Let's Talk Art Journaling . . .

"Begin," my first art journal page (from 2006)


I really appreciate all the wonderful feedback on my art journal pages. I have enjoyed making them, mainly as part of online classes.  I have a little confession to make, though. . .  . I'm not really sure what an art journal is!  So, I undertook a little research.


First, I asked some experts.  I asked Dina Wakley (who teaches a wide variety of fantastic art journaling classes here) to answer the question, "what is an art journal?" and here's what she said:
"Well, in my mind (and in simplest terms) an art journal is a journal in which you use both images AND words to express yourself. On a deeper level, my art journal is a safe house...a place for me to be me without judgement, a friend who always listens, a place to learn about myself and about art. It's a place to play with no rules, to express without fear. That's what an art journal is to me."  
I also asked Tangie, who has an online art journaling kit and class called Art Journal Caravan, and she said, 
"Simply put Art Journaling is a visual diary. It's a place to record your thoughts in images, art and words. Art Journal pages tend to be "artsy", usually contain few or no photographs, contain hidden symbolism to the creator and contain personal journaling (although not always!). The number one rule about Art Journaling is that...there are NO rules. Simply put "Art journaling creates self-awareness through creative expression". For me the importance in Art Journaling is, that while leaving behind a family scrapbook of everyday family activities and memories like Christmas traditions and outings to the zoo are exceptionally important...I feel it's AS IMPORTANT to leave behind a legacy of who "we really are" through our art journals; our children, our families want to know what we feared, what we loved, what we dreamed...it's a treasure beyond price. That being said, they are also just for us in the here and now, a place for us daydream, vent or plan. The amazing thing about Art Journaling is that by taking some time for ourselves to journal, we find more self-awareness through the creative process, which in my opinion makes us better moms, sisters, friends & human beings."
Both of these experts seem to use their art journals at least in part as diary to record their inner thoughts and feelings. 


The next thing I did was to google art journal, and I found this interesting definition here:
An art journal is somewhere to express your creativity, to record your ideas and inspirations, to express your plans and hopes, explore possibilities for paintings, keep sketches, doodles, postcards, etc. To record a thought before you get distracted and forget it. Somewhere to browse through on a day your feeling at a creative low, or stuck in a rut.
This definition seems to think of an art journal as more of a sketch book or practice book.


The third thing I want to do is to ask you, my wonderful blog readers, about your experiences with art journals.  Do you keep an art journal?  Can you tell me about it?  How do you see it?  Have you ever taken an online art journaling class? What do you think an art journal is?  Leave some comments, and I'll check back on Monday with thoughts on my art journals.  Tomorrow, look for another installment of Scrapbook Sunday.

"Rain Out" - an early art journal page (2006)