I was introduced to Art Journaling a few years ago when I discovered Julie Fei-Fan Balzer, a mixed media painter, collage maker, and avid memory keeper.  She keeps a daily art journal and regularly shares her work on her blog.  She also has Youtube videos called “Art Journaling Fast Forward” where she shows you her process in fast forward.  I find them fascinating and entertaining at the same time.  It didn’t take long for me to get the itch to try art journaling.  Now let me be clear – I can’t draw to save my life, but I can paint, collage, stamp and glue.  The best part about art journaling, though, is that there are no rules.  Your art journal is yours to craft however you please.

Soon after discovering Julie Fei-Fan Balzer, I came across a website called Journal52.com.  This is how they describe themselves, “Journal52 is a FREE year-long art journal workshop hosted by Chelle Stein that will inspire you to create all year long with 52 weekly prompts to help you tell your story artfully.”  To put it mildly, I was smitten.

I bought a Moleskine Art Plus Sketchbook (5″X8.25″) and plan to fill it each week based on the prompts from Journal 52.  There are just enough 2-page spread layouts to fill 52 weeks, in fact, there was an extra page, so I started with a collage using a decorative napkin.  I tore the napkin apart and decoupaged it over the pages that I first primed with gesso.  I’m not finished yet (that’s the beauty of an art journal) with the page – I’m waiting for inspiration :-).

Item #7:  Journal52

Create an art journal page each week for 52 weeks.  Being a unapologetic rule follower, I like the idea that there is no wrong or right with this project.  It gives me the freedom to experiment and play with different art mediums without worrying about those pesty perfectionist tendencies.

For your viewing pleasure, here are a few more art journalers that I watch regularly.

France Papillon
Vicky PapaioannouClaudia Rossi
Christy Tomlinson
Dyan Reaveley

All I know is if you’re going to paint a picture of me, you’ll only need black, white and a smidge of blue.  I’m really not that complicated.