Tag: art journaling

Creativity, What Inspires Me

Prompt and poem: Roses, late summer

Jen Morris

Today I’m struggling to find my own words, so I once again turn to the wonderful words of Mary Oliver. I only have her New and Selected Poems, but I think I will need to buy more of her poetry collections!

Roses, Late Summer

What happens
to the leaves after
they turn red and golden and fall
away? What happens

to the singing birds
when they can’t sing
any longer? What happens
to their quick wings?

Do you think there is any
personal heaven
for any of us?
Do you think anyone,

the other side of that darkness,
will call to us, meaning us?
Beyond the trees
the foxes keep teaching their children

to live in the valley.
So they never seem to vanish, they are always there
in the blossom of the light
that stands up every morning

in the dark sky.
And over one more set of hills,
along the sea,
the last roses have opened their factories of sweetness

and are giving it back to the world.
If I had another life
I would want to spend it all on some
unstinting happiness.

I would be a fox, or a tree
full of waving branches.
I wouldn’t mind being a rose
in a field full of roses.

Fear has not yet occurred to them, nor ambition.
Reason they have not yet thought of.
Neither do they ask how long they must be roses, and then what.
Or any other foolish question.

Prompt >>>

You might use the poem above as a prompt in your journal – to be answered with words, or with images as you like.

Oliver suggests that roses, foxes and birds – all of nature – just gets on with living without asking questions. She suggests their sense of purpose is innate and they are not distracted from it with ponderings about the world and how it works.

I love the final stanza. If you were to stop being fearful, or ambitious, what would you be doing?

If you were to stop feeling uncertain, to stop asking ‘foolish questions’, what would be your innate purpose?

‘Fear has not yet occurred to them’ – what are you afraid of?

Creativity

Back to basics

Jen Morris

I’m not someone who does things by halves. If I become interested in something new, I don’t tend to just dip my toe in. I dive straight into the deep end, head-first. I buy all the books, sign up for all the courses, join all the groups.

Journaling is no exception.

In the past six months I must have bought at least 10 journaling books, signed up for at least 5 online courses, not including the free ones, and of course started a blog on all things journaling.

Then I jumped on the art journaling bandwagon. written-journalingI gathered as many supplies as I could, got the books, joined the courses. I have at least 4 art journals on the go right now.

In fact, I got so into creative journaling and art journaling that I drifted away from my roots – written journaling. The thing that I’ve been doing for years – the thing that started it all.

I got so inspired by art journalers and their magic that I all but abandoned my written journaling in order to play with colour and images.

But I miss just using my words.

I’m a writer, at my core. This new foray into the world of art journaling is fascinating, and exciting, and is challenging my preconceived ideas of who I am. Apparently I have an artistic side! How very exciting.

But I do miss just writing, for hours, letting the words pour out of me onto the page: not fussing with washi tape or gesso or colours or stamps.

I began with words, and I will always return to words.

Art journaling has its place – I love playing with colour and stamps and collage and just having fun. But sometimes I just need to go ‘blah’ and do a brain dump onto the page: get all the tangled thoughts out so I can see them, rather than have them swirling in my head.

So despite the fact that I declared I would stick to just two journals (who was I kidding?) I have now started a new journal. This journal is lined, so I’m not tempted to start getting art-farty in there (besides the occasional stamp or sticker…). Instead, the focus is just getting my thoughts down onto the page.

A return to where I began: written journaling. Going back to basics.

Creativity

Art journal prompt: Copy an artist you love

Jen Morris

I came across a really interesting idea in Austin Kleon’s Steal Like an Artist: copy the work of others.

This might sound a little unethical but I assure you it’s not, if you do it right. Here’s a summary of his main points:

We’re talking about practice here, not plagiarism – plagiarism is trying to pass someone else’s work off as your own. Copying is about reverse-engineering. It’s like a mechanic taking apart a car to see how it works… Who to copy is easy. You copy your heroes – the people you love, the people you’re inspired by, the people you want to be… What to copy is a little bit trickier. Don’t just steal the style, steal the thinking behind the style… At some point, you’ll have to move from imitating your heroes to emulating them. Imitation is about copying. Emulation is when imitation goes one step further, breaking through into your own thing.

He goes on to explain that it’s about copying them and then adding your own spin on it to make it something else, to add something to the world that only you can. He also points out that copying one person is not good, but taking inspiration from many is.

I also think it’s worth noting, as Kleon points out, ‘Even The Beatles started as a cover band.’

Why do I mention all this?

As someone who is reasonably new to art journaling I needed to find a ‘way in’. I was inspired by so many different artists and wanted to make art like them.

I didn’t know where to begin with my own art journaling, so I copied those who most inspired me.

I still do, because I haven’t yet found my own unique all-that-paperstyle. But – I’m bringing together the elements from each that I love. By taking inspiration from the various artists that inspire me, and adding my own interests and ideas, I am slowly forming an idea of who I want to be in my art journals.

And you know what? Without approaching it this way, I would never have started. I would have stared at the blank page and not had a clue what to do. I would have been lost. I know that the artists I copy want to inspire others, so I turned to them.

Start copying what you love. Copy copy copy copy. At the end of the copy you will find yourself. – Yohji Yamamoto

playI took lettering ideas from one artist, background and painting ideas from another. I took collage and stamping ideas from yet another. Without them even realising, they have taught me how to art journal. They have taught me various ways to express myself.

I never stop looking for inspiration. I browse Instagram (way too often!) for pictures of other people’s art journals for ideas. The thing I absolutely love about blogging and social media is the way that people openly share their work and encourage others. Somehow my foray into journaling, a generally isolated activity, has led to me discovering and being welcomed into a vast online community of creatives.

>>> Prompt:

Find a few people whose art journals you admire. You can save images on your computer, or print them out and stick them near your desk/creative space.

Try to identify what it is you love about their style. Perhaps it’s the whimsical lettering, or the layers. Maybe you love their use of colour, or patterns, or old photographs. Maybe their art journals capture a feeling – happiness, playfulness, courage, calm. Try to pinpoint what it is you love.

Now, take a fresh page in your art journal and, focusing on one at a time, try to create your own version of their image, using their style. Copy it straight out, if you like, or add your own little touch to it. Try this with all the artists/images you’ve selected.

Now take a few of the elements you most enjoy from your images and try to weave them into your art journaling pages in the future. Remember, it’s ok to copy their style and emulate their work, but it is not ok to just recreate it. And when you share on Instagram/Facebook etc, I always find it good to tag them and give them credit as your inspiration. And they often love to see how they have inspired others too!

Here is a list of some of my favourite journalers if you need help getting started:

Those who do not want to imitate anything, produce nothing – Salvador Dali

Creativity

Give yourself creative permission

Jen Morris

A while ago I took the Layers of Life Visual Journal workshop and one of the first things we were told to do in our journal was to give ourselves permission.

I love this and I think it’s something we don’t do enough of.

It might seem a bit unnecessary, maybe. You think, well of course I have permission to write in my journal, duh.

But have you given yourself permission to do all the things you want to do? To make a mess, to make mistakes, to cross things out and start again, to look foolish, to try new things, to dream of a better life – even start to take steps towards it?

Your journal can be a powerful tool if you give yourself permission to just be, however you want, inside it.

I’ve mentioned ad nauseam about my perfectionism, so for me giving myself permission to make a mess is a big deal. So many times I’ve started a journal and it’s not until halfway through that I’ve realised that I’m too afraid to make a mistake or do anything that risks not being pretty!

Not to mention I seem to unconsciously give myself rules each time I start a new journal – what I
can and cannot journal about in that journal, what type of journaling it will be, etc.

How freeing (and admittedly a little scary) it is to declare in the front of my journal that it can be for any damn thing I want it to be: writing, painting, stamping, collage, washi tape, watercolours, scribbles, stencils, sketches, doodles, prompts, stream-of-consciousness, lists, mindmaps, nonsense, ideas, dreams etc. WHATEVER!

So I urge you the next time you start a new journal – or heck, even in the middle of your journal right now – to dedicate a page to giving yourself permission.You could list the things you want to do, collage images, draw – whatever feels good and best represents the creative freedom you need.

Give yourself permission to do whatever feels good in your journal – in fact, in your life – whatever you need.

Creativity

The problem of too many journals

Jen Morris

For those of you that haven’t guessed it already, journaling is my ‘thing’. It’s the perfect combination of my training in writing, life coaching, psychology and teaching.

But sometimes I get a bit uptight about my journals.

I have so many now that I’ve lost count (yes, I really need to update the ‘how I journal’ page). I have three art journals, one for Journal 52, one for the 30 Day Journal Project (which I’m way behind in, but I’ve saved the prompts for later) and another one which is an altered book. I have a written Moleskine journal, a creative dream journal, a blog journal and a business journal. I’m pretty sure that’s all my journals…

My passion for journaling and my all-or-nothing personality has meant that my journaling has expanded in so many different ways and in so many different directions.

Which is a glorious thing, really. I love having all these different avenues of creativity, these different ways of exploring and expressing myself.

Except…

Sometimes it feels a bit much. I want to journal but I’m not always sure which journal to pick up and use. I get confused about which online course I’m doing (I’m onto my fourth journal course in as many months and I’m not keeping up with them!). I have so many journal books and prompts that I’ve not finished reading a single one. I have at least 5 blank journals on my desk waiting to be used but devoid of purpose. I dip in and out of each current journal as I feel like it, but I feel like my focus is a bit split.

nichole-raes-book

I’m currently taking the Layers of Life Visual Journal workshop. I’m totally crushing on the work of Nichole Rae, Lisa Sonora and Hope Wallace and trying to infuse their styles into my journaling. I want to focus my energies on finding my own journaling style using collage, paint, stamps, stickers, washi tape and my own lettering. I want to combine my visual journaling with my written journaling so that I can have one main journal to work in, and then one other journal for painting and heavier media.

In the planner/Filofax community they have these monthly challenges where they stick to one book for a whole month. People, like me, who love notebooks and planners and journals and just get too carried away.

I’m wondering if it might be a good idea to do something similar: to limit myself to my two favourite journals at the moment and work only within them.

This will mean overcoming my self-imposed ‘rules’ of which journal can be used for what.

And I guess, since the next two weeks at work I’m what-do-i-want-from-my-journalinggoing to be so busy I won’t have much time for anything, that makes sense. Any time I get for journaling will have to be focused. I won’t have time to be going back through my online courses, so I won’t need to be switching between journals.

So here’s what I’m thinking: an experiment, for the next two weeks to only use my main Moleskine journal and my altered book. I think I need both because the Moleskine can’t really take paint, and I need a place to paint, so the altered book is good for that. And the Moleskine (which is a sketchbook, for the slightly thicker paper) can be used for my daily writing, collage, doodles and anything else that takes my fancy.

That is my small challenge for myself. To limit myself so that I might find some sort of creative freedom.

Does anyone else have the problem of too many journals? What journals do you have and how do you use them?

Creativity

Art journal playdate

Jen Morris

Tonight my best friend/business partner and I spent a good few hours art journaling together. This is something I usually do alone, but it was fun to have the company and talk as we journaled.

In the past we have spent many a Saturday night going out drinking (and many a Sunday morning regretting it). More recently we have been catching up over a cup of coffee or a movie when we aren’t planning our business.

But there was something really nice about sharing an activity that is usually solitary. We had a few glasses of wine, put on some music, and played with our art supplies.

It was a great way to relax and renew our creative energies while also catching up and spending time together. Plus, the inspiration was contagious.

If you have a creative friend who you can do this with, I highly recommend it. Journaling is naturally a very private and solitary act, and it can be fun to approach it in a different way. I would suggest that you only do this with a friend who you totally trust and feel comfortable around, and who you know won’t judge or criticise your work.

Here are some of the images I created in my altered book journal. Loving just playing in here!

altered-book-1

altered-book-3

altered-book-4

altered-book-2

 

 

 

 

 

 

Creativity

Journal prompt: Balance your creative energy

Jen Morris

I’m feeling quite drained at the moment. Work is very busy and when I do have free time I’m trying to fit in my journaling – both written and art journaling.

I’ve been listening to an audio book in my car on the way to work which is fascinating: Daily Rituals: How Artists Work by Mason Currey. The book gives quite specific details of the daily working/creative rituals of artists, writers, musicians, philosophers and other creatives from all different time periods.

One thing that has stood out to me is how often each of these daily rituals include some form of investment in creative energy.

lovely-list

What I mean is this: when we spend a lot of time working, or creating, or socialising, we are effectively spending our creative energy. These are activities whereby we produce and our energy flows outwards.

If we do too much of these activities, particularly if we are introverted, we can end up feeling a bit drained.

Our society puts a lot of emphasis on being productive and expending energy, but we need to make sure that we are taking the time to renew that creative energy too.

I think it’s really important to balance this with doing restful and rejuvenating things whereby we ‘refill’ our creative energy tanks. These are things where we receive something, rather than produce something. I guess it’s like receiving inspiration, in a way. It’s like a sort of investment in our creative bank account, so that we then have enough to ‘spend’ later.

For me, things where I consider myself to be spending my creative energies are:

  • Working
  • Writing
  • Socialising with groups of people
  • Blogging
  • Art journaling (certain kinds)
  • Doing housework
  • Doing things for others (most of my day job is about this)

So I need to remember to balance this with activities that refill my creative tanks and renew my creative energy:

  • Reading
  • Listening to inspiring/relaxing music
  • Listening to audio books
  • Listening to guided meditations
  • Journaling (although I technically ‘produce’ something when journaling, the act of deliberately thinking, writing and reflecting fills me up more than it drains me)
  • Napping/sleeping
  • Sitting with a cup of tea/coffee in the morning sun, being still and taking my time
  • Long walks
  • Spending time with people who get me and inspire me – usually having long and interesting talks
  • Cuddles with my partner or puppy
  • Yoga
  • Watching an interesting documentary or inspiring movie

I’m not suggesting that one list is better or more important than the other. To me, it’s about balance. We need to spend our creative energies, but of course we also need to invest in them.

>>> Prompts:

Take a fresh page in your journal. Create two headings:

  • How I spend my creative energy
  • How I renew my creative energy

List all the things you can think of under each heading. Your lists may look similar to mine or they may be very different. It all comes down to what works for you.

If you’re not sure which heading to put something under, consider this: does the activity leave you feeling more tired/drained or rejuvenated/refreshed afterwards?

Now, think about whether or not your life has a good balance between the two lists. If not, consider how you can bring in more of the other to create more balance for your creative energy.

What Inspires Me

Weekly inspiration

Jen Morris

Each week I share the blogs and posts that have been the most inspiring to me. Feel free to share any that have inspired you in the comments below.

I am honoured to have been part of a journaling discussion on Facebook over the past two days – hosted by Dawn Herring in the Journal Chat Facebook group. You can read the transcript of yesterday’s chat here and Dawn will be adding today and tomorrow’s chat too. Join us in the Facebook group (it’s open to the public) tomorrow at 2pm CST for the final day of our journal chat on the topic of Making the Commitment: Saying Yes to Positive Change.

I stumbled across this awesome post about how to use mindmaps in your journal. Beautiful images too!

I also discovered these free art courses online! Am so going to do these!

Beth has been on the journaling panel on Facebook with me over the past couple of days. She has a great post about the health benefits of journaling that includes journaling techniques and a reading list! A must-read.

Sue is also part of the journaling panel and has written this fantastic post about using journaling to make positive changes in our lives.

Enjoy the remainder of the week!

Creativity

Journal prompt: My favorite things

Jen Morris

Today I want to share a journal prompt from a new journaling book I’ve just bought, Lucia Capacchione’s The Creative Journal. It’s full of great journaling prompts for both written and visual journaling. It also has lots of excerpts from the journals of others. Can’t wait to explore this in more detail.

the-creative-journal-book

I randomly flipped open to this page and just love this prompt! Hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

>>> Prompt:

Think about all of your favorite things, the objects that are most significant to you. They may be ‘prized possessions’ or associated with satisfying experiences. They may be plants, objects, pets. As you think about these things, ask yourself: What is my favorite thing at the present time in my life?

Close your eyes and visualise your favorite thing. Picture it clearly, seeing its colors, shape, texture, form. Think about its function in your life, how you use it, and what it means to you. Recall how it came into your life, the circumstances of your first encounter with it and how you acquired it (if you own it).

Draw a picture of your favorite thing. Use your memory or look at it while you draw. Relax and take your time. You are not being judged for artistic skill. Rather you are fondly showing you appreciation of your favorite thing by taking the time to study it lovingly and draw it with care.

Now imagine that the object can talk. Imagine what it would say. Let it tell you about itself, what it wants from you, what it wants for you. Write the dialogue out.

Study your drawing and dialogue and then write down your reactions.

Creativity

New art journal – an altered book

Jen Morris

I’ve started a new art journal, and I wanted to share what I’m doing. As a journal lover, a writer and an avid reader, I’ve been really fascinated with the idea of altered books.

I recently came across this neat old French text-book when clearing out a really old cupboard at school. I think it’s from the 1970s. It’s fantastic as an altered journal because the pages are sewn, not stapled, so they will hold up well. It is sturdy and bound well, and the paper is quite thick.

Most of the writing is in French, but there is some English inside, plus lots of interesting pictures of Paris and other French things I can incorporate into future journal pages.

The reason I’m creating this altered book journal in addiction to my other art journals is because I need something low-stakes I can make a mess in. It cost me nothing and there are lots of pages I can play with. I simply slap on a coat of gesso, then set about using my gelli plate, paints, stamps, stencils, washi tape and pens to play.

My other art journals are a bit more precious, and I find myself wanting to create something that is pretty, rather than actually playing and exploring different media. I felt like I needed a place I could make a mess and be ok with it.

This, of course, is going to be a pretty strong theme throughout!

I want this journal to be sort of like a normal journal in that I can explore and express how I’m feeling at the time, but visually. I’m new to art journaling so I’m just trying to teach myself various techniques and things as I go. But, the point is, to keep doing. Keep making a mess, because from that mess comes something interesting.

Here are a few pages I’ve made so far, and a few close-ups on details I particularly like.

make-mistakes

butterfly-play

an-essential-aspect-of-creativity-close-up

create-be-fearless

i-wish-to-be-fearless

the-time-is-now