The Art Journal Workshop

Remember a few posts back (here), I said I would choose two books/courses/challenges to work my way through? Well the second one I've chosen is The Art Journal Workshop by Traci Bunkers.

I've not had this book for long but it felt like it had the most potential. I was reading about art journalling whilst on holiday and one piece of advice, which another journaller gave, was to follow a course and see where it took you. So I thought, okay, I'll give it a go. I haven't got any outstanding online art journal courses sitting around but I do have a few books. And, well I had to pick one, so this was it.


And, well, this past weekend, I've sat at my craft desk and worked through the first exercise, trying to incorporate all the elements as instructed, whilst also making it my own work and guess what? I think that my finished effort is complete and utter CACK! 

Now this isn't a reflection on the book or its teachings. In fact, Traci recommends you try each of the exercises more than once in order to improve and grow. It's to do with my trying something new and which I'm not yet used to. I thought I'd give everything in the exercises a go because you never know, I may surprise myself and find I like it. Or not, as the case turned out to be.


But I have learnt a great deal about what pens and inks work best (& the look of horror when I saw that the pen I picked up to write with was adding glittery ink to my page!). And I know that at the moment I thoroughly dislike adding my own writing to a page. I'm not going to rule it out altogether (yet) but I think I prefer the visual side of keeping an art journal. I like the idea of adding quotes but not writing out thoughts and feelings. 


So I shall persevere onto the next exercise and hopefully I will see my pages evolve and improve. Part of me wants to run back to the safety of graphic design, scrapbooks, cards and flowers. Of having something pleasant and attractive to photograph and blog. I think art journalling is the hardest creative endeavour I've done. It feels so much more personal than anything else I've pursued. Somehow it feels really important that my pages are authentic and honestly reflecting my style. 


Maybe I should just freakin' lighten up lol.


And thank you for the comments regarding my mug sketches. I'm amazed and delighted that some of you like my first attempt. I'm not convinced. I still prefer the second. But then, when I look at Van Gogh's work, an artist whom I admire, it's his distortion of perspective which I feel (and others clearly do too) gives his work it's distinctive interpretation of his subjects (as well as his unconventional colour choices). And Kory, you have permission to slap me hard if I begin second guessing myself again haha.


Have a great week peeps.


Px