I just forwarded this post to a Substack friend who laments his lack of artsiness. I wrote, "Rina removes artistic ability from the equation." He has an iPad and Apple pencil. More importantly he has an active brain and writes brilliant posts.
Frank, I’m so glad you showed it to your friend— this is exactly the type of reader I wanted to reach with this particular post. Thank you for doing that. I hope he finds it helpful!
Thanks, Hilary! A lot of the pages are pretty messy, and not “good drawings” at all! It really is a no-pressure playground! You should try it (and maybe you already do)!
Art and Junk Journaling has changed the way I approach my Memory Keeping Projects (deeper introspective thinking and using colours, texture and marks as symbolism and extra context) - it's also helped me through grief and helps me to retain my sanity! You could say it's like a personal therapy session. 🤣🤣
Still working on the 'daily' part, but I'm getting to grips with creating on a more frequent basis and am in the process of packing a small 'grab bag type kit' that can be picked up at any time for small 5-10 windows of creativity no matter how busy home life is.
I am.a believer! Last year sometime I decided to draw faces at least 10 minutes a day
I use a journal or a sketchbook and images off Pinterest. In the beginning, I wasted 10 minutes deciding what face to draw. Now I count down 10 images and draw that. I used to hate to draw and now I miss it if I skip it. I am also a mixed media artist and I love collaging in old books. Great post.
Thanks so much for your comment and for sharing your own experience with art-making! I find it amazing how you once hated to draw and now can’t do without it— keep going, and keep having fun!✍️👌
Dammit! I really like your posts. And I too love crosswords. But it’s really more about filling in all the little squares rather than knowing all the answers to the clues. I like to put things in things. Like a found screw in a coffee cup top, etc.
Sounds great, yes, give it a go. If you find you don’t want to keep doing it, that’s totally ok too! But I think that if you start having fun with it, you will always find time to get back and do some more. Thanks for the feedback!✍️🙂
Thank you for this. I get so stuck in my head when I start to doodle or paint and think it has to be perfect. This was the reminder I needed there are no rules!
Thanks so much for the comment… and yes, there are no rules. The need to be perfect is pretty stifling, so just think of it as a fun exercise that you can even throw away afterwards!✍️🙂
Thank you! So the brand I use most is Speedball Handbook — the paper has a bit of tooth and is perfect for washes and wet media, markers etc. It doesn’t bleed to the other side of the paper. They’re nicely made little books, a little on the pricey side but worth it. The other brand that I’ve recently found that is a lot cheaper, and of the same quality is the Talens Art Creation. These books have the same quality paper (the paper is a bit smoother but is still great for washes etc. and doesn’t bleed to the other side). A long time ago i used Moleskine — in my opinion, they are hyped, not as good, and way overpriced. Here’s some links to the Speedball Handbook and the Talens: Thanks again!
I love journaling! Mostly in words but I’ve taken to doodles too especially when my brain/heart is overwhelmed. I tend to make too big a deal of the doodle though, feeling like it needs special paper or pens (mainly because I love a good pen on nice paper!). Sometimes to be free in my art I have to be a little intentionally irreverent with my art supplies - which I usually kick off by letting my 1 & 3yo girls have at it! Their mark making is so free and wonderful. It reminds me to just let go and let the marks happen :)
It’s wonderful the way kids seem to have that magical freedom when you give them art supplies! Also, “mostly words” is totally fine if that’s what you’re comfy with! 👌
Your stack of journals is just… amazing. What incredible persistence. And your spreads are wonderfully visceral and playful. 💕
Thank you for your kind words… I appreciate it! 😊
What a great and wonderful post, and your drawings are monstrously fun. Thanks so much for sharing.
Thanks so much for reading, and for the feedback!
I just forwarded this post to a Substack friend who laments his lack of artsiness. I wrote, "Rina removes artistic ability from the equation." He has an iPad and Apple pencil. More importantly he has an active brain and writes brilliant posts.
Frank, I’m so glad you showed it to your friend— this is exactly the type of reader I wanted to reach with this particular post. Thank you for doing that. I hope he finds it helpful!
Love getting a peek inside your sketchbooks. Thought it particularly cool to see the catalog of scribbles because those aren't intimidating!
Thanks, Hilary! A lot of the pages are pretty messy, and not “good drawings” at all! It really is a no-pressure playground! You should try it (and maybe you already do)!
Art and Junk Journaling has changed the way I approach my Memory Keeping Projects (deeper introspective thinking and using colours, texture and marks as symbolism and extra context) - it's also helped me through grief and helps me to retain my sanity! You could say it's like a personal therapy session. 🤣🤣
Still working on the 'daily' part, but I'm getting to grips with creating on a more frequent basis and am in the process of packing a small 'grab bag type kit' that can be picked up at any time for small 5-10 windows of creativity no matter how busy home life is.
I'm all in for this creative practice :)
5 to 10 minutes is all you need (i know how things can get busy in day-to-day life!) Thanks so much for this feedback. Happy journaling to you!✍️✌️
Love your art journal, how fun.
Thank you for the encouragement.
You’re so welcome! And thank you for reading✌️🙂
I am.a believer! Last year sometime I decided to draw faces at least 10 minutes a day
I use a journal or a sketchbook and images off Pinterest. In the beginning, I wasted 10 minutes deciding what face to draw. Now I count down 10 images and draw that. I used to hate to draw and now I miss it if I skip it. I am also a mixed media artist and I love collaging in old books. Great post.
Thanks so much for your comment and for sharing your own experience with art-making! I find it amazing how you once hated to draw and now can’t do without it— keep going, and keep having fun!✍️👌
Beautiful idea.
Thank you!🙂✍️
Dammit! I really like your posts. And I too love crosswords. But it’s really more about filling in all the little squares rather than knowing all the answers to the clues. I like to put things in things. Like a found screw in a coffee cup top, etc.
Thanks, I really appreciate you saying that…. And as for filling little boxes, it’s never about the clues for me, too! 🙂🙏
I have been keeping an illustrated journal for about two years now. It has transformed my life.
Isn’t it just wonderful? Thanks for sharing this!✍️👌
Very good article. Thank you. I do the same but using google keep. While I can't draw, at least the ideas fall there.
Thank you for reading! Digital or on paper makes no difference — you still get the benefits. I’ve never heard of Google Keep…will check it out! 🙂
Okay. You talked me in to it and I'll give it a go. I'm pretty lousy at keeping these things up though.
Sounds great, yes, give it a go. If you find you don’t want to keep doing it, that’s totally ok too! But I think that if you start having fun with it, you will always find time to get back and do some more. Thanks for the feedback!✍️🙂
I've managed 4 days in a row so far. That's double my previous forms of journalling. 😆
Nice!!👌✍️
Thank you for this. I get so stuck in my head when I start to doodle or paint and think it has to be perfect. This was the reminder I needed there are no rules!
Thanks so much for the comment… and yes, there are no rules. The need to be perfect is pretty stifling, so just think of it as a fun exercise that you can even throw away afterwards!✍️🙂
The five circle focusing exercise looks really fun and just what I need tonight. Thanks Rina!
That’s great👌 you’re very welcome, Liane!
A really impressive pile of notebooks! Could you tell me, what kind of books you use?
Thank you! So the brand I use most is Speedball Handbook — the paper has a bit of tooth and is perfect for washes and wet media, markers etc. It doesn’t bleed to the other side of the paper. They’re nicely made little books, a little on the pricey side but worth it. The other brand that I’ve recently found that is a lot cheaper, and of the same quality is the Talens Art Creation. These books have the same quality paper (the paper is a bit smoother but is still great for washes etc. and doesn’t bleed to the other side). A long time ago i used Moleskine — in my opinion, they are hyped, not as good, and way overpriced. Here’s some links to the Speedball Handbook and the Talens: Thanks again!
https://www.amazon.ca/Global-Art-Materials-Drawing-Portrait/dp/B0025TWY5S/ref=asc_df_B0025U0YK4/?tag=googleshopc0c-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=706730780088&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=9215182174764219977&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9197976&hvtargid=pla-351443918057&mcid=ae041fa651053a87823403943885148d&gad_source=1&th=1
And:
https://www.deserres.ca/products/art-creation-sketchbook?colour=black
Forgot to say— they are both acid-free 👍
I love journaling! Mostly in words but I’ve taken to doodles too especially when my brain/heart is overwhelmed. I tend to make too big a deal of the doodle though, feeling like it needs special paper or pens (mainly because I love a good pen on nice paper!). Sometimes to be free in my art I have to be a little intentionally irreverent with my art supplies - which I usually kick off by letting my 1 & 3yo girls have at it! Their mark making is so free and wonderful. It reminds me to just let go and let the marks happen :)
It’s wonderful the way kids seem to have that magical freedom when you give them art supplies! Also, “mostly words” is totally fine if that’s what you’re comfy with! 👌