Achtung! Zerbrechlich! - a Selfie and an Art Journal Page

Today the new challenge over at "More than Words" inspired me to step out of my comfort zone and create this journal page:

If you wonder what exactly it is that is out of my comfort zone on this page - yes, it's the selfie!

I hate being photographed, I hate looking at photographs with me on them and I can always feel myself putting on a kind of terrified look when being photographed (which leads to only more results that make me hate being photographed of course).... so when I read that this month's challenge over at More than Words is to take a selfie, use it on a layout, canvas or journal page and be inspired by the word "personality", I decided to be brave this time. Just to see if maybe I could come up with an image of myself that I can live with.....well, at least I dare show it in public. That is more than I actually had expected. lol

I look a bit fierce (as my dear friend Louise already stated and by doing so nailed it ;) - but, hey - I can be fierce at times and if necessary (which especially helped keeping pupils under control ;) - but on the other side I am a rather shy, thoughtful (see those wrinkles on my forehead?) and quiet person...if nothing forces me to act differently and more...well...fierce. ;)

So there I have already told you something about my personality - and I really tried to capture a side of me that isn't visible at first sight in that photograph (and that maybe also gets more and more lost while growing older (note to self: be more fierce now and then! You've still got it!)).


 I had a wonderful time at my studio desk creating this journal page and I think my personality also shows in the colours I used, the love for earthy and grungy tones and styles, the layering I did and the fact that the word "Achtung" (=Watch out!) below my portrait is as misleading at a first glance as is my fierce look.
There's an arrow leading to the second important word on my page - "zerbrechlich" (which is German for "fragile") - and if you connect the two the message becomes whole.

The figure with the wide mouth and big teeth doesn't have a certain meaning - I saw this wonderful stamp and fell in love with it immediately. I guess it was because the character and style it is done in have something mysterious or magical about them...why is he carrying a briefcase? Are these third and second rows of theeth? Is he going to swallow me? Or someone else? In a way he is scary and beautiful at the same time. Which is something really fascinating to me. 
I love it when images evoke questions or stories and create mixed emotions or have a bit of a riddle in them. So I guess that was the reason why he had to go on my "personality" journal page too.

Another typical and important thing for me is texture. I love and have to touch and feel things and always have to create texture that can be touched and felt - like the bark of trees or rough rock surfaces.

And layering is important too. Like the layers on this page that overlap those underneath and hide part of them some of my behaviour patterns overlap others that only become visible when being forced to the surface. We never are able to "see" all there is to an opposite at just one look or in a single situation.

So maybe this is my most personal journal page I have done so far. It definitely is my most personal selfie I have ever shared! I hope I haven't been too fierce...lol!

Hugs and fierceful crafting!

Claudia

xxx

I enter this journal page to: