Inspirations for Art Journaling

If I were to count up all of the books, magazine articles, and blog posts I have read about art journaling, I'm pretty sure they would add up into the "zillions." 

In every source that I remember reading, the writer begins with strategies for addressing the blank page, usually by offering a series of techniques for creating background papers with paint, stencils, stamps, and ink. 

Leslie, over at Words of Me Project is offering a free eCourse that turns that structure on its head...with very effective results!

Each week of her course "Mind.Body.Soul," Leslie offers a focus word, such as "Believe," "Reach," and "Do."  She then gives us a writing assignment--a series of questions, usually, to answer in our journals.  No paint, no glitter, no doodles.  Just us and our thoughts and the words we can put them into. 

Then, when she moves on to an activity to get us messy and playing in our art journals, we have some great "fodder" for making our pages even more meaningful. 

I really respect this approach.  I have been journaling on and off since I was eight-years old, doing it "the old fashioned way," as I've come to see it--with words alone.  Only in the past year have I really focused on introducing art and images into my journaling, and while it is loads of creative fun, it can sometimes be tough to make the pages meaningful instead of just "pretty."

By beginning with thoughts and words, and then moving on to paint and imagery, it becomes much easier to ensure that there is beauty and meaning in my pages.

I have several books with wonderful and meaningful writing exercises that I think would make great starting points for art journal pages. 

If you are interested in using written inspiration in the creation of your art journal pages, I encourage you to check out Leslie's eCourse, as well as some of these titles:

• Sleeping on the Wing by Kenneth Koch and Kate Farrell
• Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within by Natalie Goldberg
• Wild Mind:  Living the Writer's Life by Natalie Goldberg
• Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott
• Writing Motherhood by Lisa Garrigues
• Pen on Fire by Barbara DeMarco-Barrett
• The Practice of Poetry edited by Robin Behn and Chase Twichell
• Pencil Dancing:  New Ways to Free Your Creative Spirit, by Mari Messer

What role does actual writing play in your art journaling practice?  How do you ensure that your pages are both meaningful and attractive (if, in fact, it is important to you that they are both)?  I would be curious to hear your thoughts in the comment section.

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Just a quick side-note:  Whenever someone leaves a comment, I was hoping to reply with an individual email, to make my responses more personal.  After writing several email messages, I discovered that many of them were being sent off to "no-reply comment@blogger.com," which must be the equivalent of Blogging LaLa Land.  I obviously have to work the kinks out to make sure that my messages are being sent to actual accounts.  In the meantime, I apologize if you never heard from me!  Please know how much I value and enjoy every comment I receive.