Referencing all those journals - the lazy way

An 8 1/2 x 11 page of thumbnails from one of my journals

I recently had reason to refer to something in an old journal, and it took me only 3 minutes to find it.  Knowing you journallers as I do, you, too have many, many volumes to keep track of.  I know there are people who have the discipline to number pages and create indexes but that's not me, and that's not how I recall information.....I recall events by the pictures I drew of them.  So, upon completing each journal, I photograph the cover and all the pages and print a contact sheet with thumbnails of every page.  I label the pages and pop them into a binder, divided by category (regular journal, garden journal, travel, etc.)  I can flip through those pages and find what I want very quickly!

Letting the journal lead US...

...because really, I've found that the format, style, and even the kind of paper make a huge difference in how I use my journals--at least some of them, and to a certain extent.

I'm playing with lighter, smoother paper in the journal above--Strathmore's multi-media paper I recently bound into a book. It's lighter and smoother than my normal hand-bound journal papers, so not quite as much juicy watercolor work (it does buckle slightly), and more writing--because it's a pleasure to write on!  The pen glides...

I've found the same thing with my Stillman & Birn Epsilon journals, with very smooth paper--in fact that one has become my must-have daily writing journal, where I might do several pages of written meditations or observations, THEN add a sketch, either related or not.  (I'm looking forward to the upcoming Zeta journal, which will have heavier paper but still this gorgeously smooth stuff!)

This robin caught my eye as I was journaling...so he ended up in my lovely Epsilon journal.  The pen skates lightly over the paper, and the watercolor goes on crisp and puddly.

I often add toned paper to my handmade journals...so of course I'm moved to add gouache or utilize light and dark colored pencils or inks...

I recently tried out one of Strathmore's toned paper journals, and found it was a real pleasure to work with...smooth for penwork, but still allowing me to add some color and watercolor.  Yum.

This was a quick sketch with ink and colored pencil in the hardbound Strathmore journal.

What's interesting to me is that I've found that ring-bound journals have a sense of impermanence about them.  I am more likely to either doodle, do color or pen tests, or do work I'm willing to tear out for sale.  I NEVER do that with my case-bound books.

Of course many people work only on loose sheets, in an online journal, or even with an app so their work is only on paper if they print it out...

SO--how do YOU feel about paper and format?  Does a ringbound book feel more ephemeral?  Or is it just me...

Sharing our work online

Photographed, light tweaking

Scanned, no tweaking

Scanned with black paper behind the page, minimal tweaking

This is often a problem for those of us who share our work--how to get a decent image without too much tweaking!  Photographing is often fastest, for me...that's the top image, which would require more tweaking to get rid of the gray/blue cast,  (I did some, but still some tint there...)

The middle image is a straight scan--my paper's rather thin, and the writing on the back side showed right up in the scan, though not in the photo.

And finally, my brilliant husband suggested putting a piece of BLACK paper behind the page--that's what you see in the third scan.  It required only a tiny bit of tweaking, and I'm pretty happy with it!  It's clean and crisp...

I use Photoshop Elements for more serious tweaking, but for sharing online I often use Picasa 3, a free program I downloaded from the net.  It's fast and plenty powerful enough for most uses.  I can resize a bunch of images at once, too...good for those with limited time and not a lot of tech skills!

Oh, yes, and this little white-throated sparrow is part of a demo for my upcoming ink & watercolor mini-class!

Artists' Journal Workshop: My big fat black journal

Thought this might be of interest... again ;D. I posted this in 2011 and it is on the very topic under discussion now. I wanted to repost the whole thing, but I can't figure out how to do that on Blogger!

If you missed it then, here's another look!
Artists' Journal Workshop: My big fat black journal: I’ve long been a fan of the kind of beautiful illustrated journal that Kate Johnson and others, like Roz Stendahl, Pam Johnson Brickell, a...

Journal Pages Don't Have to be Precious!

A page of squiggles--I usually try to make a note of just WHAT I'm testing, because I forget rather too quickly...the guy at the bottom was sketched with my Namiki Falcon, though, I think...

Aquacolor tests...

Playing with paint...

Ink testing in my journal...

People sometimes tell me they're afraid of ruining a journal page...but really, you CAN'T, at least in my opinion, because it's your journal.  It's a learning experience.  Share it or not, it's your choice.

Your journal doesn't have to full of beautifully designed pages, with arrangements worthy of publication and calligraphy worth of Denis Brown.  

It can be a place to play, to explore, to test--materials, techniques, or yourself!  I do a lot of that, testing out a new pen, seeing how transparent my watercolor are...it can be a recognizable image, or just lines and spirals.

I often fill whole pages with tests from various inks or pens...at the top of the page I threw in pencils for good measure.  (And as noted that page would be a LOT more useful if I'd written down what I was using!)

Some of us have a fear of white paper, but I love this E.B.White quote from late in his life: "Even now, this late in the day, a blank sheet of paper holds the greatest excitement there is for me--more promising than a silver cloud, and prettier than a red wagon." 

If the first page of a new journal intimidates you, skip it!  Start working several pages in and come back to it.  Or use that page for a traditional beginning--a favorite quote, a hand-drawn map, a list of intentions or goals, or a sketch of your current watercolor or sketch kit, as Liz Steel and Vicky Williamson often do!

Whatever you do, relax, trust yourself, enjoy your journal, and have fun.

Does your imagination take you interesting places?

 

Mine does...or maybe it's not imagination, just looking with fresh eyes.  I often see tree people (or animals, or Green Men) in the woods or elsewhere...how about you?

My wooden fence has eyes...my textured wall has a very cranky female in it...

Are we programmed to anthropomorphize? And do you record it in your journal, like I do?

New Workshop from Pam Johnson Brickell!

HI all!  I've added Pam's workshop to our page on Classes and Workshops in the tab at the top of the page, but I wanted to make sure you didn't miss it!  (And contributors, if you've got a new workshop, do let me know so I can add it!)

Illustrated Nature Journaling: Creating a Sense of Place

with

Pam Johnson Brickell

February 15 & 16 • 10:00 am – 3:30 pm • BYO Lunch

Coastal Art Supply

812 Port Republic Street • Beaufort, SC • 843-524-2787

Fee: $175

$75 deposit

Min/Max 5/8

Join Pam for classroom instruction in watercolor and pen sketching along with hand-lettering.  Put techniques learned into practice with plein air sketching around Port Royal’s Cypress Wetlands Trail.  Gain observation and eye/hand coordination skills, learn about nature and most of all, discover the joy of capturing the area, you choose to call home, in your heart and journal!  

Pam, a SC Master Naturalist, has an international following of her illustrated journals and is a contributing artist in Cathy Johnson's Artist Journal Workshop book, is a co-author of the book's companion blog, and an invited contributor of Johnson's Sketching in Nature blog.

 

Weather will dictate plein air sketching times.  Plan A: classroom sessions from 10 – noon daily, then we’ll drive to the town of Port Royal for afternoon sketching along the Cypress Wetlands Trail.  The trail is a half a mile in length and consists of pathways and boardwalks that are easily navigated and can be somewhat sheltered from the wind. 

Do dress accordingly.  Bring your sketchbooks and either a travel watercolor set or watercolor pencils, waterbrush(es), Micron pen, pencil and eraser.

We will eat lunch as we wrap up our classroom session.  Please BYO lunch/drink so we can be efficient with our time.  It will take 20 minutes or so to drive to Port Royal.