Commentary about works in progress, design & creativity
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I have been thinking and talking about visual journaling for several months. I have finally put my money where my mouth is and done it. I don’t know why this view, but something about the 24th Street sign and the fact that I had time called to me. Some things I will consider for next time:
I think I am past the hump and hope that I will do more.
Jane Sassaman sent out a newsletter today, which is why I am over looking at her site. I came across her Visual Bibliography and think this is a great idea. Pam RuBert wrote about a new book she is using for inspiration and now JS has posted about it, too. Hhhmmm…a trend? Time will tell. What do you read/look at for inspiration?
PamDora jolted me out of my visual journaling non-progress with her recent post and pointer to a book. I checked out my local library to see if they had it and, sadly, they don’t. I’ll have to see what my other options are for getting it without buying it and actually having to store it. Good idea, though. Perhaps PamDora will loan it!
Deirdre passed this link on to me. Pamdora has written a post about journals. In it she links to YouTube videos of artists sharing their visual journals. I did look at a couple of the videos.
The videos show page after page of the artists’ drawing books. It is cool to see what they are drawing, because it gives me ideas for what I can draw if I ever become regular in working on a visual journal. I was bolstered in my efforts by looking at Paula Scher’s video, because she draws letters in different ways. She decorates the shapes and encloses them in different vessels. What a simple idea for getting starting on a visual journal journey. Start with the basics!
Her fonts get more elaborate as the video goes on and the audience begins to see the border treatment that she does on the pages of her journal. Her work kind of reminds me of writing your name over and over on your notebook in 6th grade.
Celia Squire, a London artist, does very detailed pictures of what looks like the world around her. The figures are elaborate and rich. The details made me want to look closer. I really like the first page of the woman sitting at a cafe table.
Stefano Faravelli’s journal is wonderful. Pamdora writes “A beautiful travel-style journal that folds out out into one long composition.” Her words do not do justice to the fantastic watercolors on each page or the cleverness of the way the pages fold out to one long painting. I really like the way he has incorporated words into his compositions. perhaps I don’t need a visual journal, because Stefano has done what I want to do!
One of the things I hadn’t thought of until I saw Remy Bardin’s journal were foldouts and pockets. I could make little secret hiding places in my visual journal. Perhaps I should call it the mythical visual journal?
The videos are accompanied, except for Paul Dewis, by a strange clapping/rustling of tracing paper sound. I turned off the sound on my computer, so I could concentrate on the art.
It is obvious that these artists:
There are many more videos of this project. Go take a look. You will be inspired!
What a great idea.
This is the e-mail newsletter that Cloth Paper Scissors sends out. I am including it here to give you another resource for creative sketchbooks and journals. If you want more information go to the Cloth Paper Scissors website.
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I am still thinking about creative journals/sketchbooks. The Darling Child draws or plays his clarinet each evening before he starts playing his hand-held devices. It is much easier to create a new habit with someone else, so I have decided to draw at the same time he does each evening. Even if it is just 5 minutes, it is a start. There are lots of ideas for drawing/visual ideas swirling around in my mind, so I have to make a start. We’ll see how it workss.
I stared at the screen all day yesterday and was amazed when no new posts materialized.
Today Deirdre got me thinking with her post mentioning a new box of crayons. This dovetailed with me finding two sets of felt tip markers that I have had for years (yes, they still work). No longer my implement of choice, they have been languishing.
I am still thinking about visual journals so Deirdre’s post made me think of the “visual work” I did when I was a kid. Doodleart were black and white posters you bought in a tube and then colored with felt tips. I loved Doodleart posters and am amazed that they are still in business! I see the aquarium and think I did that one way back when.
I was also thinking about coloring books. I used to go to TG&Y on my bike and buy coloring books and paper doll punch out books. I think coloring books may have been the original visual journals for me.
This Disneyland coloring book is copyright 1975 by Walt Disney Productions. It is called a Whitman Book, Western Publishing Company, Inc., Racine, Wisconsin. There is a history of this company online.
I really thought a lot about color when I was coloring. Notice how Minnie’s shoes carefully match her dress?
It should come as no surprise that I was extremely neat in my coloring. I also DID NOT share. I didn’t want anyone messing up my work of art. 😉
Still no movement on actually creating a modern visual journal, but it is still rolling around in my head. I think I need to find a good art store.
