I love using patterned papers for backgrounds when I am doing pages with photos. I also love very artsy/mixed media backgrounds. If I don't use a patterned paper or something artsy then I go with something like this paper pack. I'm guessing this is what everyone is calling a semi-solid...

Love the angles and the way you used the gesso. Great page!

Wonderful art journal page! You did a great job pulling so many different pieces together.

Beautiful page! Wonderful clustering. Such a great, springy feel.

Wonderful art journal page! Love the colors, great element choices and I love the art doll.

Here is mine.

I used two of my own photos. At the bottom is a photo of the sand from a local beach. I added a white layer mask to the photo and then used a black to transparent gradient on the layer mask to blend the photo and use only the portion I wanted. The blend mode was then changed to darker color...

You always create such great art journal pages! Love your use of the botanicals with the art doll. Thank you for playing!

Such a beautiful page! Love how you used all the flowers! Thank you for playing!

I absolutely love all the flowers combined with the butterflies! Such a great page! Congrats on the Standing O. Thank you for playing!

What a great page! Love all the flowers and that almost hidden face. Thank you for playing.

I am in love with all of y'all's botany pages!

Oh my word y'all. How am I just discovering the little slider at the bottom of the brushes window in PS CC that makes the previews larger? I am so happy. I will be using ABR files even more. BTW, I install my ABR files by just double clicking on them in Windows Explorer.

@faerywings Yes, it's all about the brushes and the blending. Can you scrap without those? lol

Blending modes. I use them so much I feel like I need to point out if I don't. lol

I love artsy pocket templates. Not only are they great for regular pocket scrapping but they are great for art journaling too.

I also like abr brush files. So I guess I'm on the weird side with you. I do wish you could get bigger previews in Photoshop. I would probably love them even more if I had larger previews.

Paint, gesso, foliage, flowers, birds, butterflies, ephemera, buttons. Maybe I just love all the things. lol

Beautiful art journal page. Love your combination of paints and elements.

Beautiful page! Love the masked photo with the text layer behind it.