2021 IFJM – The Etymologist

April 2021 – International Fake Journal Month – Dana Burrell

The Etymologist

This A4 Daler-Rowney Graduate Sketchbook was not intended for wet media yet it did an admirable job with very wet washes for this years fake journal. The link above takes you to Jackson’s Art Supplies in the UK where you can see, at this time in 2021, this sketchbook sells for the grand price of $2.18 USD through their site.

Most the artwork this year is direct watercolor with a few done as ink and watercolor wash. The etymologist has chosen an interesting word for each day and all 26 letters in the English alphabet are represented along with a few duplicates.

2020 IFJM – Pandemic Diary

April 2020 – International Fake Journal Month – Dana Burrell

Pandemic Diary

This year I used another of the 6 in. x 8 in. commercially made blank Artist’s Loft sketchbooks I get from Michaels. This cover seems to be on clearance and may no longer be available but there is a newer “Panda” version which contains the same paper. It’s a little too cutesie for me but I’ve successfully painted the covers (see my 2018 Fake Journal) to my liking.

The artwork was created using a combination of Faber-Castell Albrecht Dürer and Caran d’Ache Museum Aquarelle watercolor pencils.

2019 IFJM – Haiku

April 2019 – International Fake Journal Month – Dana Burrell

Haiku

For this journal I ripped the guts out of this green inspirational soft cover journal by XXXXX and replaced it with the guts of a 7.75 in. x 9.75 in. softcover Strathmore 500 Mixed Media Art Journal. You can see remnants of the previous endpapers peeking out from under the new mixed media endpaper. I also realized that I needed to add one more sheet to the book for continuity. I tipped in a sheet of the S500MM and you can see the overlap on the April 1st spread. I used direct watercolor for all the paintings while the journaling and daily current event haiku were added in pencil.

2018 IFJM – The Artist

April 2018 – International Fake Journal Month – Dana Burrell

The Artist

I couldn’t stand the saccharine covers on the 6 in. x 8 in. inexpensive sketchbooks I bought at Michaels so I altered them first with layers of gesso, then acrylic paint and finally a few layers of assorted stamps. I also took out the saddle stitching and replace it with a 5-hole pamphlet stitch using maroon waxed linen thread. The inside covers had lots of maroon splotches so they were muted with a layer of blue acrylic paint.

I can’t say enough about these little sketchbooks. Michaels sells a pack of 2 for 6$ USD. They hold up beautifully to wet media as you can see by my pencil and watercolor sketches.

2017 IFJM – Portrait Practice

April 2017 – International Fake Journal Month – Dana Burrell

Portrait Practice

This was the year to go big. I needed to if I wanted to include all the thumbnail practice pieces and journaling along with the finished painting. This is an 11 in. x 14 in. hardcover Strathmore 500 Mixed Media Journal which means a full spread is 22 in. wide by 14 in. high. Although the thumbnails are done with graphite and ink the final paintings are gouache.

This is one BIG BOOK!

2016 IFJM – Reminiscence

April 2016 – International Fake Journal Month – Dana Burrell

Reminiscence

Pay no attention to the double exposure in the above thumbnail for the YouTube video; the video will play normally. YouTube chose this thumbnail and I haven’t figured out a way to replace it with something more appropriate. Oh well.

In 2016 I used a 6 in. x 8 in. commercially made book from Rifle Paper Co. that contains 64 blank pages. Unfortunately it seems all their notebooks and journals now contain lined pages. All drawings were made with Staedtler Mars Lumograph graphite pencils in a variety of softness which I tested on the final page before making a decision on what to use.

2015 IFJM – Gratitude

April 2015 – International Fake Journal Month – Dana Burrell

Gratitude

For the second year in a row I made a Double Pamphlet Journal but this time I filled it with inexpensive no-name cold press watercolor paper. All sketches were made with water-soluble ink and watercolor.

Ali Manning of Vintage Page Designs has a great step-by-step tutorial if you’d like to make one of these books for yourself. They’re wonderful books for traveling and to tuck in your handbag.

2014 IFJM – The Physician

April 2014 – International Fake Journal Month – Dana Burrell

The Physician

In 2014 I made a nearly 6 in. square Double Pamphlet book containing Strathmore Aquarius II paper. All images were created with Caran d’Ache Museum Aquarelle watercolor pencils.

This post by Ali Manning of Vintage Page Designs will show you how to make your own!

2013 IFJM – The Sister

April 2013 – International Fake Journal Month – Dana Burrell

The Sister

Two of Teesha Moore’s 8 in. x 10 in. Amazing 16 Page Journals sewn on the spine to a folded watercolor paper cover painted with acrylics and india ink. Artwork done in ink and gouache over acrylic pre-painted pages.

Teesha Moore’s Amazing 16 Page Journal Part 1 of 2:

Teesha Moore’s Amazing 16 Page Journal Part 2 of 2:

2012 IFJM – The Gardener

April 2012 – International Fake Journal Month – Dana Burrell

The Gardener

IFJM 2012 – “Bound”

IFJM 2012 – pages 1-16

IFJM 2012 – pages 17-30

Meander Accordion Folded book using 22 in. X 30 in. watercolor paper… each page is 5.5 in. x 7.5 in.