Oscraps

Art Journaling and I have a checkered past. I know that I had a hard time with it at first because I had scrapbooking straight dab in a box of “You must be using personal pictures and be recording memories for it to be called scrapbooking!!”. I did not understand the concept of digital art for the sake of art. I was intrigued, yet I sadly dismissed it. It started to get more and more popular, so I thought I’d take a look. I saw these people doing AMAZING things with their pages – blending, dimension, word art, fun, whimsical elements and I started to give it some attention. I think the first AJ designer I saw was Tangie Baxter.  I told myself I could never learn how to do that or be creative enough to make an AJ page, so I just watched from afar. My gateway to being able to accept and try art journaling happened when I was asked to be on Created by Jill’s creative team. Those ladies were FAR above me in talent, but they took me under their wing, and Jill was my champion and cheerleader. Not long after, we lost her to cancer. So so sad.

Anyways, through time and exposure to it, I learned that it’s so much more than just pretty pictures. I found that people were really truly working through emotions and traumas through making these pages. I also found that it was an artistic outlet for many, and it was like painting or any other art that one does just for the enjoyment of it. Art journaling has given many people an outlet for their creativity. It gives one the freedom to do whatever the heart tells them. There’s no wrong way to do it when you do it from your heart and soul. 

There are those who say that there is only one rule of art journaling: There are no rules.  I agree and disagree with that assessment. I think there should be SOME parameters so that people can start to use the tools and learn how to best express their feelings, and then break those tools if your emotions need to do so. 🙂

In the next 7 weeks, I’m going to be discussing 7 pieces of the art journaling puzzle that I think need to be understood to really take advantage of the art form. 

These are the 7 components I will be discussing:  lines, shape, color, value, form, texture, and space.
(Taken from Monica Galvan’s article “7 Visual Elements”

PLEASE NOTE: I am not telling you that you must use these 7 elements in order to be an art journal artist. However, I do think learning about the foundations of the art form is important to examine and understand. 

This week: Lines
Lines are an important part of design. They give your page movement and personality. In art journaling, many designers make scribbles and line marks of all kinds. They add a touch of whimsy, or strength depending on the boldness of the line. Varied line widths make for more personal touches and look more natural. These are called “mark making” as well in the art journaling circles. 

See how the line weights are different?  Mark making, or lines, create visual interest and depth to your pages. Are they necessary? No, not at all. However, if you do want to use them, they are there! 

Here is another pack by Rachel Jefferies: 

Past To Present | Messy Marks + Text Paths by Rachel Jefferies

Notice that she has varying line weights but has added a new dimension: using text as lines! There are so many ways to use the element of lines in your pages.  Text can imply lines, direct your eyes towards differnt parts of the page or elements you want to highlight. It’s amazing what lines of text can do just as well as mark making lines.

Take some time and look in the art journal gallery and see how other people use “lines” in their pages. You may see that lines aren’t used much in some pages and used liberally in others. Looking at both types, how do you feel about using lines in YOUR pages?  

Ok – then…

On to the challenges we are doing for the month. I hope you had a chance to take a look at the Art Journaling Challenges over in the forums at the O and maybe even give them a try? Remember, you can do any or all of them, and you have the entire month to complete them to qualify for the prize, but you can do ANY of the old challenges whenever you want. Doing old challenge is a great way to practice the style! The challenges never close! 

Here are the last two week’s challenges: 

Week 3 Art Journaling Challenge
Some of the prompts: 

Here are a few journaling prompts to help get you started.

• Write down three things you are thankful for
• What is one habit you’d like to stop? To start?
• What is meaningful to you?
• What’s your most critical need?
• How would you like to feel in 2024?
• What are your top three priorities?
• What are your top three goals?
• What are six things you want to try, learn, explore?
• Describe yourself in one word. In five words. In a dozen words.
• What gives you the most fulfillment in life?
• What do you love most about your life right now? What would you like to change?
• What are your fears? How can you overcome them?

Week 4 Art Journaling Challenge
Abundance. Gratitude. Prosperity.

Here are some quotes to get you thinking:

“When you are grateful, fear disappears and abundance appears.”

“Living in a state of gratitude is the gateway to grace.”

“The real gift of gratitude is that the more grateful you are, the more present you become.”

“When we give cheerfully and accept gratefully, everyone is blessed.”

The key to abundance is meeting limited circumstances with unlimited thoughts.

What is called genius is the abundance of life and health.

Abundance is a process of letting go; that which is empty can receive.

To rejoice in the prosperity of another is to partake in it

Here is Cindy’s page for week 3:

Here is mine:

Week 4 Page:

Take a look at our pages and the others that were done for the challenges. Did we use the element of lines? If they aren’t easily seen, what design elements would create lines for us – lines of movement and interest? Learn to notice lines and how they work in the layouts that are created. Next week: Shapes!!

Thank you for joining me today!