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How do I make my magickal art journal or grimoire pages "look right?"
Folks in art magick workshops and emails frequently ask, "How, how do I make it look good? How do you know where things should go??"
Here's the great news: It's not about luck or talent or artistic secrets-
It's about composition.
Composition can be learned. (Yay!) And you can totally rock your grimoire with just a *taster* of composition knowledge.
LET'S DO IT!
There are no rules in art and there are no rules in magick, Moon Baby. However, there are a few guidelines we can use to make grimoire pages that delight and visually satisfy you. Every. Time.
Just as certain colors pop, fizz and harmonize when cozied up next to one another, certain composition choices feel really good to our eyes.
And with a little practice (and a cheat sheet!) these guidelines will be come intuitive creative choices that flow and you won't even have to think about it! (I promise.)
Let's investigate 5 easy ways you can design beautiful grimoire pages you'll LOVE.
Frames
If your pages feel to floaty, empty or aimless, consider adding a frame.
A frame will condense, unify and ground your spread quickly! Boom!
Symmetry and Balance
Symmetrical designs have an air of balance, formality, unity and strength. For a composition to feel symmetrical it doesn't have to be a precise mirror image.
Symmetry can be about visual weight.
Ask yourself: Do both sides of the page feel have the same weight?
Near and Far
Foreground and background refer to what is near and what is farther away.
If you want to create depth and the illusion of space, consider your foreground and background.
Objects that are closer to you appear larger.
Objects in the distance appear smaller.
Foreground and background can also refer to layers.
For instance, if we're creating a collage in our grimoire-
The layer closest to you is the foreground.
The layer furthest from you the background.
Placing an element firmly in the foreground gives your page a focus and creates the illusion of space.
Diagonal Lines Bring Energy!
Just like straight symmetrical designs feel solid, peaceful and balanced, diagonal designs activate a page with lots of energy and motion. Think of diagonal lines as lightning bolts that wake up the page!
Divide a page on the diagonal for a dramatic composition or add diagonal elements to activate a sleepy page.
Rule of Thirds
Okay okay, I know said there were no rules- but this isn't a hard and fast rule, just a time-tested helpful guideline.
If your compositions feel scattered, too busy for your enjoyment or you just don't know what to do, consider using the Rule of Thirds to help you out.
A whizbang explanation of what the heck the "Rule of Thirds" means and how you can use it:
When creating your art work, imagine 3 lines splitting the page up into 3 equal segments. These segments can be horizontal or vertical.
Our eyes like seeing an object, or the focal point of the page, taking up 2 of the 3 segments.
Photographers often use 9 segments- I'm a lazy art witch who wants to get paint on the page as quickly as possible, so I use 3 segments and it gets the job done.
(If you are an ambitious art witch you can absolutely experiment with the 9 segment technique if you like!)
Why does the "Rule" of Thirds work?
This guideline works because it automatically creates an interesting design.
A design that uses the Rule of Thirds directs our eyes to a focal point AND gives our eyes visual space to rest at the same time. Works like magick!
Pretty cool, right?
Download your very own Make Your Pages Pop Cheat Sheet here
In SUMMARY:
Rules are made to be broken
With a little practice these guidelines will become second nature
Have fun with your art magick and move with what feels right
YOU CAN DO IT!
MORE INSPIRATION FOR ART WITCHES
Molly is an artist, witch, teacher and author dedicated to unleashing your creativity and the awakening the witch within. Support this work and instantly unlock a magickal library of DIY's, books, videos and How To's on Patreon.