Building a Visual Vocabulary
I just finished the journal that I'll start to show you sometime next week. I made this one Saturday night and cracked it open today.
I'm trekking to No Ca in the morning (Wednesday). I'm teaching in Fremont this weekend. I'll be checking email from the road. If I don't respond as quickly as I usually do, please be patient. It means I'm either teaching or driving. I'll answer as soon as I can!
One of the things that people ask me about is my use of imagery. I have been keeping a journal since I was in 4th grade. In the past 14 years, I have kept one on a regular basis.
When I choose my imagery, I'm not only choosing 'pretty pictures'. I pick imagery that calls to me and that is symbolic to me. For example, you don't see me use too many images of men in my journals unless they are either actual family members or part of a couple. I mostly stick to pictures of women in all ages, stages, races and colors to represent me in some way. My other favorite kinds of images are:
hearts
hands
eyes
doors
houses
mandalas
flowers
trees
to name a few things.
I have been collecting these images for some time. I used to make copies, but now I use the originals (unless I want to use front and back). I can always make copies of my journal pages later on, if I want to reuse an image.
The more that you work in journal form, the more you will realize what colors, symbols, imagery, etc... call and speak to you. It doesn't happen over night and some things you will grow out of (that's okay). You can create whole books and pages based upon the things that speak to you.
What are some of your images that you use? What is your visual vocabulary?
I'm trekking to No Ca in the morning (Wednesday). I'm teaching in Fremont this weekend. I'll be checking email from the road. If I don't respond as quickly as I usually do, please be patient. It means I'm either teaching or driving. I'll answer as soon as I can!
One of the things that people ask me about is my use of imagery. I have been keeping a journal since I was in 4th grade. In the past 14 years, I have kept one on a regular basis.
When I choose my imagery, I'm not only choosing 'pretty pictures'. I pick imagery that calls to me and that is symbolic to me. For example, you don't see me use too many images of men in my journals unless they are either actual family members or part of a couple. I mostly stick to pictures of women in all ages, stages, races and colors to represent me in some way. My other favorite kinds of images are:
hearts
hands
eyes
doors
houses
mandalas
flowers
trees
to name a few things.
I have been collecting these images for some time. I used to make copies, but now I use the originals (unless I want to use front and back). I can always make copies of my journal pages later on, if I want to reuse an image.
The more that you work in journal form, the more you will realize what colors, symbols, imagery, etc... call and speak to you. It doesn't happen over night and some things you will grow out of (that's okay). You can create whole books and pages based upon the things that speak to you.
What are some of your images that you use? What is your visual vocabulary?
Comments
Emie
- Jazz
Apples
Flowers/Trees/Fields
Sad-eyed females, often looking up Cemetery statuary
I notice I'm drawn to certain colors, regardless of object, so then orange, aqua, pink, and hazy/faded images are also part of my vocabulary.
Another meaty topic, Kelly! Thanks for the journaling jumpstart ... might be just the day for mining old mags for images.
swirls
rural mailboxes with hinged fronts
images of women shot from behind, their necks and/or backs bare
swings, swingsets
specific flowers: bird of paradise, sunflower, iris
white fish
the colors: rose, apple green, teal, copper
Funny-I'm also an atheist but am drawn to images of praying hands, Buddha and Virgin Mary. I would love tape of them!!
Cindy-most or the time I cut with scissors or tear. I do NOT use x-acto knives. I don't get along well with sharp objects.
Nicole, have a great time in AZ!! We will miss you! Hope things are well!!! :)
orange (on the creamy, sherbet end of the color's spectrum)
women hula-hooping
close-ups of door knobs, intricate or plain
hanging Eastern/Indian/Moroccan style lanterns, lamps or Asian paper lanterns
elephants (stone, carved, not real ones)
laundry hanging on the line, a country/rural setting (i.e. a barn or farm building/scene in the background)
sunset colors: red bleeding into orange into pink into yellow