Communicating with art is nourishing for the creator and the recipient. Mail some art today.
Norma Anne is the humble princess of her own domain. Many thanks to all who help and apologies for my mistakes. Contact Norma Anne at NAChattin@NAChattin.com
04.14.04 NAC last updated: January 24, 2011
The Write Stuff
Once you get going, you can cover everything...These are all different size spiral bound books covered with collaged images.
Creating Journals
Make or Decorate Your Own Journal
Norma Anne Chattin, The Artful Tourist
Make something of it
Journals are deeply rooted in my entire creative process. My first journal was "hidden" away in a yellow report binder labeled Science Folder in 1973. I remember thinking no one could possibly be interested in a 7th grade science folder. I have not been without a journal since the year Ms. Dill assigned it as project. I still have most of my journals except for the ones I lost to mold in a storage shed. Those were from the late 70's in high school and I still miss them.
These four journals use the same base--an old fashioned composition book that can be purchased for $1.00 or less at most discount stores.
Sunflower Journal (top left) was created with a base of a calendar page, scrapbook papers, rubber stamp and a sunflower die cut. I used gel medium to apply and coat everything. This journal was donated to Gilda's house at the request of my 15 year old friend Kelsey.
Room in Heart (top right) uses scrapbook paper for base and spine and then a brochure, die cuts, rubber stamping and brads. This one did not use gel medium.
The one on the bottom left has the cover completely covered and re-taped while the one on the right was collaged to allow the ordinal black and white cover design to show.
Basic instructions for the composition book journal are located all over the internet. Here are links to some of my favorites
Use any scrapbook mini--book project to create a journal. Print the class handout for this project by clicking on the icon of a globe above. This is a journal made from coffee filters to celebrate women in my life.
Before the Bind-It-All (tm) craze began, many crafters used regular office style comb binding machines. Then came the Rollabind system which I just HAD to have right away...sigh. I haven't used the system enough to warrant getting the newest one, but I am still fascinated by binding machines. These samples were made by altering game boards.
More Journal Ideas:
Enjoy a "Wreck this Journal Swap" with your artistic friends. It's really more of a round robin or continuum art idea--but it's great fun however you do it.
An art journal is just a journal that uses visual items combined with words. Some artists rarely write and others, like myself, use more words than pictures most days. It's all up to you.
About every two years I cannot resist the urge to alter a book into my art journal. It's a bit more prep work, but the end results are always cathartic for me. These photos are from the journal I began in Feb 09. It is a photography book called Color that I've been holding onto for about 6 years with thoughts of altering. The trick with these is to sit down and prep several pages at a time to get them ready for your entries.
