. The one color in different shades and tones is beautiful, the marks are very complimentary to this piece. You did a great job pulling it all together. The other piece I especially like is the one with the leaf stencil in different colors, it's a beautiful botanical piece, you might think about adding more botanicals to it if you decide to go on with this piece, but it's gorgeous just by itself. Thank you Denise for sharing you talents with us.💗

[@2lilowlsstudio]

So glad you enjoyed it!! Thank you! 🥰

[@kriskriskris32]

Fabulous! I see someone walking in the rain. LOVE IT!!!😊❤

[@2lilowlsstudio]

Cool!! 😊 Thank you! 🥰

[@lisaboutin821]

I really love this piece, such lovely lights and darks. Thanks so much for all your videos, they are so inspiring at kick starting process !

[@2lilowlsstudio]

Glad you like them! Thank you! 🥰

[@heatherdunbar421]

This piece is so stunning ❤❤. Working monochromatic myself right now. Love how elegant these are.❤

[@2lilowlsstudio]

So glad you loved it!! Thank you! 🥰

[@dee-ellencook763]

I just love these big pages! I have been wanting to go bigger for a long time and always end up with a 5x5 or 5x8 ! This really challenges your creativity…so fun! The different surfaces are so interesting and turning out so pretty. Keep it coming!!!

[@2lilowlsstudio]

It really does challenge you when you go bigger. I'm really enjoying doing these!! Thank you! 🥰

[@MixedMediaArtByTrina]

Love what you created! It feels like a murmuration on a cold winter day. Love that huge sketchbook as well. Thanks for sharing! 😍

[@2lilowlsstudio]

So glad you enjoyed it! Thank you! 🥰

[@sheilacook1395]

I can't wait to try it!❤

[@2lilowlsstudio]

Have fun!! 🎨🎨🎨

[@debbieyoung9301]

Beautiful absolutely love this , simplicity at it's best 😊

[@2lilowlsstudio]

Thank you! 🥰

[@christieoertel1589]

Hi Denise your page looks very Japanesy!! to me love it. Have a great weekend

[@2lilowlsstudio]

Thank you! You too! 🥰

[@jeanieferretti4203]

❤Thank you ❤ love how it came together ❤

[@2lilowlsstudio]

Thank you! 🥰

[@polarbear1433]

❤❤❤❤❤❤Love, love, love ❤❤❤

[@2lilowlsstudio]

Thank you! 🥰

[@ChantelleArts]

This is so good, so many amazing details ☺☺☺

[@2lilowlsstudio]

Thank you! 🥰

[@ginainfantino411]

Love, love this! Fab

[@2lilowlsstudio]

Thank you! 🥰

[@lindakuck5981]

I love monochromatic and good color choice. This piece is beautiful! Thank you Denise 😊❤

[@2lilowlsstudio]

Glad you like it! Thank you! 🥰

[@TammieWardArt]

I have to say, Paynes gray is my second favorite color. After purple of course, lol. What a really inspiring piece. If this mono color pallet isnt your favorite, you could easily take this inspiring piece and do your own favorite color. But i just love this. ❤️ im not very good with a pipette but think i need to just be brave and use purple and hey anything purple is a good thing. This really started me thinking of doing separate mono color pages. Thank you😊

[@2lilowlsstudio]

Purple was my mother’s favorite color too! So glad you loved it! Thank you! 🥰

[@sharonrobinson2936]

How about you make a journal with papers that you do love? Loving your journal explorations🥰🥰

[@2lilowlsstudio]

I took a book making class a few years ago. I may make one. We’ll see. 😊

[@sharonling-LetsArtToday]

Beautiful ❤❤❤

[@2lilowlsstudio]

Thank you! 🥰

[@janetdand2704]

This piece is really lovely. Amazing how such a monochromatic palette produced such an interesting page. I could see this framed. Thanks for sharing

[@2lilowlsstudio]

This would be pretty framed! Thank you! 🥰

[@isisvanzonneveld7096]

Loveee it💓

[@2lilowlsstudio]

Thank you! 🥰

[@Komponents]

Much as I love color, this is FABULOUS! Frameworthy!

[@2lilowlsstudio]

Thank you! 🥰

[@germainwdesjardins6573]

This is gorgeous. Love your work

[@2lilowlsstudio]

Thank you! 🥰

[@sharonmansfield3053]

Oh YES I love the big abstract pages and Payne’s Gray and Indigo is a favorite combo for me. I really love how this turned out very cool! It has depth. For me, I can see a walking path with tall lamps adorning the sides moving me towards an abyss. I love paintings that provide an imagination for the viewer! 👏❤️👏❤️👏

[@2lilowlsstudio]

Oooh! Thats cool! So glad you loved this one. Thank you! 🥰

[@machelleshappyhobbies4977]

I like the techniques but I'm a poppin color girl all day long. Everybody to their own ideas. Hope you have a good week.😊

[@2lilowlsstudio]

Same to you! Thank you! 🥰

[@dianeknott3655]

Loving the minimalist look of your design and sticking to one color. It really makes all the textures and fun blooms interesting! Cool idea with pressing the stencil down.

[@2lilowlsstudio]

So glad you loved it! Thank you! 🥰

[@TheGPeppers1]

Love how your clothes match what you’re doing. This one is my fav so far for this book. ❤

[@2lilowlsstudio]

Haha! I did match 😂 Thank you! 🥰

[@MsMoniqueWilson]

This is one of my faves!!

[@2lilowlsstudio]

Yay!! Thank you! 🥰

[@angelakapler2997]

I love the idea of one color theme. The piece is amazing.

[@2lilowlsstudio]

Thank you! 🥰

[@SandyTilt]

This is beautiful, I’d be very happy indeed if I could produce something as special! ❤

[@2lilowlsstudio]

Thank you! 🥰

[@bonnerdebbie]

Stunning! Love it!

[@2lilowlsstudio]

Thank you! 🥰

[@healingmagichands]

That really is inspirational

[@2lilowlsstudio]

Thank you! 🥰

[@emilykoch3104]

One of my favorite pages in the book! I also really like the leaf stencil on top of the watercolor page!

[@2lilowlsstudio]

This is one of my favorite too. Thank you! 🥰

[@dorisschmeichel2949]

Love your evil laugh! 😂

[@2lilowlsstudio]

Haha!! Thank you! 😬

[@robinsouthrivernj916]

Absolutely love the sense of freedom in these pieces!

[@2lilowlsstudio]

Thank you! 🥰

[@NPBusinessOwner]

❤❤❤❤❤

[@2lilowlsstudio]

Thank you! 🥰

[@deannabates1575]

Love this one! But I miss the Party Trees!

[@2lilowlsstudio]

Thank you! 🥰

[@BlueLotusLife]

I’m enjoying watching the larger sized pieces come together. I think it’s good to challenge ourselves to work big! (Frankly, it usually terrifies me…lol) But this inspired me! (And I was kinda hoping you were gonna open the silver powdery stuff! 😁)

[@2lilowlsstudio]

Oooh!! The silver powdery stuff would have worked out so good!! I didn’t think of it 😂 Thank you! 🥰

[@Kate-sp1vx6vz9z]

Denise, I totally love your videos and your work. I understand it's all about intuition and spontaneity, and yet....you still manage to achieve this professional polish in your pieces. While a lot of artists strive to achieve a "child-like look", I sadly don't have to *try* to do that at all. Most of my "intuitive" work would look quite at home on a kindergarten wall. I'm trying to figure out the "secret sauce" here, and I suspect it comes down to composition. I want a little "polish". You often make reference to compositional elements, such as rule-of-thirds, directing the eye through the piece, etc. I'm wondering if sometime you could do a video focusing exclusively and in-depth on composition, what makes abstract art "work", what are the unspoken rules in a genre which purports to break all the rules? Thank you so much for all you do for the art community! You are awesome!

[@Lainers2000]

I absolutely agree with your comment. On the very rare occasions where I achieve the polish, I find it’s because I’m letting myself have fun and just play without too much thought to it, just like Denise says.

[@2lilowlsstudio]

I have a couple of skillshare classes that focus on composition and do a nice deep dive into the subject that you might check out if you are on skillshare! I don’t tend to duplicate that content on KZbin. 😊 Thank you! 🥰🥰🥰

[@Kate-sp1vx6vz9z]

@@2lilowlsstudio I *am* on Skillshare! 😊😊. I have been going through some of your videos there. So much good stuff! I'll look for videos on composition. 👍🏻

[@colleenmckeeman1342]

OK time to get out by graphite. Beautiful job there.

[@2lilowlsstudio]

Thank you! 🥰

[@KITTYSASYA]

Hi Denise. I think you are the only person I know who feels stilted and confined by an art journal. I love your work and today's work was interesting. Are you playing off-camera? I'm ready for you to cut something up, again! I'm missing the squeals of delight I hear when you break out Fiskas cutter!

[@2lilowlsstudio]

I’m always playing around with something! I’ve done several more layouts in this journal now - so I’m getting more excited with it as I go! 😁

[@dinaelse414]

Morning Denise! I sure do love starting my day with you! This piece is very cool! Dina’s name is pronounced Deena. My name is also Dina, spelled the same way. Not sure why our parents decided to torture us…it gets mispronounced daily. 😂 My last name is Else, like someone else, something else…my name variations would make you laugh! Just thought I’d help out a fellow Dina. The way you’re pronouncing it usually has an ‘h’ on the end and is spelled Dinah. Love you to pieces! ❤

[@2lilowlsstudio]

Sorry! I had several videos done already name with it pronounced that way. I had lots of comments 😬

[@unscribble7975]

Denise I LOVE this piece! Do you have tips for controlling the ink that comes out of the pipette? Mine seems to spill out. Thank you!

[@2lilowlsstudio]

Thank you! 🥰. I don’t think I do anything special with the Pipette. Maybe hold the pipette a bit low down instead of up right so there is less ink flowing out. 😊

[@tinae8433]

Did you change uoit hair black??!!😮❤

[@2lilowlsstudio]

No. Pic is from a couple of years ago when I was doing some self portraits in my photography. Came up in my Facebook memories 😁

[@Komponents]

Not familiar with this paper but just in case, may I suggest slipping a sheet of parchment or freezer paper behind the pages in case of bleed-through . . .

[@2lilowlsstudio]

I do that! 😊

[@gpmasterson]

Every time I watch your videos, I remember one of my favorite jokes… What did the janitor say when he jumped out of the closet? … … … “SUPPLIES!”

[@2lilowlsstudio]

😂😂😂🎨🎨🎨🥰

[@gpmasterson]

True confession.... I am a supplies hoarder too! Thank you for your suggestions! They are always good additions to my collection!!

[@glynismccartneyintricatesc5281]

❤️❄️🇨🇦⛄️

[@2lilowlsstudio]

Thank you! 🥰

[@glynismccartneyintricatesc5281]

❤️🇨🇦⛄️❄️

[@2lilowlsstudio]

Thank you! 🥰

[@pambell6403]

Source for Marsha watercolors?

[@2lilowlsstudio]

I post all the supplies in the description below the video for you! 😊

[@Noniof3]

I paint this way and it turns into a hot mess. Denise paints this way and it’s a beautiful abstract. Go figure.

[@2lilowlsstudio]

Some of these do work out better than I hoped! Thank you! 🥰