Page two of my journal entry “Nature”: I am one of 18 other artists in a round robin journal exchange put together by calligrapher and artist, Renee Troy. Each of our handmade journals are themed and require 2-3 pages of artful creativity. One month to create and release, and then receive a new journal to be written and embellished with our own personal stamp. It will be a year and a half before seeing my journal again. Other themes such as “Outrageous”, “Red”, “Metamorphoses” are to name a few.
The anticipation to create something new onto blank pages is enough to get all of the “creative mind sprockets” working in overtime.

I begin with a main image (the marsh bird with a beak-speared list of nature ideas). Then I build text and other imagery around the page. Next, another image to balance the bird, the journal log. Then I add other words and images filling in blank areas on the page, each time being mindful of space and color relationships. I think of the text blocks the same as I do blocks of imagery. Color is another design element that can be used to pull all the parts together on a page. At other times, a full background can be painted first. The way I’ll be working on “Hearts” next, you’ll see.

1. AndrewBoldman Says:
   June 4th, 2009 at 12:59 pm

   Great post! Just wanted to let you know you have a new subscriber- me!

2. Kelly Brown Says:
   June 12th, 2009 at 12:45 pm

   Hi, very nice post. I have been wonder’n bout this issue,so thanks for posting