How to Use an Art Journal
Choose a journal or sketchbook, or make one., Make the journal your own., Start putting stuff in it., Try new techniques in your journal., Think of something that happened during your day which made you happy or angry., Turn off the filters and the...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Choose a journal or sketchbook
You can get an inexpensive notebook and just concentrate on the content of the book, or a fancier blank book if you're more serious.
Check out the stationery department of your favorite store or an art shop.
Don't get anything too fancy if you're just beginning drawing. "Too fancy" is anything that makes you feel guilty about writing in it, or worry that you might mess up and ruin the journal.
On the other hand, if you prefer to draw or paint, choose a paper quality, texture, and thickness that are suitable for your preferred medium.
There are pocket journals, for when inspiration hits, or for when something happens and you must draw it right away.
Choose the paper size you prefer.
There are suitable books of normal size paper, poster size, and miniature size.
Check whether the book you choose will stay open by itself.
It's no fun to try to draw or write when the book is flopping closed under you.
Some people prefer spiral bound sketchbooks because they lay flat.
Others dislike them because the spiral gets in the way when they draw.
This is completely a personal preference thing, so choose what works best for you.
Notice what's involved in getting a page out of your chosen book, especially if you think you might ever want to take a work out and display it. -
Step 2: or make one.
At the very least, lay claim to it by writing your name (phone number is good, too, in case you misplace it) in it or on it.
You could also decorate the cover, recover it, add color, or attach interesting objects to it. , Don't spend too long worrying about exactly what to do.
Just start doodling or doing whatever's on your mind.
You may find that some of your best work happens almost accidentally.
Leave the first page blank if you're not sure you can draw well enough yet, or if you'd like to make an index as you go.
If you do the first page last, your art skills will have improved by the finish and you'll give it a gorgeous introduction.
Choose a middle or back page and chart your paints, pens and other art supplies.
One function of an art journal is to learn what your supplies can do.
Starting at the back with color charts and mixing tests makes them easy to find for reference later. , Feel free to try out techniques you see in art videos, online articles and magazines.
That's part of the fun of having an art journal.
Write down your thoughts about the experiment, this will make the page a mini-article about what happens if you mingle poured watercolors or if you use glitter glue instead of putting down glue and shaking glitter over it.
These texts about the process are fun to read and the next time you want to use those materials, you can look for inspiration right in your journal. , One of the main points of an art journal is to vent emotions and opinions in a healthy way.
You can put down things that happened in your life you can't talk about, things that make you laugh, sketches of funny outfits you saw
- anything, really.
Treat it like a real diary if you want, or simply use it to collect your works and practice.
The whole point is that the journal is for you, by you, and its contents are completely up to you.
Try reflecting on other art and design you see, especially if it makes an impression on you or grabs your attention.
You can draw or create your impression, or just write about it.
Create in your journal frequently.
It's good practice if you're learning new techniques or perfecting old ones, and it helps to keep you in that frame of mind.. , Don't hesitate to experiment in it or make mistakes.
This is your journal.
Put in it what you want.
If that's strictly drawings, fine.
If that's a mixture of drawings, paintings, writing, collage, and pasted-in prints of your favorite photographs, that's fine, too.
Doodle aimlessly on a few pages or try out a new medium or technique.
Your artistic journey might not even happen all in one book. , Perhaps you made what you thought was a funny joke during school or at work, but no one laughed.
You can draw that many different ways.
You can draw it like a comic book, complete with the joke and the awkward silence where no one laughed, just one picture with the punchline that didn't work.
Or you can split the page into halves or fourths with the key points of what happened.
It doesn't matter, so long as you create your impression of it. , You might find new inspiration in old pieces, things to try drawing again or varying, or simply memories.
You may also see a pattern of your work progressing through different interests and moods, or of your techniques evolving and improving. -
Step 3: Make the journal your own.
-
Step 4: Start putting stuff in it.
-
Step 5: Try new techniques in your journal.
-
Step 6: Think of something that happened during your day which made you happy or angry.
-
Step 7: Turn off the filters and the inner critic.
-
Step 8: Put your ideas on paper as soon as they form
-
Step 9: or as soon as you can.
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Step 10: Review your older entries occasionally.
Detailed Guide
You can get an inexpensive notebook and just concentrate on the content of the book, or a fancier blank book if you're more serious.
Check out the stationery department of your favorite store or an art shop.
Don't get anything too fancy if you're just beginning drawing. "Too fancy" is anything that makes you feel guilty about writing in it, or worry that you might mess up and ruin the journal.
On the other hand, if you prefer to draw or paint, choose a paper quality, texture, and thickness that are suitable for your preferred medium.
There are pocket journals, for when inspiration hits, or for when something happens and you must draw it right away.
Choose the paper size you prefer.
There are suitable books of normal size paper, poster size, and miniature size.
Check whether the book you choose will stay open by itself.
It's no fun to try to draw or write when the book is flopping closed under you.
Some people prefer spiral bound sketchbooks because they lay flat.
Others dislike them because the spiral gets in the way when they draw.
This is completely a personal preference thing, so choose what works best for you.
Notice what's involved in getting a page out of your chosen book, especially if you think you might ever want to take a work out and display it.
At the very least, lay claim to it by writing your name (phone number is good, too, in case you misplace it) in it or on it.
You could also decorate the cover, recover it, add color, or attach interesting objects to it. , Don't spend too long worrying about exactly what to do.
Just start doodling or doing whatever's on your mind.
You may find that some of your best work happens almost accidentally.
Leave the first page blank if you're not sure you can draw well enough yet, or if you'd like to make an index as you go.
If you do the first page last, your art skills will have improved by the finish and you'll give it a gorgeous introduction.
Choose a middle or back page and chart your paints, pens and other art supplies.
One function of an art journal is to learn what your supplies can do.
Starting at the back with color charts and mixing tests makes them easy to find for reference later. , Feel free to try out techniques you see in art videos, online articles and magazines.
That's part of the fun of having an art journal.
Write down your thoughts about the experiment, this will make the page a mini-article about what happens if you mingle poured watercolors or if you use glitter glue instead of putting down glue and shaking glitter over it.
These texts about the process are fun to read and the next time you want to use those materials, you can look for inspiration right in your journal. , One of the main points of an art journal is to vent emotions and opinions in a healthy way.
You can put down things that happened in your life you can't talk about, things that make you laugh, sketches of funny outfits you saw
- anything, really.
Treat it like a real diary if you want, or simply use it to collect your works and practice.
The whole point is that the journal is for you, by you, and its contents are completely up to you.
Try reflecting on other art and design you see, especially if it makes an impression on you or grabs your attention.
You can draw or create your impression, or just write about it.
Create in your journal frequently.
It's good practice if you're learning new techniques or perfecting old ones, and it helps to keep you in that frame of mind.. , Don't hesitate to experiment in it or make mistakes.
This is your journal.
Put in it what you want.
If that's strictly drawings, fine.
If that's a mixture of drawings, paintings, writing, collage, and pasted-in prints of your favorite photographs, that's fine, too.
Doodle aimlessly on a few pages or try out a new medium or technique.
Your artistic journey might not even happen all in one book. , Perhaps you made what you thought was a funny joke during school or at work, but no one laughed.
You can draw that many different ways.
You can draw it like a comic book, complete with the joke and the awkward silence where no one laughed, just one picture with the punchline that didn't work.
Or you can split the page into halves or fourths with the key points of what happened.
It doesn't matter, so long as you create your impression of it. , You might find new inspiration in old pieces, things to try drawing again or varying, or simply memories.
You may also see a pattern of your work progressing through different interests and moods, or of your techniques evolving and improving.
About the Author
Ann Lee
Committed to making creative arts accessible and understandable for everyone.
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