Journal #11 wanted to come out to play. Leafing through the pages in search of a few to post, I noticed there were different "kinds" of pages; while they all feel like mine, have that cohesiveness that I used to fear would never come, they certainly have different moods. I think a lot of this has to do with a few key factors:
- location (working, on the couch, in the studio)
- aim (regular page, escape, sketching)
- materials (again, look at location)
And then this idea was born. A way to show you that a journal isn't something you create in a studio, with a singular aim in mind. It is a chronicle of your life, and goes with you on the ups and downs, through the fog, and to the bank. There will be slow days and frenzied days. You will want to discover something or figure things out. So here are a few of the moods found in my journal; I hope they help you out on your own journey.
Check back tomorrow for the other half!
The To-Do List
Need to get things done? Have groceries or errands you need to run? Why not throw your to-do list into your journal?
Whether you carry your journal everywhere with you or keep it in the studio, you're pretty sure to look at it at least once a day. Flipping through the pages, you're sure to see your to-do list now and then, and putting it in your journal makes sure you'll never lose it. And why carry a journal AND notepad when you can combine everything into one important book?
Placing the list in your journal also gives it greater importance; this list won't be thrown away or forgotten....it is there whenever you look back through your pages, through completed journals, constantly reminding you of what you did (or didn't) accomplish. And writing it on a beautiful journal page helps nudge you in the right direction, almost taunting you to get things done!
The Mess
Sometimes, life becomes chaotic, a whirlwind you cannot escape. Trapped in a sandstorm of obligation, daily demands, work, home, and emotion, it can become hard to find your True North. Unable to find yourcompass, you wander through life in a half-alive state, using your hands to feel your way around. It can become completely overwhelming, and your journal may be the only thing your blinded eyes can trust.
Sitting down to figure things out, the chaos may migrate from your mind to the page. Working from instinct, everything's fair game. You grab scraps, paint palettes, fabric, whatever you can reach! Things get ripped, torn apart, randomly scribbled. Colors aren't thought out or "complimentary." An idea that seemed perfect when you beganmay change halfway through. Your internal struggle is reflected on the page.
When you finish, you notice you're stuck in a sandstorm and have a map in front of you to guide you through it. Whereas before, things may have been too confusing, uneasy emotions unexplainable, now, you know where you are, where things are coming from, and how to find your center.
Messy pages are great to look back on, as the chaos is terribly beautiful.
The Sketchbook
Not every page is prepped and ready to go when the urge strikes. Sometimes, you just want to DRAW. Play around. Sketch random things -- girls, monsters, cuteness,your dog. So, you turn to a blank page in your journal, pull out a pen or pencil, and just GO. The page may become cluttered with tiny wings, delicatefaeries , or practiced handwriting. Mine are filled with practiced girl faces and eyes as I try to find my style. While many come out to my satisfaction, they aren't repeatable -- they aren't naturally replicable.
What happens next, though? Do you gesso over it and make a page?
NO!
Tis just another mood of the journal. Here are a few things you can do:
1. I like to color in my images! Use watercolors, crayons, colored pencils....something that helps preserve the original pencil/pen/sketchy nature of the page.
2. Collage around the edges.
3. Write over it.
These unfinished, raw pages are a welcome change from the painted, prepped pages.
The Couch Potato
Ugh. You've worked/run errands/been out all day. The last thing you want to do is sit at your art table and work. Why not gather some supplies and sit down in that night, comfortable chair or -- even better -- snuggle up under a blanket on the couch? The urge to journal doesn't always coincide with your body's ability to sit at a desk with "proper" supplies.
With some pens, scissors, and scraps, it is easy to create an alluring, authentic page over a prepped page. Doodle and write where you'd normally worry about what colors to use, techniques to make your page "right." This kind of journaling can be the most relaxing....comfortable, near others, working while enjoying a movie, your mind can wander farther than normal, going to new places with your creativity.
It doesn't matter what's under the words and doodles, just WHAT you create. Let loose. Take an hour to play with blending or draw mandalas all over the page. This mood of the journal and be combined with The Sketchbook, but is usually more writing-based. There are no even edges, no bright colors. Just words and lines and cut circles while you truly communicate with yourself.