More Thoughts on Keeping an Art Journal

Art journal pages should be your safe place where you can explore new ideas and possibilities. They're also your place where you can open up and say anything upon the pages. Some folks don't always feel comfortable journaling on their pages for a variety of reasons:

Some don't like their handwriting. Remember, your handwriting is a part of you. There's something about the human touch on a page that you don't get when you cut out words or use rubber stamp letters. Your writing is a part of YOU. When my Dad died, I saved little bits and pieces of paper that he wrote his notes on. Those were my treasures.

Some are afraid that what they're writing will be read and misinterpreted by others. I always say that unless you're in a dangerous situation where writing your thoughts openly will put you in harms way, journaling both your good and bad IS extremely beneficial and healthy. We all have good and bad moments and it's nice to have a place to process them. I've often been asked why I write my thoughts so freely and openly. It's my journal and my hope is that someday someone will read them and think, "I've felt like that." or that my son will think, "Hey, Mom was human and she made mistakes and had good and bad days." Yet most days I am writing for ME and not for anyone else and I don't care who reads it. It's MY journal and if someone misinterprets what I am saying, it's on them. Not me. Journaling is about reaching out and connecting and sometimes it goes beyond just connecting with ourselves. 

That said, there are always ways to hide your writing, too (if you don't really want it to be read.) Write first and then paint or collage. Write and then partially collage over it. Draw, doodle, stamp, make marks on top of your writing. Sometimes the simple act of getting the writing out and onto the page and then layering over it is all that is needed for some. I think that it's better to get it out than to keep it locked in.

Some feel that they don't have anything to say. EVERYONE has something to say (look at facebook. ;)) Journaling doesn't have to be about, "Today I went to work..I hate my boss...I went home, collapsed on the couch and went to bed." Journaling can be about any and everything. Everyone has something worthwhile to say and contribute. You don't have to write about your day to day business but what about little events that happened that put a smile on your face, a dialogue with something that you heard on tv or read in a book, unsent letters, lists, dreams, hopes, goals, thoughts that are on your mind that you need to process some more, etc... It's all good and it's all worth writing about. Even pages and pages of venting can do someone good if getting it out and onto the page helps them in some way.

I had horrid handwriting for years. I practiced and played on my journal pages. I've never taken a calligraphy class as I don't have the patience for it but I tried different pens, brushes and styles of writing and I found that the more I pushed myself and opened up, the more I liked what I was doing. Contrary to popular belief (at the time), I had nice handwriting! I'm still playing and experimenting with my handwriting and I'm having fun doing it.

Keep it up. Your journal is your place to experiment and play. It should be fun, a relief even and not stressful. It's not art that's meant to be hung on walls. It's art that's for YOU.