Working on 'Earth'

This has taken me some time to get into but here is the beginning of my 'Cover page' for the Elements Art Journal.

I wanted a lot of texture in this element and I've done this with tissue paper bunched up and glued and covered with gesso.  then I just passed a brush loaded with paint lightly over the high points and brushed into the flat spots.

I also wanted to include 'diamonds' and 'emeralds' to represent the wonder of jewels coming from the minerals of the earth, and some collage images of those things which speak 'Earth' to me.

The semi circle to the top left is where 'Spirit' will be in an egg shape and all the elements are in 4 corners of the complete spread.