I have a bunch of sketchbooks/art journals laying around that I had been sporadically
working in.
I get very excited every March when Karen Abend starts up Sketchbook Revival and I work away each day, discovering new ways to journal and sketch, and discovering wonderful artists, crafters and writers. But when March is over, I go back to only getting out my books just every once in a while. I've decided to change that and start a "Regular Art Journal Practice."
That doesn't mean that I will be slavishly producing something wonderful every day. Some days I work at something quite intricate and intense, other days I will just cover a page with leftover paint from my palette! Other days I won't do anything at all. But it's not long before I get back into a sketchbook.
I thought I'd share a few pages with you and how I came to make them. Many are inspired by prompts or demos by other artists that I admire, some come from books or prompt cards that I own. Some just happen spontaneously.
Here's a couple I did using a Creative Strength Training prompt card. My favourite one is to cut an every day object from a magazine, paste it into my journal, then use markers to draw into (or out of) the object so that it is turned into something new. I have a lot of fun with these!
I was inspired by a of couple artists in Sketchbook Revival 2021 and 2022 who use words and art to make inspiring and uplifting pages. I was really drawn to Jessica Swift's whimsical style, and also affirmations by Miriam Schulman. Here are a few favourites in my journals.
Sometimes I practice techniques inspired by artists that I admire. The floral improv is inspired by wonderful artist and friend Lauren Everett Finn. The trees were done following a video by cool artist and teacher Robert Burridge.
During the COVID lockdowns, Kimberly Santini shared her journal practice via live Facebook feeds called Journal Through It. I enjoyed many of these and this piece was inspired by one of them.
These pages were pretty spontaneous. I sometimes just use the colours of the page to inspire me, as with the yellow and purple page. I had used leftover paint to cover it, then days or weeks later used it as the base for my ideas. Other times, I may use collage paper to cover up a page I don't like! That's where "Hello" came from. I've used stickers, pieces from greeting cards, and random words cut out of the paper on the page, "Imagine".
I use all kinds of books for my journals. I have a regular store-bought sketchbook, several that I've made myself, and a repurposed book that I got at a yard sale that was an old book about arts and crafts. These two pieces are from that book. Sometimes I cover the text and pictures completely with paint, other times I let some of the text and pictures show through.
Do you have a regular sketchbook or art journal practice? Leave a comment and let me know what kind of art you put in your journal. Let's start a regular journal practice together!
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