There is no right or wrong way to start an art journal, let your emotions guide you. An intuitive approach encourages you to just dive in, create and not think about what is is you’re going to do. Let your unconscious mind take over the process. Some days, ripping through magazines to find images or text for your journal will be helpful, other days, writing or doodling will be all you can manage.
What was helpful to me was to spend some days, just writing in a stream of consciousness, while other days, just putting down color on a page was all I could manage.
As I went further along in the healing art journal process, I begin writing about the different aspects of my loss and I often carried my journal with me.
Any book can be used as a journal, depending on what you want to do in the journal. One possibility, is a watercolor or mixed media journal. You want a sturdy journal, especially, if you plan on painting or gluing in magazine images or photos.
You can also use watercolor paper, cut it to the size you want, put some holes on any side and then get binder rings to hold it together; this works great, since you can add and subtract pages as needed.
Inexpensive markers, pens or craft paints are available at any craft or office supply store. You can also use what you have available in your home. A composition book with pages that can be glued together to make thicker pages, a box of crayons, pencils,
a few brushes and some ballpoint pens are also great tools!
I find that the private nature of a journal allowed me to visually and textually express my emotions and thoughts, this combination helped the healing process. You choose how you want to process your feelings in your journal. Always remember, journaling is always for you first, by you and about you. It is entirely your choice to share your journal or not. For me, sharing my journal with a counselor, had a major impact on my emotional well-being and the grief process. Either way, an art healing journal is a powerful, transformative way that can help you learn more about yourself.
Art has always touched me deeply and let me connect my inner life to my outward experiences. I believe that expressing yourself through art journaling can help you through life’s challenges as well as its joys!
Amreta said
Love this post! <3
indigene1 said
Thanks so much Amreta! 🙂 I'm glad you stop by.
Janelle Marks said
Thank you for your wonderful advice.
indigene1 said
Thanks so much Janelle! 🙂
Susan Sorrell Hill said
Writing down my own thoughts and feelings has long been a big part of my healing journey too, Indigene. And although I don't usually put my art and my words in the same place (except on my blog!), they definitely are related, and each clarifies the other. You have done a great job of explaining the journaling process and its usefulness here, in a very down-to-earth and useful way, Indigene. Well done!
indigene1 said
Susan, thank you so much! I don't know that I look at what I put in my journals as art. For the longest time, I just thought of them as sketchbooks with words. 🙂 I've also had idea books, which were separate from the sketchbooks. The images mean more to me, than what they mean to those who view them, since they immediately bring me back to what was going on when I did the journal page. Thanks you again for your kindness and encouragement!
Linda Hensley said
My feelings about journaling is a lot like Susan's, but I've appreciated seeing what you've done. The idea of sharing my journal gives me such a gag feeling, it makes me wonder if maybe it's a really healthy thing to do? Usually I think of my journal as a way to work through things without having to burden other people with it, but sometimes I think when we share our deeper feelings, that's when we really connect with each other. Thanks for sharing!!
indigene1 said
Linda, I hear you! I share pages that I hope will be helpful to others or to let others know that they are not alone in certain thought processes or feelings. My pages are multi-layered and I often write, paint over, write, paint over before I come to the point I'm willing to share. It doesn't always happen that way. I think with sharing, I'm careful, because it's for me first and I don't want to get into the habit of suppressing any feelings because others will read it!
All this to say, thank you for sharing your thoughts and for always stopping by! 🙂
ednamole said
I just adore when you share!! It's like I'm sitting in a class or something with you. It's amazing. I love when you take us into your studio. It is sheer inspiration. I need to clean up mine before I invite anyone into it. It's a mess and I hope to get together before the new year. Hope that you and your family had a wonderful Thanksgiving Darling! Sending you a massive hug. Love you.
indigene1 said
Why thank you soooooooo much! What a lovely thing to hear on a Monday Morning, first thing! 🙂
I also smiled at this comment, because you do not want to see my studio right now; it is a total mess! LOL! It's a big sign that I've been busy (or just too lazy to clean up from last time!) 🙂
Thank you for the hug, too! Ditto on the love! 🙂 🙂 🙂
Ginger said
Great post! I love how accessible you make art journaling, breaking it down into basic supplies you need and giving everyone the confidence that they too could easily art journal. Healing through art journaling is such a powerful thing. Thanks for sharing this. xo
indigene1 said
Thanks so much Ginger! Art journaling is so powerful in many ways, the least of it making pretty pages. Thank you so much for stopping by and commenting!