Art Journaling Class

I have been busy with a lot of things these days.  One, being a sample journal I am getting ready, for an art journaling class I will be co-leading with a writing teacher.  She will be providing the writing prompts and instructions for each session, and I will be offering the page 'embellishments' to make the journal fun!  It will be offered for 8 weeks, as a small group through our church.  This week is the kick-off rally for people to sign up to whatever group they wish to do.  I am hoping this sample journal will entice 'newbies' that do not see themselves as 'artsy', to give it a try.  That is my biggest hurdle to getting people to give it a go!

You and I know the secret....that ANYONE can do this...with a little guidance.  Here are a few of the pages that I have gotten ready, to give them a look at what can be done, very simply!   The basis of this journal will be a composition notebook. Inexpensive, and the pages are not so 'precious' that they would fear messing it up.

Daily calendar-done with oil pastels, then brushed over with a waterpen.  This gives them something to do, at home everyday, between class meetings.

Black gessoed background, write on it with white pen and colored gel pens; also drawing a frame around a page, with a word or phrase incorporated into it.  I used the example of a cinquain.  I don't know that is what the writing teacher will do, but I was trying to 'flesh' it out a bit.

This will probably wig out those who say "I can't draw!"...but I wanted to show a background of brushed paint and just a page for doodling.  Do it while you are talking on the phone.  Write your grocery list! The page behind it, that doesn't show well here, is metallic tape that I drew all over with a stylus.  Did you know you can color this stuff with Copic markers?!!!  Very fun.

 Scraps of paper arranged in a way you like...saved fruit stickers down the brown kraft paper.  Still areas of the page left to write the exercise upon.

 Left side:  a list.  Right Side:  page of book text with masked off words to make a 'nonsense' sort of story.  Simple painted/rubberstamped background. Easy, right?

 This page is to show a gesso resist (when painted over) for a background.  Also to play with lettering and some placement of what you write.

Couple colors spread around with credit card as background.  Use magazine pic as focal point and write something about it on some prepainted gesso'd lines.

Left Page:  Another list; adding photos you have laying around; Right page: Layered background of paint, cross writing (perhaps stream of consciousness) is a way to write so something is not easily read, if you don't wish to share it, and a tape transfer over the top.

Left Page:  Cellophane envie glued in to hold treasures.  Those are dried paint blobs that I had laying around, which I just glued in for interest.  Right Page:  Paper punches embellished with marker. Still room to write......

Background is any floatsam/jetsam you have in your pockets or purse, glued to page, dry brushed over with your favorite color.  Here I used a photo and made up a little story about it on the opposite page.

So....you get the idea. Do you think these are simple enough?  Do you have any good ideas for 'easy' pages, that won't scare anyone to do, or take more than 15 minutes to accomplish....send 'em my way!  I would love to have plenty in my arsenal if this class gets some sign ups!! 

.....until later

Comments

[Deb]

me me me... I'm first in line!

[freebird]

I like your pages. They shouldn't be overly intimidating. Some people will think everything is too hard and some will think it's too simple. I think you are running a good middle of the road here. I saw one lady leading some kids in art journaling have them trace their hand and then fill it in with whatever - words, doodles, drawings and/or color. She also had them draw a grid for a week's worth of little boxes so they could draw (or glue in) something about each day. Good luck. Try to have fun.

[Marilyn Rock]

This is a fabulous project and it will be very successful! I would love to take the workshop! Keep us posted.

[Kelly Watts]

Melissa;
WOW! These pages are beautiful. What a great idea, especially the calendar! I really love what you have done.

[Laura K]

These look great. A good start to art journaling. Maybe another page could be any topic that gets alot of discussion during the class.

[Tracey Kazimir-Cree]

these are great -- it's going to be a fun class for your students!

[Melisa]

I tried to reply on the compjournal group, but Yahoo hates me today. I think these are great ideas. Very do-able for beginners yet they still look great. I love calendar spreads and I almost always forget to include them. They are very handy to refer to later. Here's a few more easy ideas:

1. Use a 1" square or circle punch and punch lots of pieces from scrapbooking paper, magazine pages, anything colorful. Use them as extra large bullets on any page with a list.

2. Cover the whole page with a grid of the squares or circles, coat with a light dry brushing of gesso or white paint, then journal right over the top. Lighter colored papers work best for this one.

3. Tear strips of pretty paper and journal on the strips, similar to the way you've done the page with the gessoed stripes. Masking tape makes good stripes to write on, too.

[Aimeslee]

Your pages are great, simple enough not to be boring. You might teach it in layers, so that students can accomplish what they can, but otherwise very nice! :-))

[Diana Trout]

Great, simple ideas, Melissa. Thank you. I'll include your blog link on my blog. I just started a list (on website) of Under 30 Minute Journal Ideas. Keep tuned for my book "Journal Spilling" out October!

[Kelly Watts]

Melissa;
Your pages inspired me for my Healing Art Lessons and so I am in the midst of creating a "Mood Journal" using a composition book. I am having a blast! Thanks for sharing your ideas!
How's your class going?
Kelly

[Mixed Media Martyr]

LOVE these pages! Well done!!!

[sue pelletier]

honestly melissa....you are just unbelievable in your journaling! i'm happy your doing a class...it sounds great and will be alot of fun.