Art journalling

[Jade]

I was wondering if anyone else does art journalling? I have mentioned before that "the unexpected gypsy" on YT got me hooked and kick-started me back to art generally. I was always too scared to write a journal for fear of others reading it but she teaches how to get around that and express yourself.

I'm really enjoying it and it's got me being creative again artistically as well as helping me process a lot of hard stuff over the past five or six years and developing chronic pain. I just play and mess around and don't worry about things being pretty or nicely done which is fun! I also get all the "crap" out I need to say, and cover over it or make it into something else. Very empowering.

 

[Artyczar]

Thank you for sharing these. I love them, especially "I am my own safe space."

I do a lot of art journaling. I have a "process" for doing it, though. The writing is almost always stream-of-consciousness. It's whatever comes to my mind--about anything, not just art, but since art is my life, it becomes one of my main subjects that show up.

I fill the page to the end with words, then look for key ideas in those words. That's what I use as prompts to draw. I usually use a ballpoint pen and no erasers. It's not for others to see, but I've shared some of the pages before, especially when they become the premise for a full painting later on. It's very therapeutic, and winds up making me see what I'm all about.

Also, I'm so sorry to hear about your pain. I suffer from chronic pain as well. It sucks. If I didn't have art, I'd be miserable.

 

[Jade]

Thank you & for sharing what you do too, Ayin. I'll have to try that. I journalled a lot a few years ago when going through a tough time and now mostly just mess around and write quotes and use stickers! but it feels affirming and I'll also do a little bit of drawing sometimes. if I have a bad day I'll write it out and then cover over it or make it into something. I'm getting a bit more confident with drawing again so the prompts could work well for emotional processing.

It's hard isn't it? Mines on the milder end but still affects me daily, it's an adjustment. It might be long COVID, it came on in Jan 2021 though ultimately similar to fibromyalgia... I looked up lupus after you mentioned it the other day. That sounds hard.

 

[TK H-H]

Can't say I've tried art journaling. I tried regular journaling several times at the recommendation of psychologists, but I fail every time.

I get annoyed seeing my own words, and also if the journal isn't neat, tidy and organized perfectly. Which isn't even the point, but it stresses me out if it isn't perfect. I wonder if that has anything to do with my being autistic...? Once in a while I find out some weird habit of mine can be attributed to that.

I'm actually supposed to start journaling again (requested by my new psychologist). Though she's giving me very specific prompts to follow instead of just having me "write how I'm feeling". Because I told her I suck at journaling.

Before my first appointment with her, my hubby bought me an art journaling set because he knows I like notebooks to be color coded. It came with all these pretty calligraphy pens that I wasn't sure how to use. Wonder if I should try making the journal a little more artsy. Maybe that'd help make the task more enjoyable? Or make it easier to express certain things?

You've got me thinking, anyways!
Also, something about your little cat with his glasses makes me smile.

I like your process too, Ayin. I'm tempted to try something along those lines. Might help with my journaling tasks, and help inspire some artwork again.

 

[Artyczar]

Okay, I'm going to show one of my process sketchbooks where I use this technique. I am taking a risk by showing these words, but I shouldn't feel ashamed to be vulnerable, right? It's a sad look inside my head, at least some years back. I've been doing this technique since 2012, and it gets a bit easier as time goes on. I also write about having less self-doubt these days.

Anyway, here is an open page of something from 2016. It eventually turned into an oil painting a few years later.

Watch How I Wrangle, 2019. Oil on canvas, 34 x 34 inches.

 

[Jade]

TK H-H - art journalling is the only thing that's worked for me after 50 years! I've always loved journals and pens but buy them and don't use the journals as I don't want to mess them up! A common affliction I'm realising. The YT channel I mentioned just clicked it for me as I thought of it as somewhere to play and mess around. She's a messy artist too which helped lol! Apparently buying a cheap notebook can take the pressure out of it too. good luck and I'll try Ayin's process too. Ps glad you like the

Ayin - thanks again for being so helpful and open and sharing this with us. I'd seen that finished picture and liked it a lot and it's interesting to see the words you wrote and the ones you highlighted. I had a very vivid and meaningful dream last night and I've sketched out something from the resonant points today to make a picture in the way you shared about your journal which I haven't done before so thank you.. I might share that (depending how it comes out lol ). Ps completely identify with what you write about sensitivity.

 

[TK H-H]

I'm like that too. I have several really nice notebooks lying around. I'll write one or two entries. Between "ruining the book" and the above issues, I end up stopping. Sometimes I tear them out so the book is clean again. I have a beautiful space notebook I intended to be a journal. Bought really nice pens for it. Same deal... it has two entries and now it just hangs out. I also don't want to waste it though. Such a silly dilemma to have.

When hubby got me the pen set, he got me a little journal with gold bees on it. We did lots of brainstorming before starting with the new psychologist. So I had a sort of map to help explain how I've been feeling. So it's been started at least. She wants me to continue with that work. So I'm going to try to put some hard effort into really using this one finally. Hubby said he'll help encourage me to use it too. I told him I've failed so many times with journaling before.

Makes me think back to my University days. I was so picky about my notebooks there too. I swear I spent more time making my notebooks perfect than actually paying attention to the content I was writing in them.

This is part of why I've largely given up on sketchbooks too. I get too picky about making the book "presentable" even though it isn't for anyone but me. Now my sketching is mostly done on loose pages to eliminate the perfectionism. Except that just results in lots of loose drawings that I can never find when I want to revisit one. Like that surreal ant drawing I really want to develop further. Still haven't located it. I know it's around somewhere...

Love seeing your process, Ayin. And I totally feel some of what you wrote.
I got thinking about it again last night. I had a bit of a fit about some things... And I've noticed over the years, the more stressed I get, the more I tend to speak in metaphors. I think my brain finds it easier to express things in metaphors rather than direct words. I caught myself after throwing a big one out there, and then I thought about your process of using your writing to develop artwork. And it made me wonder what I'd come up with if I used my own metaphors to develop artworks. I might give it a try. I might start writing down some of those musings and see if I can use them for inspiration later.

 

[Jade]

The dread of the new notebook! So common it seems.. I've always loved stationary but never used it till now! Maybe all those years prepare us for when we do use them... I bought the one I showed here about 2 years ago. I like to think I knew my future / current self had a plan for it...

You're bee notebook from your husband sounds lovely and you're using it. that's the main thing it's good that loose pages work too, it's about getting stuff out, isn't it? but yeh, it's easy to lose stuff! Good luck with it all.

I've just finished the picture about last night's vivid dream. I don't know if it's metaphors like you described TK - HH but I like drawing weird abstract stuff that I know the meaning of (or not). It helps free my brain up from perfectionism or linear thinking. I used Ayin's process to kind of ponder and process the stuff as I drew..

Thank you both x