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Wednesday, January 5, 2011

I Am Journaling This Year!

So  I  joined  the  Strathmore  Online  Workshop  ning  group  and  there  are  3  free  workshops  there.   They  run  for  4  weeks,  and  the  first  one  started  last  Saturday.   I  bought  the  journal--

Let  me  tell  you  about  this  journal!   It's  a  big  9 x 12  size,  and  it's  140lb  watercolor  paper  (nice  thick  durable  pages)--finally,  a  journal  designed  for  any  type  of  mess that  you  want  to  put  into  it.   I  really  tried  to  journal  last  year  and  did  start,  but  never  stuck  with  it--this  year  I  am!   And  there's  only  44  pages--I  know  I  can  do  it.

So  the  first  workshop  is  being  taught  by  Pam  Carriker--Pam  Carriker--how  can  you  not  love  her!!   The  more  of  her  teaching  videos  I  see  on  you  tube  and  the  more  I  read  her  articles  in  the  different  Somerset  publications,  the  bigger  fan  I  become  of  hers'.  I  pre-ordered  her  new  book  on  Amazon  months  ago  and  I  can't  wait  to  see  it--I  think  in  the  Spring  sometime.

In  lesson  1,  the  first  thing  she  has  us  do  is  use  images  of  our  old  journal  pages,  cut  them  up,   and  then  collage  them  onto  the  page.  Well,  since  I  never  really  had  a  journal,  I  just  used  images  of  my  art.  This  was  fun  and  here's  where  I  started--

I  found  these  3  art  pieces  that  I  made  last  year,  and  decided  just  to  use  these  with  the  purples,  golds,  and  greens,   And  the  face  is  the  face  from  my  angel  that  I  painted  a  couple  months  ago.  Whenever  I  sketch  faces  that  I  really  like,  I  always  save  them  on  my  computer  for  future  reference  to  see  how  I  did  them,  or  just  to  look  at  them,  with  nothing  else  in  mind.  This  was  the  perfect opportunity  to  use  this  face  in  another  piece  of  art.

And  I  was  having so  much  fun,  that  I  decided  to keep  journaling  this  way  on  the  page  right  next  to  it--






I  did  this  really  fast--didn't  overthink  it--just  did  it.   And  now  I  know  why  you  guys  like  doing  this  so  much--ideas  come  to  you  and  since  it's  your  journal,  you  can  just  go  for  the  idea,  and  if  it  doesn't  work  out,  then  no  big  deal.   I  know,  I  know--this  is  how  we  teach  ourselves. 

Well,  I  wanted  to  do more  with  it,  but  I've  decided  to  work  along  with  Pam  for  the  next  3  weeks,  because  with  each  lesson,  we  will  be  adding  on  to  this  spread--I'll  keep  you  posted. 

So  if  you  haven't  been  there--go  check  it  out--there  are  already  a  large  group  of  very  talented  artists  there.  And  I've  met  some  new  ladies--one  of  my  new  friends  is  Diane  Salter--isn't  that  fun!!

43 comments:

  1. This is just wonderful. Don't you love how a community of creative souls inspires? Love your journal beginnings. Looking forward to seeing more.
    Blessings
    T

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  2. great job with your journal pages!

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  3. That's exciting you're jumping into journaling and giving it another go--have fun!

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  4. I'm doing that class to,I enjoy pam's teaching. Love your journal spread. I just did alittle one in a small moleskin. Can't wait to see yours as it progresses. Where did you get your journal?

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  5. Diane this is so exciting! I love your journal page! I also am excited about Pam Carriker's new book. It looks wonderful. I am going to pre-order it too. My only hang up about journaling is my pitiful penmanship. I took an online class this year but only printed out the instructions-no time to work on it.

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  6. Hi Diane! This sounds like so much fun! Thats great you jumped right in! Love what you have done so far! I do the same thing with my faces. Keep them to look back and see how I did them. Hope you will be posting your progress! Will love to see it! :)

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  7. Me too! But oh WOW! You really have a wonderful start! I haven't even begun! Love this post!

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  8. Hi Diane, thanks for stopping by La Dolce Vita! Yes, I love my art journal and will be showing off the new one soon. I love to write and then collage and work on top of the writing. love your journal pages!

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  9. I know what you mean about keeping up with journaling. I love the idea of art / visual journaling, and have done some pages, but just can't seem to keep it up. That's why I joined the Strathmore courses too. We DO share a lot of groups together! Isn't that fun? I really love your pages you did for Pam's workshop. Thanks for visiting my blog too.

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  10. I'm doing this workshop also-it was fun to put the pages together. Will be interesting to see what we do next!! Yours will be wonderful, I know!! I love that size book-that's the size I got also.

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  11. Awesome pages, Diane! Hugs, Terri xoxo

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  12. Wonderful start, it will be fun to see your journal as it progresses. I bought a journal that I will start soon, good paper inside but only 5X7.

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  13. Journaling is addictive! I plan to do more this year, too.

    I love your first pages...great color! I can't wait to see what you do next!

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  14. Love the color and looking forward to seeing were you take your journal.
    darlene

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  15. Very exciting reading you post, I always wonder this... and I wrote about it today in my blog if I will understand my journal in years to come. It doesn't matter just like it doesn't matter if each page is really that good, and some pages of mine are not.

    Your off and running, and believe it or not I use some of my hournal pages in other art and some of my other art in the jounal. I have a journal that has a lot of personal things written there I use small art given to me, or other journal art or favorite large art that I make smaller on the computer. It is an odd mix and I do know that in years to come I might wonder what I was thinking, and a date won't help.

    I enjoyed reading your thoughts on this journaling.

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  16. Welcome to art journalling! It only took me a few goes and I was completely hooked, so look out ... you are entering seriously obsessive and addictive territory! Fun isn't it?

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  17. hey - fabuloso journal,

    I have resorted to making my own journals from hot press water colour paper as I just cannot find a manufactured one that can withstand my crazy methodologies, In the next tilda instalment I am heard to say ( in my Derby Accent) never do what I do, if you never do what I do you might get something right - I so believe I learn from getting it Wrong...h a ha ha watch me do it wrong and you might leapfrog straight to perfection!!!!if you can abide my caterwauling ...

    I really love your faces - do more and more and more and it is often great fun and such a fab shortcut to take an old piece and make a new composition - have you used lazertran yet?

    dx

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  18. Love the art in the new journal:O)I hope she offers another class soon, i have always kept journals but no drawings I think this way is sooo much better:O) Where did you get your journal? have fun:O)

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  19. good for you! I love the page you created.
    Pam is wonderful! It took one of her journaling workshops a while ago, and I will definitely be picking up the new book when it's out.
    Keep on journaling!

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  20. Oh very cool! I love the page you made! And I love you are doing this!

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  21. Sounds like tons of fun! Looking forward to updates. Enjoy :)
    Cheers,
    Jo

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  22. Diane,
    how great it must be- and what a wonderfull start you made-I so love the lilac tones-and the angel face are so beautifull, dear.
    Hugs,Dorthe

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  23. Extraordinary work in your journal...i see future paintings down the road, for miss diane...these are just wonderful, diane!
    one of my friends gave this journal to me for christmas..i had no idea about the ning thing...if i get time, i'll look it up...but..i am taking misty's class and won a journaling class from stephanie lee, so shall be a busy bee! as always, thanking for sharing so much! xo

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  24. I bought one of these journals when they first came out and I love them.......I am so glad you have started journaling; I think you will find it very addictive....Love the pages you have already done.....I think I will go over and check out the class you were talking about; sounds like a lot of fun.....

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  25. Your journal pages are wonderful. I don't "offically" journal but I do have a few books I work in when I feel inclined. It's kind of like therapy art when I feel like doing something but don't feel like making a big extravaganza out of it. I am going to check out the link and see if it's not too late to join in. Thank you for sharing!

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  26. Did you say free? I am there! LOL Seriously, your journal pages are GLORIOUS! They are so rich and alive and colorful. Your art always makes me so happy, Diane. Thank you for sharing this! Theresa

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  27. I love your page! Your are off to such a great start! I will get there..sigh...

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  28. Oh how cool Diane! Thanks for sharing what you've done. I really like these ideas and techniques. Teesha more does a lot of that where she will reuse from other journals or make copies of her favorite pages and incorporate again and again. I love visual journaling! For a while there I was doing it so often but like anything with me, I tend to move onto other things. I think I feel a new journal page coming on with a new fluffy doggie!

    Hope you're having a good week.
    Take care,
    Holly

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  29. Love your journal pages, and can't wait to see more! The link didn't work for me, but I hope you'll post more of your work from the class!

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  30. This looks like it will be a great class. You are doing fantastic for never journaling before.If I weren't signing up for a watercolor journaling class I would definitely hop onto this one! Look forward to seeing more pages!

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  31. Hey Diane! Sounds like you have been bitten by the journal bug! You will have so much fun. and if you need some PSE tips, let me know. I know how to do a few things...it is also VERY addicting. Let me know and I'll give you my cell # and we can do a tutorial over the phone, k? Sending you well wihes for the new year!

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  32. Thanks for sharing the free on-line classes. :) The journal looks great. Keep it up. :)

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  33. Thanks for sharing this Diane. Awesome to find great classes especially when they are free. I love trying different styles of journaling. Yours is looking great!
    Have fun! & friend me if you see me over there ;) Theresa

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  34. You journal pages are great!! I did not know about this journal class. I will have to look into it.! I love to journal. I am not very consistant but I do love it. It is a great way to learn what you like and what you don't like.

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  35. I think you are going to have lots of fun with this...

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  36. Lovin the journal pages Diane!

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  37. Wonderful, beautiful, awesome...smiles!

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  38. I absolutely love where you are going with this journal Diane!! I must check out that paper 140lb .....amazing!

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  39. Happy 2011 and great to read your blog again D! Exciting to see your newest pieces in progress and will check out your links. Have fun!

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  40. Great journal pages Diane, I am doing the workshop also , I only had black and white copies but it is fun to play with it. Pam is a great teacher, I love the way she draw faces. I also love the fact that we have a week in between to prepare, I am doing 3 differents online course at the same time and I love all of them. = )
    Peace and Love = )

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  41. This spread is great!!! I love using images from my "stash". Makes the journal page even more personal. I am headed over to see about that free class from Pam. Yes, she is great!

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  42. this is fabulous! I wouldn't mind taking classes myself....I am attempting an art journal this year...its is so different to my normal style of crafting, that I am sure I will learn lots! thanks for your inspiration! Hugs Juls

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