ooh! found you!

[Raccoon]

Hello everyone :)

I've recently been thinking about keeping an art journal for a couple of reasons, I've always been drawn to books and thought making one of my own might get addictive and be enjoyable!

Is every newbie as terrified as I am to start the first page? Its taken me 4 days to set aside a peaceful afternoon to sit down in a tranquil lounge, and now I've managed it, I cant start! :wacko:

Its kind of weird to explain, I'm torn between putting what I think I should put, and putting what I want to put in it. <_<

Does anyone want to share the experience of their first page with me? and maybe give some helpful advice? Many thanks!

Tess xxx

[Raccoon]

Gosh nobody posts in this section much do they??????

[lollythetall]

Hello in here.

I've kept sketchbooks for years without knowing I was keeping an art journal. I write quotes, ideas, songs/books etc I wanted to track down, all doodled round and there are things I stick in and paint tests, funny things I find on the floor, how you feel at any time. Look at the prompts in one of the threads. Think about your favorite colours, textures you like , animals, flowers, cars. Start with yourself and don't think there are any shoulds, write why you like your favorite chair, who is your best friend, what have you got in your pocket/handbag, doodle little things that illustrate you writing. Cut stuff from newspapers, it's up to you. Don't expect marvels in the first 2 pages. Don't look back on your first page for a while, there is a tendancy to get critical and start ripping bits out, do 10 pages before you look back, then make some changes, alter your own journal. Altered altering. Hope this helps.

[Raccoon]

wow thanks :) :) I'm going to print your helpful ideas out and use them. I love to draw and scribble and want to write more, so I can get more "flavour" when [SIZE="5"]I look back in the future. These are great, and a brilliant springboard.

I have started my journal and I have a couple of nice pages so far (its an existing book I'm using to glue my stuff into) its and art journal AND an altered book too. I'm a bit shy to post yet, they are a bit amateur in some ways, but I'm beginning to enjoy it, using my pc to find pictures I like and print them out ... it gives me ideas to draw from :)

Lovely to meet you!

[LMS17a]

Hello Raccoon - nice to have you on UKS !

Always go with what you WANT to put in it, not what you think SHOULD go in it! I am going to do an art journal for 2007, a combination of all of the things lollythetall listed really, just an eclectic mix of everything and anything. I am great believer of organic work....just doing it as you do it, no planning, just go with what feels right.

I know that sounds vague, but its your journal, go for it in your own way....Please upload some pictures at some point so that we can have a look, I'd love to see what you do.

Not many people post on the art journals forum on here, you are right, but with the way that altered art is taking off at the moment, I am pretty sure that in 2007, this forum is going to come on in leaps and bounds...well that's what I hope...maybe we should start up a prompts thread on here for people who wish to do Art Journals but maybe need a prompt to get their creative minds going??? Hmmmmm....now there's a thought? Whaddya reckon?

Lou
x

[scrappydiva]

hmmmm... thinking of joining you in this! Sounds lovely really! Not sure about how I can start this... suppose I could do with a book first!

LOL posted at the same time as you Lou!! I think Prompts would be a great idea cause I am one of those people who needs a bit of a shove in the right direction!

[puddlepants]

maybe I should do one for 2007. I've wanted to alter a book but never got round to it. Perhaps an altered art journal can be my encouragement.
annie

[LMS17a]

I'm doing an altered book at the moment Annie, its for a Christmas project so cant give too much away....when I've done it and CHristmas has come and gone, I'll upload a pic.....I think Altered books and art journals are going to be big, dunno know, just do!!!!

[scrappydiva]

sorry for showing what an ignorant newbie I am... but what is an Altered book? Do you have any piccies that I can look at to get an idea of what they are??

[LMS17a]

art-e-zine (http://www.art-e-zine.co.uk/alteredbook.html)
have a moochie around this website....this is altered books at their most amazing !!!!!! Basically you stick pages together, add at work, add whatever you like and make it into whatever you wish...its just a freefall form of art and its wonderful...will upload a pic of mine as soon as I can!

[lollythetall]

It's not so quiet in here after all! I think you are right, altered stuff is going to be quite big next year. Journals are a natural extension of scrapping, but less 'strict', thats not the right word, but you know what I mean.

[Raccoon]

Yes its certainly livened up a bit! :lol:

I like the idea of a "prompts" thread, my trouble is that I'm so new at theis, all the prompts I think of have probaby already been thought of by a lot of folks.

I'm getting a little less scared now, my pages are still a bit "lacking" somehow, but I've started a collection of small pictures, some paintings, some photos, I plan to do my own version of some of these in my journal and put the original in the same page, so I can look back and see how my ideas have progressed.

Its mayhem here, so I may not be online much til after Christmas, but have a great one everybody :wub: see you all in the new year xxx

[LMS17a]

Well, I did a little research on here and am thinking of doing a thread with prompts for people to use to do art journals......my first set of prompts could be used for a whole art journal in itself...how do the Seven Deadly Sins sound?????? I was then going to do the Seven Virtues - so a sort of ying/yang kinda journal.....whaddya think fellow art journallers (if that is such a word)

Lou
x

[puddlepants]

sounds great lou
annie

[LMS17a]

Keeping an art journal (http://www.kporterfield.com/journal/Illuminations.html)

Here's a link if anyone wants more information or a bit of inspiration....God I love the internet !!!!

Will definitely start up a thread in January, anyone can post prompts but I think it would be a good idea if I kept the first post on the thread updated with the prompts and what post number they are so if someone stumbles across the thread, they would have an easier reference to the prompts rather than the other chatting - sound like a good idea???

Right, off to scrap like a looney so I can get that out of the way before Christmas and concentrate on my altered stuff in the new year !! Yay !!!!
(by the way, am teaching altered art stuff at my local craft shop from end of January - altered journal class is the first one - how ruddy chuffed am I!!!)

Have just finished my second altered book, my first proper altered hardback (used a kids board book before)...will upload pics after christmas !

Lou
x

[lollythetall]

After getting off the computer the other day, I was all inspired and started a poem book I'd been meaning to do for ages, It's sort of journal, sort of using up little bits of stuff. I'm going to use an ancient photo album cover I found to cover it. Did a whole page! All because of you lot! Will try and scan it in! Poems are a great starting point.

[Evelin]

Just looked on this part of the forum for the first time, believe it or not! I've just got to have a go at this, but is there a 'best' type of book to buy? Does the paper warp if you put say, watercolour paint on it? Too many questions, guess the best thing to do is just have a go.
Thanks for any info.

[Alx]

I've just started mine today Evelin - I'm using a notebook - just a normal, bog standard notebook which I had in my drawer (i'm to impatient to wait ti l i get to the shops)

On the pages which I use paint on I will actually do on a sheet of card and will stick in afterwards

I cant wait to start filling it - I'm just waiting for my front cover to dry. (Still got to do the back but that can wait for the moment)

[Evelin]

Thanks Alx - can't wait to start now, but we've got visitors all day tomorrow and a guest staying over until Thursday so I've got to be patient. Good idea to paint on some card and then affix it into the book, don't know why I didn't think of that because I've done exactly that with sbooks. I have just been out to the recycling box and retrieved 2 old mags that took 2 years for me to throw away! I remember seeing some silly ads in them that would be possible material for my book when it gets going. I've got a feeling this is going to be addictive.

[Alx]

I've got loads of ideas - and I'm very impatient - I cant believe how long its taking for the glue to dry! :lol:

[arky72]

I've only just found this forum too. I have a book ready and waiting to be used, and have just ordered some new papers, flowera and cardstock especially for it - think it will end up like a cross between photoless scrapbook and a diary/journal!