Thoughtful Prompt Page and Video

Pin It

Come think with me as we create, Thoughtful: an art journal page.

Art Journal Prompt:  Thoughtful

 

Instructions:

Show the concept of thoughtful and what it means to you in your project today. 

Example Page:

  

 

How this example was done:

Don’t forget that we’ll be painting faces at the next Art Cafe on Saturday the 26th!

Here’s the video of how I did my page:

First Step – Background.  I started with one of the pages that I put left over paint on.   Then I collaged a thoughtful note sent to me by Ms. Hatcher.  She’s a paraprofessional at my son’s school and she is working with him in several of his honors classes.  Her handwriting is incredible.. and I hear she follows the blog…. so Ms. Hatcher --- you have to know that putting the note from yesterday into the journal today shows how much it means to me! *grin* I’m just about over the green thing.  I’ve been doing it for Spring and St. Patrick’s day and cause I just love it… but I wanted COLOR today!  So I grabbed some purple and yellow and scraped it on the page with a credit card and my hands. Finally, I scraped some white over things to mute the colors.

Second step – Grids.  I had the card in my hand and purple paint on my tray… so I dipped and rubbed some lines.  Then it hit me to do a grid.  I repeated that in the opposite corner. now what?  I didn’t know!  LOL

Third step – Facing Up.  Soooo I grabbed a pencil and sketched a face.  I love doing them and it would be a challenge to do it on the roughly textured paper (from smooshing the pages together yesterday --- hmmm yes Google – Smoosh is a word!) Painted the face with neocolor and acrylic paint…and gave her wild purple hair.  Sweet.

Fourth step – Letterform.  I sketched a letterform with my dip pen, then wrote inside it what thoughtful means to me.

 

Supplies used today:

• pilot liquid ink pen
  
• dip pen nibs
  
• acrylic ink
  
• neocolor II water-soluble crayons
  
• liquid acrylic paint
  
• gel medium

Tee’s Tips for Getting Started

That fresh journal or blank white page can stop you in your tracks!  You are not alone… many of us have difficulty starting a journal or page.  So here’s what I have heard, done and totally recommend.

• Make a mark – any mark.  Write, Draw, Doodle --- Stamp even.  Just put a mark on the paper.
  
• Start with Color – grab some paint or ink and slap it on the page.  Once it’s no longer white, it’s not as standoffish.
  
• Make a Border – Doodle, stamp, collage – whatever works for you but put a border on one or more edges of your page and suddenly you’ll want to fill in the rest.

These are my three goto methods when starting is hard.  I am making a new journal now (we’ll start in it next week) and I can already feel the anxiety.  So I’ll slap some color on the pages this week so when I start the journal – I’ll already be over it.

A word from Tee:

I have a story to share with you.  Sandra wrote to me yesterday and what she said resonated with me in a big way!  Here’s her note – see if it resonates with you too:

Thank you for sharing these journal prompts. How do you decide what to write? I\'m terrified of writing something and having it turn out awful or not saying something important or whatever. I love the "idea" of journaling but I have many many blank books that I have yet to put words in for fear or of not having anything to say... sigh.

I had to write back right away:

I'm so glad you wrote to me to ask!  I have a secret to share --- well not much of a secret anymore but it totally relates.  I used to do the same thing as you are doing with your books. *nodding*

A friend of the family brought me this incredible hand made journal from Egypt when I was a kid... it came with matching hand carved pencils too.  It was the most wonderful present and I treasured it.  It sat beside my bed with the pencils in their little box and the book in plain view. 
I was terrified of writing in the book because once I did... well then it wasn't new anymore and what if I wrote the wrong things?  What if I started it and didn't like what I'd said?  I could draw in it, but what if it wasn't any good?  What if I drew in it and wanted it for a diary instead or the other way around??? 

Well, I never did write in that journal for fear that is so very much like your own.  The journal is gone now - tossed away by my Mom because how could it have meant anything to me if I never used it... or even sharpened the pencils.  My treasure was lost forever.  I loved holding it and looking at it, but I never experienced the joy (and fear) of even writing my name in it. 

What good did keeping it new do me now?  If I'd have written my thoughts, fear, joys, sorrows ... or anything in the book.  I'd still have it.  My Mom would have known it's importance.

I was the same way with art supplies.  I couldn't use them because then they'd be used up!  Oh I still struggle with that one from time to time, but I'm fighting it and my art journaling is helping.

Please, take out a journal.. any of the blank books you have. Get your favorite pen and make a mark in the book.  Any mark. Scribble, doodle, draw, write - write about me if you don't know what else to do.  Write about our conversation and with that first entry - you'll be saying to yourself that you can write in your journals.  Your art and your words are perfect, they are good enough.  YOU are good enough!

You are, you know... and I am sitting here weeping... hoping I can reach out my hand to you and bring you along with me on this journey toward loving and believing in ourselves.

I’m sharing this because that white page is daunting for so many reasons.  Please try some of the things I shared today or simply take out the book and your favorite pen…. and make a mark. Any mark.  You can even write in there that I’m making you do it!  LOL

Love you guys,
Tee

Technorati Tags: art jounal,painting,painting faces,how to paint a face,artist,art,tee,art journal prompt