No one is comfortable with change, no matter how used to it they appear and how often it happens in their life. Deal with change using your art journal.
When discussing changes that are uncomfortable or un-welcomed (no changes for the good, mind you), verbalizing exactly what is experienced for thoughts and feelings is difficult for many. If you fall within this spectrum of confusion, anger, and frustration with regard to change; then try expressing yourself in your art journal.
Materials:
- Art journal
- Watercolor paint
- Acrylic paint
- Sponge or paintbrushes
- Waxed paper
- Ultra-fine black sharpies
- Distress ink
- Magazines
- Scissors
- Heavy-duty glue sticks
Instructions:
- Open your art journal the first blank page spread, and place a piece of waxed paper beneath each page.
- Create a color wash on both sides of the page spread. This can be as light or as dark as desired during the actual process of putting color on the page. Let the emotions boiling within dictate how this part of the process will turn out.
- Allow the pages to dry completely before moving on to the next step. You can speed drying time through use of a heat gun or hair dryer, if desired.
- While waiting for the page spread to dry completely, thumb through the magazines and cut out every image, word, letter, and color that inspires this project. Set them aside.
- Once the pages have dried completely, begin to collage using the magazine cutouts and heavy-duty glue stick. Be sure to run the glue stick to the edge of each piece before adding it to the page spread in order to prevent peeling or the chance it may fall off when the book is flipped through at a later date.
- Brush acrylic paint over both sides of the page spread right over the collage work. This will provide some tooth for the ultra-fine black sharpies once it has dried completely. This application can be as heavy or as light as desired during the actual process of putting color to the project.
- Allow the paint to dry completely before you begin writing and, as with the watercolor paint, use of a heat gun or hair drier will speed drying time. While waiting, think about what you would like to write about on this page spread.
Questions to ask yourself before text is added to the page spread:
- Do you want to include song lyrics?
- Would poetry better depict how these changes are impacting your life?
- Would writing-out text journal entries help you sort through your feelings better?
- Are you more interested in using bold words, definitions, or quotations to sort through what you are going through?
- Would a combination of all of these ideas work best?
Finish off this art journal project by adding text to the pages using the ultra-fine black sharpie. If this is meant to be private, consider writing out your thoughts in a foreign language or another form of cryptic writing only you will understand. If you are working with this with a friend or a family member, consider writing out any advice or anecdotes the shared with you to help you through the process.
The copyright of the article Art Journal About Change in Art Journals is owned by Jenn Greenleaf. Permission to republish Art Journal About Change in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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