This week’s Documented Life Project prompt was to incorporate a digitally altered photo or image into an art journal spread. The phrase prompt was “What Makes Your Heart Sing?” so that was my starting point for selecting a photo to work with. My answer to that question is that my husband and kids make my heart sing. As I have referenced my kids numerous times in my art journal, I decided to focus this challenge on my husband. I picked a recent photo of us that was taken when we visited the gardens of Wilton House during our trip to Britain in July.
I used Photoshop Elements to play around with the photo. I tried various edits but was not happy with any of the more creative, artistic ones. I prefer to keep my enjoyment of photography and my enjoyment of art separate so I tend to just use the more photographic tools in Photoshop rather than the artistic ones. Consequently, I also lack the skills and experience required to successfully digitally manipulate an image. Ultimately I settled on editing the photo by turning it from colour to black and white and to adjusting the levels to accentuate the contrast between areas of light and shade. It transpired that my printer was running low on black ink so the print out had some white streaks on it. I decided to go with a scrubby, grungy look for the page as a result of that flaw in the printing process.
I collaged some black and white papers onto the art journal page and dribbled ink down the entire page to construct a messy background. I then ripped around the photo and adhered it to the page. I then just spattered and doodled some more. Simple, quick and easy. Job done.
A Pict in PA 
This layout of the two of you is just happiness. A bit different from your usual choice of colors but yeah, different is good.
Thanks, Carrie Lynn. The monochrome photo helped dictate the colour scheme (or lack thereof) but it was actually good to have a break from working with colours.
You are welcome Laura. Working with black and white is not at all easy. You did great.