Resources for Digital Art Journaling | Designers: Amanda @ OTBDS [CLOSED, RETIRED]

[I'm planning a series of posts on resources for digital art journalers and collage artists, beginning with digital designers who focus on art journaling. I'm linking to designer blogs or Facebook pages, rather than (or in addiition to) shops, since designers sometimes move shops, and often do guest spots at shops other than their own.] 

Amanda is the artist behind Outside The Box Design Studio. This is what she says about herself:

As a designer, I incorporate my brush-in-hand paintings, clay accents, and handmade elements to give my kits a truly original feel. I love the challenge of working with new products and mediums. I have had a great time of it! As an artist, I just have to have my hands into something more than a mouse! I am also into Hybrid arts.

Amanda has traveled and lived all over the world, and this is reflected in her kits (Asian Persuasion, I Dream of Mexico/Sueño de México, I Dream of Africa, I Dream Of India, Batik Chic – all at GoDigitalScrapbooking.com.) Many of her kits have an international flavor, even those that aren't destination specific. 

Amanda describes her style like this:

I love exploring all styles, but my true love is a shabby, fantasy: bright and bold, or vintage inspired style. I love the layered look and being able to incorporate things from real life into my projects. I especially enjoy stretching a product, whether it be digital or paper to be used “outside of the box”.

Her style is greatly influenced by her faith, though one need not share her faith to feel caught by her images (witness: me.) She says:

My greatest passion in terms of design is creating Faith booking/journaling kits that facilitate a person’s full expression of life—not just the highs, but the lows and the in-betweens. The walkway of faith is paved with adversity, and turning points. I want to bring forth materials that reflect that fact.

. . . and I think she does that very successfully. This year she began an online art journaling course, ARTchaeology of the Soul, which provides prompts, lessons, links, and kits unique to Amanda. I came in late to this, and have been enjoying it very much. Something about it pushes me to . . . step outside my box. This is the kit that comes with the course:

ARTchaeology of the Soul Member Mega

Here are a few of my other favorite OTBDS kits: 

 Yada Yada-No Critics Allowed

 The Call Art Journal Kit

Transitions the Kit

 I have been on Amanda's Creative Team since late April of this year, and loving it. Here are a few of my pages made with OTBDS images: 

 

www.flickr.com sbpoet's OTBDS - Outside The Box Design Studio photoset