Art journals, junk journals visual journals travel journals bullet journals sketchbooks visual journals scrapbook...These are but a few search terms that can be looked up.
This is not my work but while looking up images, I got distracted and this amazed me:
Its called hyper or photorealism, even more impressive because cutting around the sparrow's head makes it look like it is walking across the page. This is similar to what I draw or paint, but takes an incredible amount of time.
Once I start a painting, I'm in the endorphin flow, everything falls away and it must be completed. Leaving out all of my supplies until the muse strikes did not work and I stopped painting for a while.
I was also getting disenchanted with contemporary art, walking into an exhibit where red string was conceptualized to mean something and there were no new truly creative ideas.
Over a decade ago the library had a display on art journals. I leafed through them and....checked out everything that I could. Page after page of the gaudiest, tackiest, kitschy crap imaginable. Journals with fabric, ribbon, buttons. Colorful untalented scribbles and doodles, Zentangles. Pure visual eye candy. Illustrated poems, photographs. Did I mention tacky? It was fantastic.
We all draw paint and collage as children those who are not artistically inclined stop. When Keri Smiths wreck this journal came out I thought there was no way anyone would buy it. They became bestsellers. Along with it my art MOJO was back. Finally, I had the motivation to sit down 15 minutes a day, incorporate tickets and scrap paper. If I did not feel like drawing, I would lay down gesso on art journal pages to resist all the things I was going to glue on, paint and sketch and use supplies not good enough for professional work. Of course buying all the Japanese art supplies fueled creativity and my motivation to create just for the sake of creating was back. I was having fun again.
There are many names for different methods and different reasons to create them. These are the visual journals of wildlife photographer Peter Beard, who used photographs and negatives he wasn't happy with to write and doodle on.
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| Peter Beards Journals |
Beard also called them a waste of time, underappreciating the therapeutic value of these journals. Taschen published a two volume set, which I bought for inspiration.
I have about 28 journals on the go. Different themes and topics. As life sometimes works I ended up teaching art journaling for goal setting and art therapy. As far as addiction goes this is a healthy one to have.
Any experience with journaling, feel free to share.
If anyone is interested in some of the instructional books, let me know, I'll add them to the post.
This is Danny Gregory. After a tragic event, he started drawing at 40. I like his earlier stuff better. He's a little verbose now.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=F5viqBfh3PQ
Books for inspiration
1000 Artists Journal pages by Sokoff
An illustrated life by Gregory
Field notes in Science and Nature
There are many more depending on interest.
Art MOJO t-shirt slogan, stat! *claps* Yes, please more.
ReplyDeleteMore t-shirts? Are you cricuting?
DeleteHesed House here is having an art journal workshop next month that I think I'm going to sign up for just for fun. I've never really kept a sketchbook. Maybe three or four, never filled a single one. The two before the current one which I am determined to fill no matter how long it takes got soaked in the flood. One had the color pencil sketches I did when I had some down time of river trips. Fortunately I have photos of the undamaged drawings. The other was idea sketches for cast glass. Instead of sketchbooks I have binders of drawings of flowers, birds, foliage, an expanding file of other misc drawings all utilized in my designs for the architectural glass.
ReplyDeleteCodex: I'm going to put up some book recommendations and links in the post.
DeleteTake it but keep in mind that it really depends on the instructors style.
Same with my sketchbooks; but they are meant for studies. Art journal is more play time and basically illustrating your writing. Like I said it's individual. Some just do images, some are coping. It is whatever you need it to be.
I went to an exhibit of Peter Beard's journals when I lived in New York. At least, I think it was his journals. Or maybe it was photographs with journalistic notes and collages included?
ReplyDeleteAt any rate, I've been a lifelong journaler in one form or another so I see a lot of value in it, regardless of methodology.
Codex: I would have expected you to. :) Do you re.ember your impressions?
DeleteI agree that what one uses is irrelevant. I prefer tactile methods to digital.
I have be contemplating art journaling! Just for creative expression. Art is my road not taken. I started out in college as a studio art major and then switched to writing and literature. I have been collecting art supplies for years now, loosely planning to get back to it. I thought I might begin with art journaling. This post inspires me! Thank you.
ReplyDeleteCodex: Do you have a name by which I can address you? That road is never gone. Art journaling incorporates writing; illustrated impressions and so on. ANYTHING! You wish it to be.
DeleteIt’s me, 37paddington, not sure why I registered as anonymous.
DeleteCodex: I had a feeling it might be. At the risk of sounding harsh; if you bemoan the path not taken you'll never start and life will be over before you do. I've seen how you light up with little art projects. The advantage of visual journaling is you simply flip the page if you don't like what you created. It's about the process not the result.
DeleteNot bemoaning it. Just standing at the starting line, leg raised to take the step. Now to allow that foot to make contact with the vast possibilities of new ground. Thanks again for making it more visible.
DeleteCodex: @37 Maybe a little? You're not climbing Everest. I can give you tips. Set up an art corner. Leave the supplies out. It's about you and only you. Get excited about endless possibilities.
DeleteMaybe I'll do a post. Ever tried Washi tape? Fuuuuuuuuun!
Codex:@37. I'm trying to nudge you. I wish I'd started sooner. I have washi tape (not the kids stuff) that has reproduction of composers. Decorated the border. Pasted scraps of sheet music when I used to play the piano. Just one example.
ReplyDelete