If you're new to Art Journal Every Day, all the posts can be found here. Please read this post first. There is a flickr group for sharing right here. Remember, it's just ten minutes of nourishing your creative self every day! No need to finish anything or even like it. Just play!
I'm on the road with my art journal this week. Just playing with what I have. You don't need a lot of fancy supplies to have fun in your art journal. I wanted to share a few quick ideas for what you can do with a black pen and a set of watercolor paints.
I did all of these pages on the road: in the airport, in my hotel room, in the green room at the studio, etc. (And took all the photos on the road and wrote this blog post on the road, so my apologies about some of the flashed out photos! It was a better choice than blurry!)
I worked on this page in the airport while I was waiting for my flight. (You might have seen me tweet this iphone photo if you're a follower on Twitter.)
I simply balanced the journal on my lap and painted away with my tiny watercolor set. Here's the full page:
And I worked on this page in little fits and starts between taping segments for Scrapbook Soup. A few raindrops…
…became a deluge!
Some text to add context…
…and some color to add even more to the story.
And I have always believed in lots and lots of journaling!
Here's another studio page completed in stages:
Nothing fancy, just simple words and a big doodle.
And finally, here is the page currently in progress in my hotel room:
This particular page was started on a page that had strips of washi tape all over it. I drew and painted some flowers…
…and then somehow it morphed into a face! I'll probably finish the page up with some journaling and a few other edits, but I'll have to cross that bridge tomorrow!
If you're making art journaling a part of your daily life chances are you're going to have to travel with your journal at some point. Here are three things I have learned about art journaling on the road, which I hope you'll find helpful:
- Leave the huge journal at home. I hate to miss days in my big "every day" diary style journal, but it's just too cumbersome to open up in an airport or hold on my lap. So I travel with a different journal — one that is wire bound (so it folds open to a manageable size) and can easily be stuck in a bag.
- Limit your supplies. It's hard for me to journal without gesso and gel medium! But it's also good for me to stretch my artisic muscles a bit and work without my favorite crutches. Plus keeping it simple means less to set up and clean up, and less to carry!
- Not every page has to be a masterpiece. This is true whether you're traveling or not, but it's a good daily mantra. Splashing around and having fun, letting your thoughts tumble onto the page — that's what really counts. But particularly when you're on the road give yourself permission to let things go. For instance, I usually work in lots and lots of layers. Without a heat gun and miscellaneous supplies this is hard to do. So when traveling I just let that whole idea go!
Before I go, here's a peek at the pencil case of supplies I brought with me (neat and messy versions because I couldn't decide which photo I liked better):
Contents:
- Sakura Quickie Glue Pen (didn't use it)
- Permapaque (didn't use it)
- Mechanical Pencil (didn't use it)
- White Eraser (didn't use it)
- Koi Pocket Filed Sketch Watercolors (includes a collapsable water brush)
- Sakura Pigma Micron Pens (01, 03, 05 sizes)
- Uniball Signo White Gel Pen (didn't use it)
- Rag
Would love to see what's in your traveling box! Leave a link in the comments section!
Thanks for stopping by!
LOVE the rainbow teardrops. BTW I linked to you on my blog today.
LOVE the rainbow teardrops. BTW I linked to you on my blog today.
LOVE the rainbow teardrops. BTW I linked to you on my blog today.
LOVE the rainbow teardrops. BTW I linked to you on my blog today.
Love those colourful pages, I’ve never had the guts to paint in public, probably because I don’t believe I’m good enough at it for scrutiny 🙂
When I took my journal away last I prepped the pages with a watercolour wash background and some imagery relevant to where I was heading (Paris) before I left home, and then took with me, from memory:
– a glue stick
– 4 or 5 pens of various types
– a couple of small rolls of themed washi tape
– a little stapler
– a Pogo instant photo printer to print sticker-pics from my mobile phone
– scissors
I think that was all.
the resulting pages are here : http://are-you-flowin.blogspot.com/2011/02/didnt-we-have-lovely-time-week-we-went.html
I LOVED journalling in the hotel room each night and coming home with my “vacation scrapbook” already DONE instead of a chore to get around to later 🙂
Love those colourful pages, I’ve never had the guts to paint in public, probably because I don’t believe I’m good enough at it for scrutiny 🙂
When I took my journal away last I prepped the pages with a watercolour wash background and some imagery relevant to where I was heading (Paris) before I left home, and then took with me, from memory:
– a glue stick
– 4 or 5 pens of various types
– a couple of small rolls of themed washi tape
– a little stapler
– a Pogo instant photo printer to print sticker-pics from my mobile phone
– scissors
I think that was all.
the resulting pages are here : http://are-you-flowin.blogspot.com/2011/02/didnt-we-have-lovely-time-week-we-went.html
I LOVED journalling in the hotel room each night and coming home with my “vacation scrapbook” already DONE instead of a chore to get around to later 🙂
Love those colourful pages, I’ve never had the guts to paint in public, probably because I don’t believe I’m good enough at it for scrutiny 🙂
When I took my journal away last I prepped the pages with a watercolour wash background and some imagery relevant to where I was heading (Paris) before I left home, and then took with me, from memory:
– a glue stick
– 4 or 5 pens of various types
– a couple of small rolls of themed washi tape
– a little stapler
– a Pogo instant photo printer to print sticker-pics from my mobile phone
– scissors
I think that was all.
the resulting pages are here : http://are-you-flowin.blogspot.com/2011/02/didnt-we-have-lovely-time-week-we-went.html
I LOVED journalling in the hotel room each night and coming home with my “vacation scrapbook” already DONE instead of a chore to get around to later 🙂
Love those colourful pages, I’ve never had the guts to paint in public, probably because I don’t believe I’m good enough at it for scrutiny 🙂
When I took my journal away last I prepped the pages with a watercolour wash background and some imagery relevant to where I was heading (Paris) before I left home, and then took with me, from memory:
– a glue stick
– 4 or 5 pens of various types
– a couple of small rolls of themed washi tape
– a little stapler
– a Pogo instant photo printer to print sticker-pics from my mobile phone
– scissors
I think that was all.
the resulting pages are here : http://are-you-flowin.blogspot.com/2011/02/didnt-we-have-lovely-time-week-we-went.html
I LOVED journalling in the hotel room each night and coming home with my “vacation scrapbook” already DONE instead of a chore to get around to later 🙂
I hope you are journaling about your STUNnINg stamps 🙂
Mwah!
I hope you are journaling about your STUNnINg stamps 🙂
Mwah!
I hope you are journaling about your STUNnINg stamps 🙂
Mwah!
I hope you are journaling about your STUNnINg stamps 🙂
Mwah!
love the tips for a travel box… love this… I hv a lot of those items.. I must do this! hugs xo
love the tips for a travel box… love this… I hv a lot of those items.. I must do this! hugs xo
love the tips for a travel box… love this… I hv a lot of those items.. I must do this! hugs xo
love the tips for a travel box… love this… I hv a lot of those items.. I must do this! hugs xo
Thanks for the suggestions. My box should be out where my hubbie is at night because I am just not getting this done! Love the raindrops!!!
Thanks for the suggestions. My box should be out where my hubbie is at night because I am just not getting this done! Love the raindrops!!!
Thanks for the suggestions. My box should be out where my hubbie is at night because I am just not getting this done! Love the raindrops!!!
Thanks for the suggestions. My box should be out where my hubbie is at night because I am just not getting this done! Love the raindrops!!!
At this point my travel kit is my Zentangle box with pencil, sharpener, different black Zig micro pens, and eraser. And my small journal.
How in the world do you water color at the airport? As in how long does it take to dry before you can close the page?
At this point my travel kit is my Zentangle box with pencil, sharpener, different black Zig micro pens, and eraser. And my small journal.
How in the world do you water color at the airport? As in how long does it take to dry before you can close the page?
At this point my travel kit is my Zentangle box with pencil, sharpener, different black Zig micro pens, and eraser. And my small journal.
How in the world do you water color at the airport? As in how long does it take to dry before you can close the page?
At this point my travel kit is my Zentangle box with pencil, sharpener, different black Zig micro pens, and eraser. And my small journal.
How in the world do you water color at the airport? As in how long does it take to dry before you can close the page?
Thanks for more inspiration Julie!!
Thanks for more inspiration Julie!!
Thanks for more inspiration Julie!!
Thanks for more inspiration Julie!!
Love your pages! Thank you so much for sharing. What brand of washi tape do you use and where do you get it from?
Love your pages! Thank you so much for sharing. What brand of washi tape do you use and where do you get it from?
Love your pages! Thank you so much for sharing. What brand of washi tape do you use and where do you get it from?
Love your pages! Thank you so much for sharing. What brand of washi tape do you use and where do you get it from?
I travel with pretty much the same supplies since I learned from you! 🙂 But in addition ro my art journal, I bring along blank ATC cards.
I travel with pretty much the same supplies since I learned from you! 🙂 But in addition ro my art journal, I bring along blank ATC cards.
I travel with pretty much the same supplies since I learned from you! 🙂 But in addition ro my art journal, I bring along blank ATC cards.
I travel with pretty much the same supplies since I learned from you! 🙂 But in addition ro my art journal, I bring along blank ATC cards.
Angela: I buy washi tape all over the place! I buy it on etsy, from the MoMA gift shop, Tim Holtz has a version of it (he calls it tissue tape). Etsy is the best online source. Price things out and you can find a bargain!
Angela: I buy washi tape all over the place! I buy it on etsy, from the MoMA gift shop, Tim Holtz has a version of it (he calls it tissue tape). Etsy is the best online source. Price things out and you can find a bargain!
Angela: I buy washi tape all over the place! I buy it on etsy, from the MoMA gift shop, Tim Holtz has a version of it (he calls it tissue tape). Etsy is the best online source. Price things out and you can find a bargain!
Angela: I buy washi tape all over the place! I buy it on etsy, from the MoMA gift shop, Tim Holtz has a version of it (he calls it tissue tape). Etsy is the best online source. Price things out and you can find a bargain!
Sue: I balance the book and the set on my lap and if I have to suddenly close the book, I stick the rag into the pages to stop any messes. Plus watercolor paper tends to hold that liquid pretty well!
Sue: I balance the book and the set on my lap and if I have to suddenly close the book, I stick the rag into the pages to stop any messes. Plus watercolor paper tends to hold that liquid pretty well!
Sue: I balance the book and the set on my lap and if I have to suddenly close the book, I stick the rag into the pages to stop any messes. Plus watercolor paper tends to hold that liquid pretty well!
Sue: I balance the book and the set on my lap and if I have to suddenly close the book, I stick the rag into the pages to stop any messes. Plus watercolor paper tends to hold that liquid pretty well!
thank you for sharing this – I’ve been too scared to start an art journal, because the only book I felt comfortable with was spiral bound, and I couldn’t figure out how to make it work… now I’m going to have a go on Monday, see where the muse takes me. thank you.
thank you for sharing this – I’ve been too scared to start an art journal, because the only book I felt comfortable with was spiral bound, and I couldn’t figure out how to make it work… now I’m going to have a go on Monday, see where the muse takes me. thank you.
thank you for sharing this – I’ve been too scared to start an art journal, because the only book I felt comfortable with was spiral bound, and I couldn’t figure out how to make it work… now I’m going to have a go on Monday, see where the muse takes me. thank you.
thank you for sharing this – I’ve been too scared to start an art journal, because the only book I felt comfortable with was spiral bound, and I couldn’t figure out how to make it work… now I’m going to have a go on Monday, see where the muse takes me. thank you.
This is beautiful !!!
Thanks for inspiration.
This is beautiful !!!
Thanks for inspiration.
This is beautiful !!!
Thanks for inspiration.
This is beautiful !!!
Thanks for inspiration.
Great works!
Great works!
Great works!
Great works!