Pages

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Finding time...developing the journaling habit!


As we've mentioned here, one of the best ways to find time for journaling is simply to be prepared.  It's become a habit with me.  If I'm ready--even if it's just to do a simple pencil or ink sketch--it makes it EASY to journal, even in tiny bits of time.

Have your art supplies with you, even if that means a very small, simple set of paints and a waterbrush or two--and of course, your journal.

I've sketched this view more than once--I like it, tucked between the railroad tracks in the distance, our supermarket, and the biggest car dealer in town.  A little triangle of country in the midst of town!

I often opt to sketch while Joseph grocery shops...works best for both of us, since I tend to impulse buy and J. reads alllll the labels.  Sketching is GOOD!

This was the little set I was using, but since it's a year later it looks much more used than it does here!

This time he just had to get a few things, so I knew I didn't have long.  I laid in large areas of color to follow the shape of the hills and railroad right-of-way and then later, when I got home, got out my lovely little gold-nibbed dip pen.  It's tiny and fits in my travel kit easily.  (In order to use it comfortably, I stick that shortie handle in a section of cut-off drinking straw!)



Joseph found this one online and bought it for me, so I'll have a backup!

I reconstituted the colors that had dried in my palette, made them a bit more intense, and drew in the details--a suggestion of trees in the background, the mown grass, and a few weeds up close.  FUN.

Still later, I added a few notes that will bring this special day back to me.

I seldom do a whole page at once, but add a bit here and there as I have time or inspiration.  If I had to search for my materials or hoped to do a whole journal page at once, I'd never get as much done as I do!  Bite-size pieces!

15 comments:

  1. Beautiful, Kate! You are so right about bit size pieces. It takes an emense amount of pressure off not being tied into finishing a page in one sitting. It keeps journaling fun and makes you welcome times when you are forced to wait...... Oh goodie, time to sketch and paint :). One must be prepared, though.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Very nice! And what an awesome hubby!!! I hate to shop... ; ) I do most of my journaling at work! lol! I drive a city bus and we have time-points all thru our routes. When I'm running a little early, I whip out my journal and my fave pen and doodle. A minute to five minutes at a time! I can't color the pages, but I love the little bites I can put down. I keep a plastic envelope with some collage stuff and a big glue stick too, to lay down at least a little color.
    Take it easy!
    Lotus

    ReplyDelete
  3. Wow what a big help this is for me. I always feel I have to finish in one sitting.

    ReplyDelete
  4. That's how I feel, Pam! Yay, I've got a few free minutes! Lotus, I do indeed have an awesome hubby...I'm not a shopper either. Love the glue stick/collage idea! And Toni, I actually LIKE the way pages can develop and gestate over a bit of time. I've got a spread I'm going to get up soon that shows this kind of progression over a week's time, with a color theme. I had to wait till something the right color caught my eye...

    ReplyDelete
  5. Oh, to allow myself to not have to finish, to breathe and wait and percolate. What a special encouragement to remember to make what we do fun and easy, in our own time and way.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Brilliant approach! My bites can be really small! How I envy you at the grocery store - I'm afraid I am BOTH an impulse buyer and I read ALL the labels....

    ReplyDelete
  7. So that's your secret to getting so much done! Love the sketches. Funny how it takes being prepare so that we can be spontaneous.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Love the beautiful little nib from hubby :) Great advice :)

    ReplyDelete
  9. Of course sometimes I have time to do a whole page...different types, but I do find that most often I work more like this. I don't mind waiting, ever! Jeanette, I simply can't stand up long enough to read all those labels. And MIND you, we buy mostly from the perimeter, very few packaged foods, so not sure how it can take quite that long...

    However, that said, I'd really like to take my little folding stool into the store and draw the produce!

    ReplyDelete
  10. And thank you, Laura, I do too! The nib is SO smooth...

    ReplyDelete
  11. Fabulous advice, and one I need to work on - Pressure keeps me from sketching sometimes. I need to work on building a page slowly with inspiration - and Yes we all know Joseph is a special man!! You are both so lucky!

    ReplyDelete
  12. I'm slowly working on a color-inspired page again, Sandy...yesterday a richly colored ivy leaf, today the buds that blew off the trees in our storm. Who knows what, tomorrow!?

    And yes, we really are blessed, and KNOW it. He's my knight!

    ReplyDelete
  13. I like that doing it in "Bite-Size Pieces," Kate. That's a step that leads to step after step and goes a long ways toward breaking that block of ice some of us have to deal with.
    annie

    ReplyDelete
  14. "Bite-sized pieces" . . .
    Thanks for the reminder -- I needed it!

    ReplyDelete

We'd love your feedback...please share your thoughts!