3 Ways Art Journaling Improves Mental Health
I don't like to dwell on the past - it's important that to avoid negative thought patterns. For me, doing somethinng positive is the best way to stay well. That…
I don't like to dwell on the past - it's important that to avoid negative thought patterns. For me, doing somethinng positive is the best way to stay well. That…
You can add even more layers of meaning by journaling in your art journal. As well as adding paint and imagery to a page it is worth considering writing. By…
In this textured art journal page I will show you 3 ways to add texture.
The quote for this page is:
The bad news is time flies, the good news is you’re the pilot.
It reminds me that although time on Earth is limited you get to make decisions about how you spend it. Even if you are stuck in bed with illness or have a lot of things that you have to do every day you can still choose what to think about. All the great human inventions we have to be thankful for started out as an idea in someone’s thoughts so who’s to say that you can’t have an idea that changes the world? I loved the idea of celebrating this freedom in an art journal page and the techniques of adding texture that I have chosen hint at the depth of the unconscious mind and the process of revealing what is hidden there.
My, inspired by steampunk art journal page is a foray into the world of ‘makivity’ (a word my son came up with at an early age to describe his cardboard creations). For steampunk is not just an aesthetic style but a whole culture around unique mechanical self built objects. The steampunk universe stretches over art, illustration, statues, sculptures, film, music, stories.
When I came up with my quote:
I’m Possible, not impossible
for the first week of my next art journaling course I was reminded of the steampunk ethos. Rather than focus on the impossibility of the things we can’t do, think of ways we can make them possible. I give the example of flight; for humans it is impossible – unaided. But with the help of machines we can fly and this is where my thinking about possibility and steampunk came together. Why not a mysterious flying machine steampunk art journal page? Exactly I thought, so that’s what I did.
National tea day has been celebrated on 21st April since 2016. I decided to make an art journal page for national tea day 2022 so started off by visiting the website for national tea day in UK.
Us Brits love our tea don’t we? I know I do and not just your standard cuppa. Herbal teas are a firm favourite and have health benefits that we have been taking advantage of for centuries. So National tea day aims to celebrate this tradition by dedicating a day to it each year. The organisation behind the celebration organises on and offline events to honour the humble cuppa. Of course tea drinking in the UK isn’t just about the brew, it has a whole raft of associated culture. I’m thinking of tea and biscuits to ‘dunk’ in it, or high tea with scones and cakes or even the notorious builder’s brew – strong and in a big mug. There’s also tea parties and teddy bear’s picnics where the teapot rules supreme. All this is a lot of fuel for art journaling inspiration and so I came up with 3 themes for national tea day art journal pages to share with you.
To create a personalised gift card design first you have to get to know what the recipient likes or would appreciate and it helps to have a reason to send the card…. Customized gift cards are very popular online as they take card designs and make them personal to the receiver. It helps you feel like you’re giving something you had a hand in making. Going one step further there’s nothing better than giving a handmade gift and here art journaling excels because it provides the opportunity to be really creative knowing you will bring a smile to someone’s face.
Years ago I lived in Africa with my family for a few years. My dad loved the country and the wildlife with a special interest in the birds, having always been a keen birdwatcher. As a result we spent a fait amount of time visiting nature reserves. A peculiar feature of business there was that artists would sell their crafts and art at the side of the road. This is how my dad acquired a few nice pieces depicting birds and the landscape that still remind him of the things he loved about the area to this day.
Art journaling is a great way to explore your creativity largely because it can be very private: you make a page and then close your journal and no one else…