Step-by-Step Stardust Art Journal Tutorial

Step-by-Step Stardust Art Journal Tutorial. Get step-by-step instructions on how to create this lovely Stardust Art Journal Page. 

Hi again! It’s Torrie and I am back with another really fun and moody art journal tutorial for you. I’ve been working in a smaller journal lately since I find myself without much time to create. My oldest is out of school for the summer and she, along with sister, have finally given up napping. So needless to say, two preschoolers and a baby at home means I am making pages that are fast and not too fussy! This page came together while I had a few minutes at my desk (shout out to Netflix, the electronic babysitter!)

Read on to see how you can re-create your version!

Supplies Used:

• Moleskine Cahier – Large
• Decoart Americana Acrylic Paint in Indian Turquoise
• Martha Stewart Multi-Surface Satin Acrlyic Paint in Summer Linen
• Craft Smart Acrylics in Spearmint and Navy
• Plaid Folkart Acrylic Paint in Turquoise
• Ranger Archival Ink Pad in Jet Black
• Various Rubber stamps from Michaels
• Liquitex Matte Medium (or Modge Podge if you have it!)
• White tissue paper
• Vintage book pages
• Scrapbook paper
• Black card stock
• Golden Fluid Acrylic in Titanium White
• VersaFine Ink Pad in Deep Lagoon
• Me & My Big Ideas Clear Alphabet & Words Stickers
• Uniball Signo Broad Gel Pen in White
• Stabilo All Pencil in Blue
• Lyra Graphite Crayon 9B

Step One

First, open up your art journal (I’m using a Moleskine Cahier here) and pour out your acrylic paints on to a palette (aka a cereal box for me!) Use your fingers to create an abstract background by swiping different colors vertically and hortizontally across one another. There really is no rule about how what is right or wrong, as long as you don’t muddle the paints too much! I did a layer and let it dry a bit before going back with more paint.

Step Two

Use an old gift card and dip the long edge of it in some of the navy blue, then tap it along the page to create some lines. Next use some black gesso (or just black acrylic paint works too) to add some contrast around the edges. You can use your fingers to do this as well, by starting with a little bit of paint at the edge of the page and swiping it inwards towards the centre of the page.

Step Three

This is the fun bit! Grab the white tissue paper, stamps, ink and a piece of scrap paper. Place the tissue paper on top of the scrap paper and stamp your images onto the tissue paper. Ignore my picture and make sure you use a scrap piece of paper as the ink WILL bleed through (and you don’t wanna be wiping everything like I was.) This method is awesome for adding stamped images to pages that might otherwise be difficult to stamp (if it has lot’s of texture or is an awkward position) since the tissue paper becomes almost transparent when collaged onto a page, leaving just the stamped image to show up.

Step Four

Gently cut or tear out the stamped images you want to use, and use the matte medium (or Modge Podge) to collage the stamps on your place where you like. I used this hand carved feather stamp and a fun branch from Michaels. You can see that once the tissue paper is wet, it pretty much disappears on the page!

Step Five

Next, tear the vintage book pages and scrapbook paper to the size you’d like and add as many layers as you wish. I just did two here, because I wanted to see the book pages a lot. Glue them down on your page.

Step Six

On some black card stock, I used the Golden Fluid paint in Titanium white to brush letter the word stardust. This can be whatever you want in any type of lettering you want! I’m just a sucker for white text on a black background. Who isn’t though, right? After it’s dry, you can tear the edges to roughen up the paper and glue it down on the layered papers.

Step Seven

Next, I tore out a smaller blank piece of the book paper and used the MAMBI stickers to say “i am.” I edged this with the VeraFine Ink in Deep Lagoon, then glued down above my Stardust lettering.

Step Eight

Time to add the details! Using the white Uniball pen, you can add some star doodles in the black sections of the background. I also used the Stabilo All Pencil to add more contrast underneath the lettering element. All Pencils are super cool if you have never used one – they are a water-soluble pencil, much like a watercolor pencil. I just sketched a little on the page, then used a water brush to activate the pigment. They’re wonderful intense colors, too! I love adding lots of little details to my pages

Step Nine

The very last finishing touch was to draw a doodle-y (is that a word?) border very loosely around the page with the graphite crayon, and then go over with the water brush to activate it and create a wonderful watercolor effect.

This page was a lot of fun to make and I’m so happy I got to share it with you! Art journaling is such a great way to experiment with your lettering and branch out to new types of creating. You can create pages that are as detailed as you like, with very little or a ton. This page took me about 20 minutes to make start to finish, which is about as much time as I have to sit at my desk with three kids running around 😉 If you create a page following my tutorial, I would LOVE to see it – you can find me on Instagram or shoot me an email over at Fox + Hazel!

Want more art journaling freebies, tutorials and info? Check out my posts below to get started!

Free Mixed Media Digital Collage Sheets // 12 Affordable Art Journaling Supplies // Bright Spring Art Journal Tutorial