Art Journalling -- I tried it!!

[kristijoy]

Thought I would share with you all! When I first saw all the art journalling techniques, I thought ... "that's not for me."

But I kept looking at them. And the pages. So amazing. I realized that what inspired me about them is that they would be so totally out of the box for me to do. When I first started scrapbooking my style was really boxy and linear. Very simple. Then I disccovered digital scrapping and branched out into adding elements and layering to my pages.

I had a co-worker awhile back that did collage it was goopy, messy, and things everywhere. I could never do that. Not me.

But, you know, to grow as an artist you have to try new things? New mediums, new styles? That why I love challenges so much because they help me break out of a rut. And this art journalling was just that, messy, real life, more expressive, speak your mind, kind-of-stuff.

So here's my first goopy, messy shot at it. I hid some journalling under the paint, tried expressing some deeper feelings and musings about each quality.

Thanks for inspiring me!

[Traci Reed]

looooooove!!!!

You did an awesome job!!

[kelley]

This is gorgeous!! Great job!

[MamaBee]

Oh, that page is awesome!!! I'm trying to embrace Art journalling - I don't think I'm there yet, but I keep trying every so often.

[staciahall]

It's just lovely, Kristi!

[Jenn Barrette]

I think you did great! It can be really fun to work "outside the box" !

[jacinda]

Kristi that is fabulous! Art journalling is something I really struggle with too. I like the cleaner, linear style, but now and then I'll get brave and have a go. It's totally something I'm not comfortable with though.

[mariewilcox]

You did an awesome job Kristy! I am very linear and I have the same reservations... I'm not there yet, but I hope to be at some point!

Originally Posted by MamaBee

Oh, that page is awesome!!! I'm trying to embrace Art journalling - I don't think I'm there yet, but I keep trying every so often.

This is me... I so want to give it a try, but my brain keeps freaking out - LOL

[krystalhartley]

Good for you, and it looks fantastic!

[Arual]

I love your page! I love looking at everyones art journaling pages. Im not there yet either. I have reservations about it. However, I will say that about 2 weeks ago I was really angry, I had already just started on a regular layout very early that morning and had it up on my screen all day.... when I came home angry I sat at my desk to just avoid everyone for awhile so that I didn't take it out on them.... my regular ol layout got 'destroyed' as it quickly became an angry art journaling page with paint and stuff thrown everywhere. I can't even tell you how fun it was and how incredibly calming it was for me. 4 hours later, I left my desk and my page was up on my screen... my husband walked by and it was up on the screen and he said "oh my, you're not kidding, you were really angry! thank goodness you spared us all of that" .. LOLOL!!!

[Lindsay]

That looks great, good for you for going outside your comfort area. Part of my hang up is covering up all the journaling. I get the purpose of it but I want to be able to see the story so I can look back and reflect. Although I don't have a problem throwing everything and the kitchen sink at a layout

[crecia27]

I love it!!

[lovely1m]

That's awesome! I am so into art journaling. Its so therapeutic.

[krystalhartley]

Originally Posted by Arual

I love your page! I love looking at everyones art journaling pages. Im not there yet either. I have reservations about it. However, I will say that about 2 weeks ago I was really angry, I had already just started on a regular layout very early that morning and had it up on my screen all day.... when I came home angry I sat at my desk to just avoid everyone for awhile so that I didn't take it out on them.... my regular ol layout got 'destroyed' as it quickly became an angry art journaling page with paint and stuff thrown everywhere. I can't even tell you how fun it was and how incredibly calming it was for me. 4 hours later, I left my desk and my page was up on my screen... my husband walked by and it was up on the screen and he said "oh my, you're not kidding, you were really angry! thank goodness you spared us all of that" .. LOLOL!!!

That's a great anecdote. I bet Heather will be super duper happy that you used it that way.

Originally Posted by Lindsay

That looks great, good for you for going outside your comfort area. Part of my hang up is covering up all the journaling. I get the purpose of it but I want to be able to see the story so I can look back and reflect. Although I don't have a problem throwing everything and the kitchen sink at a layout

I've been thinking a bit about this, and I think that I might actually create square AJ layouts but put them on an 11x8.5 canvas and use the other 2.5" to tell the stories behind the pages.

[tanyiadeskins]

Not only does it look great but I bet it felt great! <3 Good for you, I hope to see more!

[YepBrook]

Awesome job!!! It is fun to do an artsy messy page once in awhile. You might even find it more linear in some ways than... well, boxes.

Originally Posted by Lindsay

That looks great, good for you for going outside your comfort area. Part of my hang up is covering up all the journaling. I get the purpose of it but I want to be able to see the story so I can look back and reflect. Although I don't have a problem throwing everything and the kitchen sink at a layout

I don't hide my journaling. If my page says something I can't share I just don't post it in the gallery.

[heathergw]

Oh... I LOVE it and this thread seriously makes me happy!!!! Seriously, I have a big ole geeky grin on my face!!!

and Lindsay, there are no rules in art journaling and nobody says you have to cover up your journaling I just know some people aren't comfortable sharing it with others so that's an option... another thing you can do is print up the journaling and paperclip it to your layout when you print it... Or save a copy of your journaling in the file's info...

[lovely1m]

I share all the journaling. I don't think any of it is too much for you all, for my IRL friends, yeah, way too much.

[Lindsay]

Originally Posted by heathergw

Oh... I LOVE it and this thread seriously makes me happy!!!! Seriously, I have a big ole geeky grin on my face!!!

and Lindsay, there are no rules in art journaling and nobody says you have to cover up your journaling I just know some people aren't comfortable sharing it with others so that's an option... another thing you can do is print up the journaling and paperclip it to your layout when you print it... Or save a copy of your journaling in the file's info...

Great ideas Heather, I have been looking more closely at this style over the last few weeks and really enjoyed your article. I even used your first suggestion today on a layout. I admire those who can open up whether your journaling is visible or not. There are several that I've ooh'd over taking in all the details.

[kristijoy]

Thanks gals! It felt really good to try something new! And Laura--so awesome that the art journalling helped you work through a process. That's just marvelous.

Looking forward to more fun creative art journalling items!

[LJSDesigns]

I've been reading along with Traci's series Art Journaling 101 to try to figure it all out. I am such a control freak, the thought of not having a neat, orderly process is hard for me. But I did have fun creating backgrounds with Krystal's Mixed Media Mash Up and Brushes this past week, so I want to learn more. The journaling is the easy part for me, the rest of it is what is hard.

Great layout Kristi!

[mrshobbes]

DUDE!!! That is awesome!!!

[NatalieKW]

Looks great! It can be kind of fun to make such a "mess!"

[nun69]

fabulous!!!!!!