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Tuesday, August 30, 2011

My big fat black journal, revisited




Back in March, I posted about my way of keeping an illustrated journal... big, messy, and personal. Now, I'm here with a tale of even messier and more precious (to me) pages! From January to April, I used a large, cheap, black hardbound blank book and loved the fact that it was so NOT special. I could, and did, let go completely in that book. Still, the painter in me longed for sturdier pages and so I took up a Stillman and Birn Alpha Series book and there was no going back. They are expensive, but for someone like me who paints with acrylics in my journal and make lots of layers, they're worth it. My illustrated journal has become my portable art lab and, I guess, my life lab, too. Here are a few of the uses I've put my journal to recently.


I'm on my third journal of the year. I figured I'd go through one a quarter, though I'm almost at the end of my current one, and September's looming! I look back over what I've written, painted, and drawn this year.I see changes in my narrative, my line work, my imagery, my focus, my energy... and it's exhilarating! Not only is this trajectory documented in my journal, it exists largely BECAUSE of my journal! We know who we are by reading what we've written, by looking at the images we've created. In these pages, I see my own signposts and I follow them.

11 comments:

  1. Lovely, Laura! Your journals are always treasures, and I've seen some of them in person, so I know they're even more beautiful than what comes across here.

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  2. thanks for this post... I have been feeling this change and loving beyond words all your garden inspired sketches!!!!

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  3. Thank you SO MUCH for sharing this, Laura...I'm nearing the end of my 2nd personal journal with a great deal of writing, and finding it fascinating! But as you say...without good paper, I'm a bit frustrated. You've solved it AND inspired us at the same time!

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  4. Thanks so much, Sue, Liz, and Kate! You'll be happy with the Stillman and Birn. I think I first heard about them from Roz, either on her blog or here, perhaps.

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  5. Oooo, I see a bit of the Lost Pondshiners illustration exploratory work! Truly delightful, Laura. Thank you for sharing!

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  6. I love how you brush-bordered the insect. He looks framed and ready for the wall to me.

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  7. Looks like I'm going to have to try that journal! Once I Googled the name, I remembered reading about them...thanks, Miss Laura!

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  8. Beautiful! And thanks for uploading the photos as large files so that they really enlarge when you click on them. I wish everyone did that.

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  9. I love your new work Laura, In think this is a direction that fits you like a glove...truly unique and beautiful!
    Ronell

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  10. Thanks very much, Ronell, Gina, Kate, Pam and freebird! Ronell, I'm just so interested to see where it leads me!

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  11. Great post, artwork examples and wonderful to hear the Stillman and Birn Alpha is working well for acrylics. It is a sheer pleasure for watercolour, pencil and ink.

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