My First Art Journal: 2021

heatherkaystanfield
Dec 17, 2021
4 min read

Updated: 7 days ago

I've always wanted to keep an art journal -- I even tried once or twice, but never got into the habit of it. Finally, I dedicated myself to one journal and managed to complete it.

My art journal was very intuitive. It wasn't a technical journal where I keep studies and practiced techniques. This journal was much more loose and free-flowing; a way to express my innermost thoughts and feelings in art form. Unlike my more structured work, this was very personal and expressive.

It was also spontaneous. I did not create in my art journal daily, or have a set number of pages to complete on a schedule. I set aside this journal to be a specific tool for times when I felt overwhelming emotion or a desire to create without expectation. I used it when I wanted to make something new, but didn't want to care if it looked good in the end.

Art Journaling for Experimentation

I started out the journal by experimenting with gouache paint. I had never tried them before, and I have definitely discovered a new love! I used this journal to begin experimenting with a brand new medium, without worrying whether I had the proper technique down.

Too physically sensitive for oil paint and impatient with watercolor, I've always turned to quick-drying acrylics. Gouache was the perfect in-between medium - a great way for an acrylic painter to learn watercolor. Depending on the amount of water you use, it acts similar to watercolors or acrylic. The nature of the material does not elicit a negative physical reaction, and it's easy to manage and clean up.

After painting the background with gouache, I wrote in my journal. I wrote my thoughts, song lyrics, quotes...anything that matched the emotion I was feeling at the time of creation. I even went outside my comfort zone and added other materials, like glitter and rose petals. However, since this was my first art journal and introductory experience to mixed media, I did not think to seal the final pages. This has caused quite a mess (think: glitter falling everywhere), so I definitely recommend using a fixative spray or lightweight varnish to avoid this problem.

Mixed Media Art Journaling

Throughout the journaling process I used whatever medium and process I felt would convey my inner message most clearly. I fingerpainted, collaged, doodled, splattered paint, and used random things around my home that I could stick on a page.

After a while the main artistic component to my journal was collage. I still included painting and drawing, but collage was the primary method of communication. This was partially because I had an absurd collection of old clippings - however, I have always found collage to be a very calming activity. I collaged daily during some of the darkest times in my life, when traditional art materials were not at my disposal. It was only natural that I would find it once again when I was reconnecting with my inner self.

Art Journal Reflection

I thought I would feel sorry ending my journal, but I felt emotional relief and satisfaction. All those heavy feelings became a weight off my chest. Art journaling allowed me to process the emotions and express them in a physical, non-destructive manner. Because I was able to release whatever overwhelming emotion I felt at the time, that same energy did not carry on with me into the next day. I was also very satisfied that I was able to completed a full project. I have difficulty finishing projects that are "just for me" and not assigned by another person. It was very fulfilling to see something through to the end, even if it wouldn't be validated or rewarded by anyone else.

Art Journaling with Intention

One thing I was worried about before starting an art journal was the "aesthetic" of it. Initially, I felt the urge to attempt those fancy, trending art journal spreads -- the ones with expensive scrapbook paper, decor, and perfectly aligned elements. Instead, I decided to challenge my desire to perform and feed into perfectionism. I moved forward by intentionally "ignoring" those thoughts - recognizing that I felt the desire for perfection, and refusing to act on it. Before working in my journal, I closed my eyes and sat with the emotion I wanted to portray. I allowed myself to feel the emotion fully, without judgement or an attempt to "fix" it. I didn't plan how I wanted to express it - instead, I let my hands guide me through the emotion, connecting intuitively to my mind and body.

There are some areas that I did put a bit more thought into the process, like this page with the matching "flowers". The right side was a magazine clipping of flowers, but if you look closely to the left side it is blobs of paint with random scribbles. The reason for this was that I didn't feel emotionally satisfied with the amount of flowers on the page, and didn't have additional clippings to fill it. Instead I just threw a bit of paint down and made my own. I had such a variety of gouache paint that I didn't need to mix color (which would have taken away from the moment and reduced the amount of emotional connection I had to the piece). If I had to spend 15 minutes agonizing over color matching, I would not have done it. This just happened to work out and roughly match the previous flowers, so I went with it. The most important part of my process is to not think too hard about what it will look like in the end.

Art Journaling for Self-Connection

Now, you may be thinking, "Art journal? Where are the original drawings?" At the time I had a separate sketchbook I was active in. (I did consider ripping out pages from it and pasting it into the journal, but I'll have to save that for the next one!) There is more than one way to keep an art journal. There is no one "correct" way to do it. It's all about making something that speaks to you. This first art journal wasn't about honing my ability to draw or combining skill with emotional expression. It was about experimenting with new things and using whatever material I had to convey a feeling. It was about connecting with my most creative self, letting go of perfectionism and encouraging processing and relaxation.