A Little Bit Of This And That: Adding Accent “Doodles” To Your Art

I am a woman who believes that one or two accent pieces can really make a room come together. For instance, a unique art piece hung on the wall and a fun chair can really add more to your master bedroom.

However, in the late 90s, I believed specifically MORE was more. The more and more I added to my home, the “more classy” it looked. The more comfortable it felt. The more welcoming it would be. The more anything and everything and [insert any descriptive word here]. In the 90s, I think “more” was a trend in all areas of our lives? And I’m happy to say that my desire for more ended in that decade.

How many of us have worked on a craft or art project, thought something was missing, and then added far more to it than we should have? I have totally done this! In an attempt to “like” my own page, I would continue adding more elements and more mediums, until my project ended up looking so much worse than I originally thought it did.

So for any of us still holding on to the “more is better” philosophy, remember the Word tells us that God generously provides all we need and warns us about excess. I promise, you will thank me later. Let go of your MORE mentality in art and in life, my dear sister.

From Home Décor To Bible Journaling

Now that we all agree that a couple discerning accents are so much better than piling as many things on as possible, let’s take this out of our living rooms and in to our Bibles.

I’m not going to get into all the art rules of composition or texture. I am sure you can find tutorials on both. I believe that we are ALL creative. And my heart not only wants to share Bible journaling with you, but I also want to share all the techniques, processes, and tricks I’ve learned, with those who have a desire for creative worship. My trick when my finished page looks a bit empty is adding a few discerning accents.

My Go-To Accent Pieces

Crosses

Since our focus is faith based, my most used doodles are crosses. Look at the different pages below and notice how the look of each page changes based on the medium used and how the cross is placed.

Lines

Just like the crosses above, a group of lines or dashes can fill empty space on your Bible page, making it look less empty. I chose to use lines for the actual design of this first picture. These lines were made using an Illustrated Faith paint card and one of the paint scraping techniques.

Dots

Dots! I love me some dots! The greatest tool for making dots is a Faber-Castell (big brush) PITT artist pen. Truth is, when it comes to dots, I still have some lingering “more” feelings. LOL!

 

Waiting…

We’ve all heard the saying “patience is a virtue,” but it’s also extremely helpful when trying to look at your own artwork objectively. My advice is to step away from your project, get involved in something completely unrelated to it, and return after a short time has passed. For me, this seems to be the only way I can remain objective.

Remember, to “like” my own page, I would continue adding more elements and more mediums, until my project ended up looking much worse than I originally thought it did. When I take time to step away and return later, I sometimes realize I was overthinking everything and my project doesn’t need any additions. Of course, other times when I step back and wait, I’m able to make some minor changes, adding accents around the page, that make a huge difference to the overall look of the page.

Verses To Remember

The Word says our Father provides everything we need, and excess is not more and is definitely not better. You can find confirmation from the Bible in the scriptures below.

“Have you found honey? Eat only what you need,
That you not have it in excess and vomit it.”
– Proverbs 25:16 NASB

“And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.”
~ 2 Corinthians 9:8 NIV

Share Your Own Ideas

Are there any doodle accent pieces you use regularly to add to areas on your page that appear empty? Please share with me your accent doodle ideas, so I might add them to this post.

Send Me Your Doodles To Post

Though I already have photographs of the accents we’ve discussed, I would lurve you to send me pictures of your own accent doodles in use. My plan is to add these photos to this blog post, so other’s can see all the diverse ways these doodles can be used.

Finishing Touch…

Using crosses (and such) to accent your art is just as effective as using pillows to accent your drab living room couch. Be patient. Speak to the Lord. Wait on Him. And don’t be surprised when God leads you in a specific direction, in art and in life.