A look into visual journaling

Article By Alice

Its the last few days of May- which has flown by- I hope the sun keeps shining! And its been busy as usual! So far this month my creative plans have gone a long way, and I’m very pleased. I’ve been learning about Drama and preparing for the Arts award, as well as doing a short course on Indian Head Massage and of course, crafting too!

In any spare moments I’ve got out my sketch paper (I’ve finally got a new notebook!) and pencil and drawn what has been on my mind and also whats right in front of me! To help you understand I will answer the next question.

I’m creating the inside cover of my journal folder

Keeping a visual journal can also be called an Art Journal, some might prefer that name. Basically, its a bit like this; everybody has heard of a journal/ diary and most properly written in one too. Writing is good, to get it out of your head and off your chest but the only downside is that when you flick back, all you will see is the good mixed with bad and more bad.

Whereas visual journaling is about keeping a book and recording life’s experiences and emotions- the creative way. What ever your mood, you can express yourself artistically. So one day you might, draw a picture or yourself, or collage the most recent news along with magazine cuttings, add paint or colored paper or maybe just stick a picture of you and a friend and write words around it.

The point is, make your page into something you’ll enjoy doing and it will make you smile afterwards too. Another thing to remember is that work in your notebook is totally yours, think about it, you’re the only one thats going to fully understand it. So there can be no judgments, ridicule or questioning from anybody because the work is, just yours.

Its up to you to decide whether you want to keep it totally private or, like many, post it on the Internet for everyone to see. Ive decided to do just that, for one month only, as you become strangely proud of whats been created on paper and I wanted to display on the big screen, my efforts!

‘I just want to dance’

This is pretty self explanatory, but I dance in the kitchen to songs on the radio a lot and I love to dance although I don’t go clubbing.

So this picture along with song lyrics I made up says it doesn’t matter if I were at a club, as its the music that I’m there for.

‘Life is now/ Jordan’

A bout a week ago or so, I started reading The Power of Now- which is fantastic and easy to digest, during that time a top celebrity couple split. So I combined the feeling the book was giving me at the time and the shock of a break up and came up with this.

‘I love fashion’

I wrote a poem down, just by accident, as I was sad one morning about not being able to afford any new clothes for a long while (usually the case) and knew with a few pictures and a lot of color, I could make it really work!

Also, staying in the same line as drawing, lunch breaks can sometimes be boring. Especially if you work full time, but what I try and do is don’t look at it as an hour to flick through magazines you’ve read a million times counting down the hours and minutes till you finish and can go to bed, use it well.

I work in town, I like variety; window shopping, going to the library or buying sweet treats, I also read, and my new happy thing, drawing. I bought a special book just for it and named it “My everyday ART”.

Introduction page to ‘My everyday Art’

I usually find something I like, even if its a bit boring like a flower bed, and if it is really boring and normal looking then I play around with it with humor and color. Sketch it then add the finishing touches and color in when I’m home.

‘Luncj by the fountain’

This was the first thing I drew and have yet to do another for my new book. I didn’t purposely choose the hardest thing to draw, I just like sitting by the fountain when its sunny, not many people understand why, I just appreciate having something to look at and it reminds me of holidays. Im thinking about feeding the pigeons soon and drawing them, funny birds!

‘Car cartoon’

I did some drawing on the way to the Lake District, it was a long drive. I usually write To Do notes and story ideas in the car but this time I brought my pencil and paper.

This picture turned into a cartoon, as what I could of drawn, the inside of the car, wouldn’t have been gripping stuff. We were sat in a hot baking car, looking out onto a clear blue sunny day, driving from Bracknell to Seathwait, Lake District. Our first real journey up North- a whole 308 miles!

In the picture, Mr.C (the driver, always) is driving along with me by his side, in the heat. You know, that kind of frustrating stuffy not - going - away - I need fresh air- kind of heat! And were listening to some music, Scooter actually; the words in the middle are quotes from their electrifying trance tracks.

So me and Mr.C are driving along, taking in the green scenery, thinking abut camping, getting hotter and hungrier, when.. Omigod oh no… how the… How did THAT happen? So the steering wheels off….what next?

Obviously that didn’t actually happen, just thought it up from old comical movies. I had fun drawing that.

‘Sat by the flowers’

This one is an obvious one, I was sat on a bench and decided to draw some flowers. I walk past those flowers on my way to and from work each day so they are significant in my everyday.

‘Hot Chocolate

I scraped together some coins and went to the new Costa in town and ordered a hot chocolate. Not only was it delicious and I felt so grown up slurping up the chocolate goodness but it also meant I had something new to sketch!

This month has been a bit crazy, my craft room is tidy for about…. a day? One ongoing project was making tutus for a charity event which I will show you in the June blog, its going to be a good one!

Links

There are so many sites for visual journaling, search it in Flickr and You Tube to see what kind of pages other people produce.

http://www.gatewayworkshops.com -Ever wanted to learn a complimentary therapy? Gateway offers day courses for almost affordable prices, I met some great people and will soon be qualified in Indian Head Massage!

http://v-g.me.uk/ - This month we went camping and whenever were planning a trip to the green hills in the countryside we’ve always visited this site, as the routes are detailed, the pictures enticing and it always inspired us to get in the car, pack our rucksacks and take our tent.

This month in pictures….

Penguins plodding along at Marwell Zoo