Lettering

First off, I am so sorry for my absence the first part of the week...we live on the Gulf Coast (Pensacola, Florida) and have been dealing with getting prepared for Hurricane Isaac for days. I’m pretty much back now and will try and be around more in the coming days/weeks.

Once again, I want to say thanks for thinking of me and appreciating what I’m trying to do here. Thanks for your notes of encouragement and concern, too. Your donations and kind words remind me why I wanted to do this little venture in the first place. Welcome to you newbies out there and thanks for finding our little space here.

Now, let’s talk lettering...

I am no different than anyone...I hate my own handwriting. Pretty much detest it about 93.9465% of the time. But there are people out there that send me notes asking how I got my writing to look so good in my art journals. HA! The truth is that most of us don’t like our own handwriting but, like your fingerprints, your handwriting is truly unique to you. If for that reason and no other, use your own handwriting in your art journals.

There are ways to make your own handwriting better or give yourself different ways to letter in your journals, such as...

• Write very slow and deliberate, watching letter size and slant.
• Remember the handwriting example above the blackboard when you were in primary school? (You can print a copy of the primary print alphabet HERE and the primary cursive alphabet HERE for reference.) Use those as examples for your journal writing.
• Find a font that you like and wish you could duplicate it without having to use your printer? Print out the font chart and use it for reference as you write in your art journal.
• Use cut out letters from magazines to “ransom style” letter in your art journals.
• Change the kinds of writing instruments you use...they can change your lettering up tremendously! Try out some calligraphy markers...they make your writing fat and chunky or try out some calligraphy lettering. Fat markers, skinny markers, dip pen and India ink, skewer dipped in paint, gel pens, stamps & ink pads, or even try out a mixture of different instruments all in one art journal entry.
• Be aware of all the different lettering you come across. Be inspired by the journal pages of others that you come across.
• Use rub-ons, stickers, stencils, and stamps to expand your lettering options.
• Add curly-ques to your letters, like in the Curlz font:

• Add dots to your letters, like here:

I guess the best way to change up your lettering would be:

• Experiment, experiment, experiment!!!

I am going to work on a lettering video (now that I’ve found my little video camera and small tripod since the move) and get that ready for you guys tomorrow...it’s just easier to show rather than describe or explain some lettering ideas.

I do hope I’ve given you some ideas here. Just remember you can add to and take away from your letters to change them up. Make them fatter (partially or completely), make them super skinny, use whatever you have at hand to write with...Just play and you might be surprised with what you come up with in your art journals.

Back with more lettering ideas tomorrow...see you all then.

Peace & Love,
Barb

Let’s Journal

I really wanted to have this great post ready for you on Thursday with all kinds of ideas on what to journal about in your art journal...but the unpacking of our new house has gone much slower than I wanted it to go. I have all these awesome ideas in my head but by the time I would fall into bed at night, those ideas would be hidden behind a wall of exhaustion.

What I thought I’d do is to just to plant some ideas in your head on what you can journal about...topics or prompts that can help remove that feeling of blankness that so many of us get when it’s time to do the journaling part of our art journals.

This might even be a good thing to print out and keep in the back of your art journal (with your own ideas jotted on the page, too) so if a blank moment hits you, just pull out your little prompt/idea sheet and get some ideas from there to help you out.

• Write about a good memory...or a bad one. (Remember, art journaling isn’t just about the happy, happy, joy, joy moments in life.)
• Save a favorite quote.
• Write some poetry...or save a poem that is special to you.
• Journal about things or people that you love.
• Make a list...places you’ve been, your bucket list, foods you want to try, the best days of your life, crafts you want to try, pet peeves, books you love, anything! Just list it.
• I remember when...
• Journal a complete song or just some lyrics that mean something to you.
• What makes you happy? Angry? Sad? Melancholy?
• The best advice you’ve ever received?
• Write a letter to your 16 year old self...or your 80 year old self.
• What things are you appreciating today?
• What is your biggest secret? Who have you shared your secret with?
• Who do you trust the most in the world?
• Talk about the last time someone let you down.
• What is the happiest you’ve ever been? The saddest?
• Journal about your surroundings...the room your in, your yard, the park or coffee shop you like to journal in.
• What would you most like to change about yourself? About your significant other? Child(ren)?
• What is your biggest regret? Your biggest fear?
• Who are you envious of and why?
• List some of your favorites (colors, songs, books, flowers, cities, vacations, sports, etc...)

These are just a few of the things that come to my mind when I think about what to journal about in my art journals. But most of the time, I tend to write about those things that are most prevalent in my mind as I am working on the art part of my page/spread.

(This is one of my earlier art journal pages...and it’s one of my favorites, too.)

Just remember, you don’t have to say a lot for it to be deep and meaningful. Like my favorite high school English teacher told me when describing how long a paragraph should be...like a woman’s skirt, long enough to cover the subject and short enough to keep things interesting. lol

Your journals are not a place that you have to make everything pristine and all about what you want others to see. You don’t ever have to share a single page of yours if you don’t want to share them. Of all my art journals, I have probably only shared about 20% of the pages I’ve done. Some things are private and only you can decide what you want to share with others. Don’t create your pages with the idea of what others will think of them...create them according to what YOU think of them, then share as you see fit.

I know that I had said we would be hitting lettering next and I hope I haven’t let you down.  I just felt it was really important to discuss what kind of things there are to journal about before we get to the many, many different ways there are to get your words down on the page. At first, just get the words down in whatever way that feels right at the time. Pen, marker, pencil, stickers, rub-ons...big letters, small ones, printed or cursive...just go with how you’re feeling.

And on Monday we WILL be going into the many ways there are to beautifully letter those wonderful journal pages you are creating.

Thanks to everyone for being so patient with me while I tried to get this move behind us. Taking care of my mother is much more work than I realized it would be, too. We spent 8:15am until 2:20pm at the VA Outpatient Clinic today so see what I mean?

Anyway, I am so very thankful I have this little home here to share with everyone the love I have for art journaling...it is my respite (the art journaling and the sharing with you all.)

So get out there and have a great weekend, everyone...oh, and get lots of journaling in if and/or when you have the time.

Much Peace & Love,
Barb

Overwhelmed

I admit it, I am very easily overwhelmed these days. Since I became sick, it seems that the littlest things can totally knock me for a loop...throw in some big happening and I become a complete basket-case. And most of the time when this happens, I just break down into tears..

That’s what taking on the care of my mother and this move has done to me...it has overwhelmed me totally and completely.

Please know that I am still 100% committed to you, my faithful readers, and to this unique and wonderful place of learning we are creating here. I just see that I’m going to need a little more time to get my sh*t together after our move than I originally thought I would need.

Not only has all of the packing and unpacking been left to me (my husband works 80 hours a week and my mother that just came to live with us is disabled) but I’ve had to deal with an unbelievable amount of other crud (my mother’s VA benefits transfer, my own disability “stuff”, getting our stuff moved, taking her to doctors appointments in the midst of it all, etc. etc.)

I am absolutely craving time alone with my journal and my paints and pens and some music with no one to bother me, no phone to answer, and no appointments to go to...but that may take a few more days. Can you tell why by looking at this picture I snapped of my studio space? And there are tons more supplies, etc. that spilled out into the foyer, too.

I just wanted to let you all know that I have not disappeared or given up on our Art Journaling adventure here, I’ve just got to get myself in a much better place (like a studio space that is unpacked, to say the least!) in order to be able to share effectively with you.

Now, mind you, I am a workhorse when it comes to unpacking...the entire rest of the house (minus family photos and art on the walls) has been unpacked and it’s all in it’s new place. It’s just my studio that I have to focus on now. I need to rest a little but I plan on hitting it hard in the morning and hope to have it in some semblance of order by Wednesday afternoon...cross your fingers...so that I can relax a bit and write a nice long post (with pics) for you guys to wake up to on Thursday morning.

I appreciate your patience and send a HUGE thank you to the three wonderful chicas that took the time to send me sweet notes of, cheer, kindness and appreciation. You ladies give me great reason for wanting to keep on keepin’ on sharing the art journaling love.

Wish me luck and great speed in this unpacking effort...and I’ll do my best to be back with you all on Thursday morning. I’ll even share a pic of my unpacked studio space with you then. :)

Peace & Much Love,
Barb

The Move

I just wanted to let y'all know that I'm up to my eyeballs in boxes and crates with the official move is on tap for tomorrow evening (the hubby couldn't get off to move cause of his butthead, slave-driver boss.)  I had a post all ready for y'all for today (Wednesday) but they shut off the cable/Internet here at the apartment a day early so I couldnt upload it from my laptop. *sigh*

Thank goodness for my iPhone and 3G service or I wouldn't be able to post this one.
Anyway,  I just wanted to check in and let you all know that I will be back with lots more posts full of ideas and answers to your questions no later than Friday.

See y'all then.

Peace & Love,
Barb

Layers upon Layers

Because there are so many ways you can choose to art journal, you may not even decide to put paint on your pages, much less build layers on them. But like I told you before, I am describing my general steps as we go along.

Some pages I do have multiple layers of paint, stamping, grunge techniques, doodling, spray inks, etching, papers and more. Other pages that I do have nothing more than a single layer, usually paint. U just find that my mood often dictates my own layering (or not layering) process.

You will have to decide what processes you like and want to follow in your own journaling. Art journaling, although many of us share our pages, is a very personal form of art (but, then again,  isn’t all art personal?) I can’t emphasize enough to trust your gut as you go about creating the pages in your journals.

So if you are interested in including layering, how does that work?

This is a great video by Samantha Kira Harding that shows her take on layers...

For me, here’s the general steps I do, give or take a step here or there...

• first layer of paint;
• a few drips of paint here
  and there:
  • I rub those in with my fingers,
  • drag it around the page with an old credit card,
  • or smooshed and spread with a brayer;
• next I may use some bubble wrap or *punchinella to stamp or stencil even more paint or, sometimes gesso, on the page/s;
• sometimes I’ll use gel medium to adhere tissue paper/pattern paper or other bits and bobs here or there;
• about now I work my borders and focal images in, either gluing them on, stamping them, painting them, etc;
• add more stamping on the page with *Staz-0n Inks (they don’t smudge or smear) or using paint/gesso with my trusty masks, stencils, bubble wrap or punchinella, etc;
• now I accentuate the borders with doodling, dotting, with my paint pens, shading with Pitt Pens, adding color and shade with my Pan Pastels or water soluble crayons/oil pastels;
• I tend to trace my focal images and borders with my paint pens;
• Now I sit back and look to see if the page is looking like what I want it to look like...if it isn’t, I just keep going with more layers until it feels right. But if it is, I am ready to move on...
• Now its time to get down to a bit of the serious business of the journaling on the page/s...if there really is a serious side to art journaling.  

And that’s what we’ll being starting with tomorrow, journaling.

I encourage you to be conscious and aware of what your page is making you feel, what it is making you think. Maybe you started with a feeling or thought (or quote or lyrics or even clichéd saying) in mind and your page has grown from that. Either way, we’re going to be putting our words into this wonderful page we’re working on.

So, woo hoo!, we’re heading into the home-stretch of the basics. If you’re caught up to this point, you should have a great page or pages taking shape but journaling is a whole ‘nother ball of wax.

Can’t wait to take you there!

See you tomorrow!!!

Peace & Love,
Barb

On the Border

Images are such a huge part of my art journals that I am constantly on the lookout for new ones to add to my stash (hoard?) of images. I am definitely a magazine image kind of girl. But you might not be and that’s okay. There will be times I cover things that won’t necessarily be of use to you.

I encourage you to read through these parts anyway. Something within these “not for me” kind of posts might spark something in you that you’d not come across in any other way. So much of art journaling is intuitive so just let go and trust your imagination and intuition to take you on your art journaling journey.

Test your boundaries, put the limits, step outside of your comfort zone cause that’s where the magic happens.

I want to talk to you about borders.

Something I was told years ago that stuck with me is that every piece of art (and your journals ARE art, don’t forget that) should be framed. Frames = borders so think about how you want to “frame” your pages or spreads.

Some ideas for creating frames for your pages are:

1. clipped images
2. Washi or masking tape
3. Doodles or drawings
4. Papers (scrapbook papers, photocopies of completed art journal pages, dictionary pages, sheet music, copies of photographs, etc)
5. Color (paints, markers, pastels, graphite, pens, etc)
6. Stamping
7. What other ways can you think of to frame your pages and spreads?

Remember this page I shared with you a few days ago:

 

See my framing on it? Two combined borders...darker coloring with my paint AND the lines and dots I drew in that serves to also frames the spread.
Frames and borders serve to make your art look for finished and presentable.

Imagine what this would look like without those two framing aspects....unfinished? boring? lifeless? dull? I’d say it would probably be all of those things in some way.

For those of you that want to use them, I thought I’d share with you some borders that I made for you to use.




Just right click on the above sheet and hit save. Use these images however you want to use them. I made this sheet of borders from my own art journal pages and other artwork. You can do this, too, with any sort of images you have around.

Now you’ve got even more images to work with and more experimenting to try out. Play with all of the different ways of framing your pages...and maybe think up some others I haven’t even thought of, yet.
Slowly your pages are starting to take shape. You’ve gone from the blank page and now you’ve got all sorts of great things going on in your art journal.

Do you think your page needs more layers? more images? more something but you just aren’t quite sure what?

When I'm feeling that way about a particular page or spread, I just keep playing with the different aspects of the page, trying new things. The only thing that says your page is art-filled enough is YOU.

Remember, this is play so keep playing and having fun. Don’t sweat it and just let go!


Oh, and in case you haven’t already noticed it, I’ve added a link button over on the left side that you can grab and post on your own blogs. I’d love ya if you did so we can get even more folks to join us here at Art Journaling II. Spread the word, dear hearts...spread the word. :)

Thanks!

Next on the agenda...building your layers. It’s going to be awesome!!!

Peace & Love,
Barb

More on Images

Happy Monday, y’all. 

I know, Mondays generally suck but hey, now you have the new posts at AJII to look for, right?

Anyway...

I was sorting through the mass of images I have collected over the past few years and realized how hard it was in the beginning for me to get comfortable with what images were good ones to use for me.

I know that this is a concern for new art journalers. 

I have a great suggestion for you...look at the magazines you already have and the ones you read often. You will have to look at these magazines now with different eyes. Faces and hands, big eyes and landscapes, everything is fodder for your journaling. be aware of the images you are drawn to and that catch your eye. Save them, you never know what kind of burst of creative imagination might hit that will have you making use of some of those images.

Now look at some of the journal pages on my Art Journaling Tumblr and be conscious of which pages you are drawn to and which ones you don’t particularly like. This kind of conscious observation (and it’s okay to take notes to help you remember) that will help you to begin your collection of images to use in your art journal.

But what if the pages you like are those done in watercolored, hand-drawn images, or images done in pen or pencil, or maybe in colored pencil? This exercise in observing all different types of art journaling will help you realize just what kind of art you want in your journal. Heck, you might want to mix all of these types together for your own personal style.


In this great page by Michelle Rydell, one simple image was used...just the eyes...but what a great impact they make, huh?

A couple of other things I want to point out in this page...she didn’t see the need to fill every single space with writing. Sometimes what you need to say can be said in just a few words. Also, it is perfectly fine to have pages that are dark and brooding. We often have the need to put these emotions within our art journals...darker colors, and a darker mood are okay. Not everything in life or in art journals is going to be peaches and cream so explore that side of yourself and your life, too.

On the other hand, there are pages like this one from the wonderful Chickadeelove...lots of images, lots of writing/journaling and a bright happy yellow background. It just glows with joy, doesn’t it? That’s great, too. Notice how she cut her images all in the very same shape? It gives a feeling of continuity and makes, even totally differing photos mesh together quite nicely.

It is just endless the things you can do and discover and experiment with in your art journals....colors, shapes, textures, images, collage, drawing, painting, watercoloring, lettering and on and on and on.

What ever you like, whatever style or approach you take to YOUR art journaling, it is the right one.

Most likely, if you’re anything like many of us, you will go through many, many styles before you find your own personal style. It’s been over 5 years and I am continually growing and changing in my own art journaling. 

This kind of self-discovery and growth is a huge part of the entire process of the visual journal. If you are dedicated to the process, you will get so much more out of it than you have ever imagined, not to mention the sheer enjoyment of the creative process.

Where are you finding the images for your collection? Have you thought of somewhere I haven’t mentioned? Do share, please!

Coming up next...layering.

Peace & Love,
Barb

Choosing Images

Hey everyone! I hope that you are looking forward to the weekend as much as I am. We are about to move from our apartment into a big house with lots of rooms and a great screened porch and big yard. Best of all, it has a formal dining room (and we are NOT formal kind of people) that is bright and airy that will be my art studio. I am more excited than you can imagine...and when I'm excited, I always want to get that feeling down in my art journal with colors and images and words. 

Too bad almost all my supplies are already packed. 

I hope everyone is finding lots of time to prep those journal pages and maybe you’ve even found time to start gathering images to use as borders or as focal points.

Here’s the next video to show you some of how I choose images for my art journaling:




Here is a video I mention at the beginning of my video above…this great video is from Teesha Moore:
Don’t you just love how she explains things? I know I do!

I know that Teesha is taking you a little further than I did in my video but that is definitely the direction that we’re headed so soak it all in, y’’all. 

Teesha is a great one to learn from but remember, her method or my method may not be the way you choose to go about your art journaling. If you feel the urge to go off and experiment in your journal with something crazy or wild, do it!…there are absolutely NO MISTAKES! 

So clip away and get yourself a little stash of images started so you have something to work with on Monday when it’s time to really get down to the knitty-gritty of things.

I CAN”T WAIT! And I really hope you can't wait, either.

Before I close, I encourage everyone to ask any questions you might have. I want you to be inquisitive. It might take me a day or two to get answers back to you since we will be in the midst of moving over the next few days. I hope you'll all bear with me.

Now go and enjoy your weekend, play in your journals lots, and I’ll see y’all on Monday!~

Peace & Love,
Barb

A Video & Questions

Just for you guys, a little video covering some of what we’ve talked about so far.


I plan on doing videos regularly to go along with the steps we’re covering here on Art Journaling II. And occasionally I want to have days that I share a video or just answer questions. 
 
Today is that day this week. 
 
I received this question a while back from my wonderful friend, Trece:

She said...
"Please talk more about what to use to journal on prepped pages, especially on pages where we might have used the "watercolor crayons, water soluble oil pastels and even most colored pencils". I'd like to be able to make myself a cheat sheet of what goes with what. Thanks for your hard work on this..."

Thank you so much, Trece…for your question and for your appreciation for what I’m doing here. I am so happy to be able to do this for everyone who wants to learn.
 
The great thing about the way I’m presenting things here is, there’s no deadline, no end point, so anyone can jump in and go from the first post at the beginning, no matter where I might be in posting. Don't feel that you need to follow along each and every day and work at the pace that I'm presenting things. Take your time and work at a pace that feels comfortable for you...you can just go to the next page from where you were last working.
 
Anyway, to answer your question about what to use on watercolor crayons, water soluble oil pastels or most colored pencils…
 
On watercolor crayons and water soluble oil pastels, if you have watered them down with your brush to spread the color out, you won’t have too much trouble using most inks, markers and paint pens. If you haven’t watered them down, they will will clog up your gel pens, ink pens, markers and paint pens. Trust me on this one, I learned it the hard way. 
 
You can use (or try to use) a soft graphite, a water soluble graphite, but the one sure thing that always works for me on these waxy, greasy type of mediums is Faber-Castell Pitt Artist Pens…the brush tipped ones, like these:

When writing/doodling on colored pencils, cheap or expensive alike, those same Pitt Artist Pens will work as well as Sharpie markers and paint pens…just be careful using gel pens or regular ink pens…they will clog and you will have a hard time getting the ink to stick, too.

I hope that helps.

If you need more on this subject, let me know.

Many thanks to everyone who has subscribed already…you’ve given me the incentive to really push forward and make this a great place, packed with all the right kind of information. I know it won’t happen overnight but every day and every post is that much more good stuff for those who want to learn.

Thanks for inspiring me…I hope that I can inspire each of you.

Next we’re tackling…adding images and collage.

Peace & Love,
~Barb~

Beginning

Just to let you all know, I have no end point in sight for our journaling adventure together, I don’t want to be in a rush but I also don’t want to drag my feet, either.

I trust that you guys will let me know if I’m going to slow or too fast, if I'm including too much or not enough. I just want your place here, and this is your place, to be somewhere you come to let go and really immerse yourself in a true learning and growing experience.
 
The real first steps have mainly been covered when you found your journal and gathered your basic supplies. You will find yourself wanting to expand your supply base as you continue to art journal but begin with some of the simple supplies we discussed earlier.
 
Now it’s time to find a comfortable place to work. A place where you can spread your supplies out, get messy and not have to worry about little hands (if you have them around) getting into anything.
It can be the kitchen table, the coffee table, in your craft room or art studio, it can be on a TV tray with your journaling supplies in a box beside you. It just has to be anywhere you feel comfy.

Now that you’re all settled in, let’s do this…
 
Everyone has to start somewhere and the blank page is where it all begins. For every single one of us. I remember the feeling of terror that would wash over me in the beginning when I was faced with the blank page. I beg of you…don’t do that to yourself. It is just paper. Nothing but paper.


The first step for most art journalists is page prep. Think about these things: are your pages thick enough? Do you need/want to *gesso? What the heck is this gesso she keeps mentioning? Altering a book and need to glue pages together? Using thin lined pages that need some extra umph? Just be sure to take care of any of these issues before you move on.

Next step is the background and most of the time, the first step to that is adding color. So, let’s begin by putting some color down on that dreaded blank page…get it over with…you can add color in any way you want. If you have tons of scrapbook paper and want to use some of it as your color base, go for it. Glue it down. Collage different colors and make your page exactly what you want it to be. Don’t be afraid of making a mistake.

Maybe you’re a marker person, by all means, use them to make your pages bright and colorful (or dark and mysterious...go with how you feel.) Or pick 1, 2 or even 3 colors of your craft paint, acrylic paint or break out your watercolors and spread beautiful, wonderful, fabulous color onto your page.
 
There are so many ways to get the paint onto the page. Of course you can use a brush or, if you’re using craft/acrylic paints, spread them around and cover the page using an old credit card or room key card to scrape the paint onto the page. You can use your fingers to spread it around or a sponge to dab and smoosh it all over the page. 
 
Use some colorful inks and drip them onto the page so they splatter everywhere. Make your colors calm and evenly painted or grungy, scrubbed in and messy…it is your journal so it is your choice.
 
Here are two different pages of mine, one calm and the other a little grungy (I love both!)






What other ways can you think of to add color or basically get your blank page from white (or tan) to a point that you’re not so afraid of it anymore…to a point that the colors excite you and make you want to experiment? Colorful in a way that speaks to you and makes you want to tell your story or reminds you of a quote or song lyric that means something to you. Maybe the colors make you think of that day at the beach or the mountains or in the rain.
 
A few words of caution…if you plan on writing in a particular place, I would caution you not to use any wax based colors such as watercolor crayons, water soluble oil pastels and even most colored pencils. These can be hard to write over with most pens and will even clog up sharpie permanent markers and, my favorite, Sharpie Paint Pens. Just be aware of that when adding color to your pages. (There are ways around this and we will get to that down the road a bit.)
 
I love art journaling and realize that when I found it back in 2007, I really found my passion. I have learned not to take things so seriously between the pages of my journals. There really is no such thing as a mistake…just something else to work into that page. 
 
Please don’t let your art journal be a burden or another something to add more stress to your life. Let it be the place that you can come to and unburden your soul, your mind, your energy. 
 
When choosing your colors notice that the colors you choose can speak as to your mood and your inner feelings. I have often noticed that I use reds when I am angry, blues and greens when I’m calm and peaceful, blacks and browns if I am down and depressed, yellows when I’m cheerful or happy.
 
Last note, I hope that you won’t just do one background of color and stop, waiting on our next step…put a color layer of your choice on a few pages or more. Have fun experimenting with color combinations or different mediums…acrylic one page then watercolor on the next then go ahead and try gluing some great papers down on the next page. 
 
For goodness sake, have fun playing. Remember what it was like to be a kid. Just relax and have a good time in YOUR journal.
 
Questions? Please ask…I’m here and I will answer.
 
Up next…the next layer (adding images and collage.)
 
Peace &; Love,
~Barb~

*ges·so [jes-oh] noun,
     1. gypsum or plaster of Paris prepared with glue for use as a surface for painting.

Supplies

Now that you have picked out your journal, it’s time to decide what supplies you’ll begin using in your art journaling. You don’t have to make a forever decision right now but, if you’re new and just getting started, you need to choose what supplies you would like to begin with. 
 
Don’t let the idea of supplies shy you away from beginning to art journal. You don’t have to have a room full of expensive supplies in order to get started (or continue, for that matter.). I began with a Composition notebook and a cheap set of gel pens…and had a ball playing, doodling and journaling with just those for quite a while. 

Some of my favorite art jounalists also use minimal supplies. Andrea Joseph uses a Moleskine journal and ballpoint pens. That’s it. But look what she does with those two little supplies:


Kelly Kilmer, who I adore, uses no paint at all…just papers, images, glue stick, tapes, and her chosen mark making tools which, I believe, are generally pens. Look how beautiful:

See what I mean? Two beautiful art journal spreads by two different art journalists using totally different sets of tools. You will find your style, too.
 
So the bare minimum that you will need is your journal of choice and some kind of mark making tool(s.) That is the absolute basic must-haves to begin. Most art journalists like to add pictures of some sort to their pages. They can be clipped from magazines, the most popular place for images, or they can be printed on your printer (be careful cause some inks run,) or you may want to sketch, doodle, paint or watercolor your images.
 
Just know that however you choose to go is PERFECT.
 
I want to let you know right now that there is not one correct way to art journal. There are thousands of right ways to do it. However YOU decide to make your journal your own is the right way for you at this point in time so don’t sweat the details. This is supposed to be fun. not something else in life to add stress in your life. I find it to be something that removes stress and relaxes me.
 
Back to supplies. 

To make it easier, How about I make a list (with comments)…I love lists. Oh, and besides the first two, the others are ALL at your discretion…choose what you like and leave out what you don’t like.

• Journal of your choice (see this post: Choosing a Journal)
• Mark making tools. This can include any (or all) of these: pens, gel pens, ball point pens, fountain pens, any and all kinds of pens. Markers, sharpies, paint pens, calligraphy pens, charcoal, pencil, graphite,…anything that you can make your mark (journal) with is good. What are you comfortable with?
• Images, magazine clippings, computer printouts, personal photos, copies of photos, your own art or copies of it, junk mail, fliers, take-out menus, weekly coupon inserts, and anywhere else you can think of to obtain images.
• Ephemera-I had never heard this word until I started in mixed media art. Ephemera is basically scraps from your everyday life. The definition from dictionary.com is: items designed to be useful or important for only a short time, especially pamphlets, notices, tickets, etc. So just start saving and collecting things from your life that you find interesting.
• Adhesive…you can take your pick of how you want to stick your images and/or ephemera to the page. There are glue sticks, tape, staples, glue (beware, some kinds can wrinkle your images and paper), gel medium. adhesive runners, glue dots.
• Paint (if you decide to add paint), including craft paints, acrylics, watercolors, tempera paints, gouache, casein, spray paint, or pastels.
• Color – There are other ways to add color besides paint. Such as beautiful papers, cardstock, colored pencils, watercolor pencils, inks, pastels, watercolor crayons, regular crayons, gesso, spray inks, gelatos, fabric, ribbon, colored masking or washi tapes. Use your imagination and see what other ways to add color you can think of?
• Extras – This list could get long so I’m just going to name a few for now. Stencils, stamps, masks, paper scraps, rub-ons, chipboard letters or other elements, buttons, charms, stickers, yarn, embroidery floss, beads, words/letters cut from magazines, flowers, sequins, stick on jewels, ribbon, tapes (washi, masking, etc.), there really is no end to the things you can use in your journal. Use what speaks to your soul.

I hope that I haven’t overwhelmed anyone, Just keep in mind that you don’t have to use all of the things I have listed. This is an all encompassing list that you can refer back to over time. Print it out and stick it in your wallet so you'll have it if/when you find yourself wanting some new supplies.
 
My suggested supplies for a beginner would be: your journal, a few gel pens, a little stash of images to use, and a glue stick….also, if you’re going to use paint, grab some 2/$1.00 craft paints to use in the beginning and some cheap brushes. 
If you think of things I’ve forgotten to list, let me know so I can add it in (and I’ll give you credit for it, too.)
 
Tomorrow we will be getting started and taking on the blank page so be sure and come back then. 
 
Oh, and I do hope you’ll spread the word about Art Journaling II so that others can learn along with us. Thanks!
 
Peace & Love,
~Barb~

Your Journal

First things first...
In order to Art Journal, you must first have a journal or, at least, some type of paper on which you can journal. If you are new to art journaling and you have looked around the internet or your local bookstore, you may be quite overwhelmed with your choices. So lets cover some of the more popular choices...

• Moleskine (or similar) bound journal- these come in different paper types...thin, writing type paper can be found in the ruled, squared, plain styles so if you plan to use wet media (paint, watercolors, inks, sprays, etc.), these wouldn't be your best bet. If one of them is what you already have, go with it (we'll cover how to thicken up those pages later on.) Moleskine also has the sketchbook and watercolor journals. Both are great choices for wet media with no real prep-work. (The Moleskine sketchbook is one of the first art journals I used.)

• Handmade Journal- depending on the type of paper, these can be a great choice. (*See paper types under the Moleskine journals.) Also, the binding of your handmade journal is something to consider...copic bound and comb/spiral bound journals will lay flat while you work in them. Others bound in different ways may not be as easy to work in if they constantly pop-up or have to be held open.
• Loose pages- Some of my favorite art journalists use loose pages and bind them later (check out Roben-Marie Smith.) This can be a great option, if you are sure you can keep them together. You can choose the paper type (watercolor paper, cardstock or even file folders which hold up great for journaling) which is a huge plus. 
• Composition notebooks- this is what my first art journal was. The paper in these is regular notebook paper so it's thin and won't hold any wet media on it's own. You can gesso/glue 3-5 pages together and then gesso the thicker ones in order to get them to stand up to wet applications. Not a horrible choice but definitely one that will take more time and work.
• Altering an old Book- this is probably one of the cheapest ways to art journal. It will to make your art journal a really individual journal of your art and your life. Hard back books are really cheap at thrift stores and your library book store. As with Composition notebooks, you can gesso/glue 3-5 pages together and then gesso the thicker ones in order to get them to stand up to wet applications.
• Etc.- Some of the less thought of art journal ideas are: index cards, rolodexes, calendars and datebooks. You may think of some place to journal that I haven't covered and that's awesome. Go with it. You are only limited by your own imagination                                                    (img from A Colorful Journey)

Choosing your art journaling canvas is a very personal thing. Look at what type of art journaling you plan on trying out in/on your journal choice. You'll need thicker paper if you want to use the wetter media but if you're planning to only use pencil, charcoal, colored pencil, pastels, thinner paper will be just fine for you.
 
If you don't know what you'll be using because you're just getting started, my suggestion is to use a thicker paper...that way you're prepared, no matter what.
 
If cost is a limitation (as it is for so many of us these days), use what you have already. You can make anything work, I promise. If you need help making what you have work, leave a comment and I will give you suggestions and ideas.
 
The size of your journal is also something to consider. Do you like the idea of large pages that you can fill with lots of stuff and lots of journaling?  Is a tiny place more your style? Do you not really have an idea of what you want? If you are a bit confused or unsure of what size journal you want, my suggestion is to go with a middle size, 5"x7" or so...not so big it's overwhelming and not so small that you feel constrained.
 
Questions? Comments? Suggestions? Be sure to leave a comment. Your comments are the best feedback there is...and it will let me know if I'm covering everything you want/need to know. 

Thanks!
 
Now, go find your journal.
 
Next up we'll be talking supplies!
 
Peace & Love,
~Barb~

I meant to tell you...

Since I am making this blog/class my work or my job, as it may be, my posting schedule will be Monday through Friday, generally in the mornings between 9am and noon, US Central time.

So be sure to check back tomorrow morning where we’ll be discussing how to choose the right type of journal for you to art journal in.

Stick with me and you’ll soon have a nice big stack of art journals like the ones in the photo.
                                  (photo © Quinn McDonald)

Hope to see you then.

Peace & Love,
Barb

So You Wanna Learn to Art Journal?

Hi.
I'm so glad you found your way here...or back here, as the case may be.
 
I had attempted to begin this very blog last year but life got completely crazy, my health went to hell in a handbasket, and I just couldn’t find the time or energy to devote to making this the awesome kind of learning space that it deserves to be...that you all deserve to learn from.
 
But here I go again. Life is just about to settle down tremendously and I am rededicating myself to making Art Journaling II the very place I envisioned in the first place.
 
If you’re here then you must already have an interest in Art Journaling…maybe it’s just that little itch that tells you how much you would like to be able to try your hand at doing your own art journaling. If only there was some place that would teach you how to get started art journaling without having to pay big bucks?
 
If that sounds like something you’ve thought before, then you are in the right place!
 
Maybe you have been art journaling in one form or another for years and would just like to add to your repertoire of techniques and ideas or maybe just see a fresh side of the same ol’ thing. 

 Sound familiar? Then you’re in the right place, too.
 
What I envision here is an ongoing learning place that will cover art journaling from complete beginner to old pro. A perpetual workshop, I guess…and I believe it is the first of it’s kind, too.
 
Another thing that will make this class/workshop/blog different from most is the cost…pay-what-you-can, when-you-can.  
 
Seriously.
 
Donate what you can, whenever you can…do understand I’m not saying this workshop is FREE, I just that I trust everyone to pay what they can. I won’t be offering any new workshops for a long time so this and the few things I throw up for sale here and there will be my only sources of income. Just so you know.
 
I also want to make sure that your questions are answered so don’t be shy, send them to me or leave them in a comment. Nothing is too elementary to ask…I want you to get as much as possible out of Art Journaling II.
 
Whew.
 
I guess that kinda sums up where we’re heading with Art Journaling II…I do hope you’ll be coming along on this journey with me. Be sure to tell your friends, too…the more the merrier, right?
 
Time to get down to business…
 
Peace & Love,
~Barb~