Top Ten Reasons I Art Journal

1.  To practice
2. To try out new techniques
3. To get to know my tools and supplies
4. To experiment with different colors, designs and mediums
5. To plan or rough out a new piece of art
6. To document or make notes about a piece of art
7. To vent or work through my personal feelings
8. To voice my opinions and thoughts
9. To document my life and my artistic journey
10. To have fun

Ultimately I want to become a better artist.  I want to learn to draw, paint and use pastels.  I want to understand color and design theory.

When I first discovered the world of Art Journaling I approached it using my crafting background.  One of the main reasons that I was drawn to crafting such as scrapbooking and stamping was that I could be creative even without "artistic" skill.  But I felt so drawn to Art Journals with drawings and paintings of faces and creatures.  So I came to a decision-I wanted to create the kinds of Art Journal Pages I loved. 

I jumped into research mode and took out books from the library about drawing.  I watched hundreds of videos on YouTube (because apparently you can learn to do just about anything on YouTube).  I also had to let go of the idea that I couldn't draw.  I used to joke that my drawing ability extended to really cool stick people.  I accepted that my drawing wasn't going to perfect or great...probably not even good in the beginning.

"Every Artist was First an amateur" - Ralph Waldo Emerson

 

So what! No one ever had to see it if I didn't want them too. I jumped in and I have to admit my first attempts were...not perfect. But I kept at it and I got better! One of the wonderful things about Art Journaling is that I can see how much progress I have made over time. 

 

An early drawing attempt!

A few more recent drawings

 

I'd love to hear from you-leave a comment below and tell us why you Art Journal?  Or if you are new to Art Journaling-why do you want to Art Journal?  Be sure to check back later this week for the first of my upcoming Art Journal Feature Articles - Getting Started Part I: The Basics!