Kate Crane’s art journaling dvds {a review}

When I first started art journaling and was pretty down about not getting the whole layering thing, I did a Flickr search for art journals and a whole new world opened up to me. One of the first journal pages I came across that really spoke to me was “I want to get off” by British art journaler Kate Crane at the Kathryn Wheel. I immediately clicked over to her blog and have been an avid follower ever since. As you can see below her style is bright, layered and fun.

“I want to get off” by Kate Crane

“Work Work Work ” by Kate Crane

“Wings” by Kate Crane

“set me free” by Kate Crane

Kate is a school teacher who is passionate about art. Apart from all the wonderful journal pages (and occasional ATCs, bookmarks and other mixed media projects) she shows on her blog, Kate regularly writes for Craft Stamper magazine here in the UK and has been featured in Somerset Art Journaling, Somerset Apprentice, and Artful Blogging in the US, and is on the design team for Dylusions (UK) and Stampotique (USA).

Busy woman, huh? Well it doesn’t stop there! She also recently made two instructional DVDs on art journaling for Traplet Publications!

Kate Crane’s art journaling dvds (the box-set)

And guess what?! I was the lucky winner of a box-set when she hosted a give-away to celebrate their release! I was so excited! This is what Kate herself has to say about the DVDs (taken from this post, which also contains a couple of previews);

“In DVD 1 – ‘Art Journaling – Right from a blank page’ – you see me discussing colour theory, demonstrating equipment, and then preparing several backgrounds in my journal in real time. Because this is in real time it means that you can play along at home, and then rewind and play along as many times as you want to! I show you several different ways to make backgrounds including finger painting (my fave!), blending colours with a brush, scraping colour with a credit card,  and spraying with ink sprays. You know how much I love colour and layers? Well, it’s all here in this DVD.

In DVD 2 – ‘Art Journaling – There are no mistakes in Art’ –  I complete the pages that I prepared in DVD 1, again all in real time. I show you how to look for images on the internet, ideas for placing them on the page, how to use stamped images on your pages, and lots more!! I feature lots of fabulous collage artists and stamp manufacturers including Stampotique, Tumblefish Studios, Crowabout Studio B, Itkupilli, Rian Designs, Lisa’s Altered Arts amongst others (links to all of these can be found in my sidebar). You see me painting with Dylusions, Golden Fluid Acrylics, and spraying with Dylusions ink sprays and Adirondack colorwash. You even see me journaling on the pages 🙂 Lots of ideas for journaling and all my background secrets revealed!!”

Not surprisingly, since I love Kate’s style, I really enjoyed these DVDs. I think it’s fair to say they are mainly aimed at beginners, but there’s still plenty for the more experienced art journaler to enjoy. I certainly picked up a good few ideas, especially on layering, which Kate is great at. I applied some of those in the pages I posted last week and absolutely love the result.

I love that the DVDs are shot in real time. It gives the viewer a real sense of how much you can accomplish in a short space of time. I also love that the DVDs, for the most part, are shot over Kate’s shoulder since that makes them so much more interactive. You really feel like you are a part of making the pages and take onboard the techniques a lot quicker. Knowing colour theory already, I didn’t think I’d get much out of that section. Colour theory is colour theory, right?! Wrong! Kate shows it from the perspective of getting the most out of YOUR paints (whatever type and brand that is), so they blend well and work well for you. I for one think my pages are better for it. (Don’t be surprised if you run out and order a whole host of Dylusions products after seeing them in action though…). The DVD showing how Kate integrates collage materials, stamps and ephemera onto her pages so they really blend in and look like they belong there was also very inspiring.

The only real downside to the DVDs is the sound- it’s very low, so you have to really jack up the volume. But all in all, they are both great DVDs. Don’t forget to visit Kate at the Kathryn Wheel, or at Flickr. And if you like Kate’s style and would like to get your hands on a copy of her DVDs, they can be purchased through Amazon here.

All images posted with permission. Thanks Kate!