Art Journals and Inspiration Notebooks

[Michele Thompson]

Are they the same thing to you? They are different in my mind - I have a big 3" binder that I have labeled "Inspiration Notebook". I keep in in all of my supply lists, sketches that I have downloaded, color ideas, page ideas, and things like that. But it is HUGE, and hard to carry with me, so I am thinking of starting a smaller "art journal" for use " on the road" so to speak.

Do you have an art journal or inspiration notebook? What do you keep in it? Would you be willing to share some pages with us? I'd love to see!

[Linda F.]

I love journals, but I never use them. Well, i do have one that I write things in, but it's not artsy or fancy or anything.
I keep all my inspiration and ideas on my computer. I'm such a nerd! LOL! But it's so easy to access, is right here in my scrap area, and doesn't take up any extra shelf space!
I have a portable external hard drive where I store a lot of sketches and such. I scrap away from home at least once a month and I take that and my laptop and I'm set!

[SusieScrapper]

I'm so not organized in this area! I have a box and a binder that I put ideas in. After awhile I go through magazines to weed the stacks down and I cut out the layouts and ideas that I like and tape them on colored paper and put them in binders according to what they are (cards, pages, tutorials, ect.) I am very behind with my process though, haven't worked on it in a while. I also have a sketch/graph paper book that I use for sketches when I get ideas or see something online that I really like and may want to do sometime.

I did make myself a journal, but it ended up being too pretty to use!! Does this ever happen to anyone?? I loved it and didn't want to write in it, saving it for something I guess. lol

Sue

[Jeanne Spaulding]

Well, you got a glimpse of my Art Journal in My Photos...I started this journal thanks to a friend on another MB. Its what inspires me(colors/words/pictures) and I add it to the journal as apart of my *playtime*...no rules...just play!

Then I have an Inspiration Notebook...a 3-ring binder(s) that contains all the printed schtuff from the various craft websites. I keep both at my craft table/bookcase and pull them out when I feel like adding to them.

[Shirley]

Well, I cut out stuff from magazines and hope to put them away neatly in a binder...I have a binder already, but have piles of clippings.

Then I have many spiral notebooks...from when my kids are done with the school year but didn't use all the pages..I tear out the used pages and thats where I write stuff down. i HAVE to write it down and get it out of my head...but I have piles of notebooks...not very organized for a left-brained person, huh??

[Tammy]

I have inspiration books, torn out things/printed things stuck in there, never had an art journal though I really love the idea. would love to see some altered art journals

[Michele Thompson]

I actually started my art journal last night - I'll have to post some pics when I am done with the pages I'm doing. I started with "Things I love".

I really love reading about what everyone does. I'd love to see pics too if anyone wants to share!

[Jennifer Grant]

I also tear things out of magazines and then place them in a binder--or will someday soon! ok...i feel a challenge coming on! :)

i do this for home ideas as well as crafts and for business stuff too...i am ADDICTED to magazines and I used to just turn the page i liked over and out at the top so i'd remember what it was i liked, but then i never found myself flipping through the magazines again for ideas---plus i hate holding onto them for so long!

so...i started just tearing the pages out and at first i was gluing them to a blank sketch pad I bought just for this...was trimming the ripped edges and all, but it totally took way too much time, so now I just tear the page out and put it in my file and then i'm slide them into 8.5x11 clear page protectors and will divide them out by sections and topic. if we have a challenge, it'll make me get on the ball and get them all organized again! :)

Great topic Michele! TF bringing up!

[Heather]

I wish I kept something like this. I have written in notebooks from time to time but that is it. I also keep my mags. I need to start ripping out the pages that I like but now it would take so long. lol. I would like to see some others inspiration notebooks some great books ;)

[Michele Thompson]

I just posted some of my art journal pages that I did over the weekend on my blog - they aren't much to look at, but I sure had fun doing it!