Creating Daily is a habit you have to develop. If you don't make it a priority, it won't happen. Sometimes building that habit is hard to do. There are so many things on our list which we deem more important so "our time" gets put on the back burner. There are ways, though, to incorporate daily creativity into our schedule.
Art journals are great ways to create daily. But how do we do create time successfully? Here are some tips & tricks to help build that habit.
- Start small so you can succeed. instead of saying you are going to complete pages, maybe you spend your time building some background layers. After you have say 5 background layers, then maybe you can say, i am going to finish one page today. Have small goals & bigger goals.
- Write it on your schedule. There is something about putting it in a daily planner or even just as a sticky note that correlates to actually do it.
- This goes with the above tip, make it a consistent time. I find early morning works best for me, before i jump into anything else. If i try to do it in the middle of the day, I will push it aside in lieu of other deadlines. You have to find the time that works best for you.
- Limit your supplies. This can be so overwhelming when you first start art journaling, so much so that you don't even start. Instead try building a schedule with "today i am just going to use _______________." You can even build yourself little kits.
- Reward yourself. For meeting those small & bigger goals and for staying consistent. Maybe it's a new supply or tool to add to your stash. Maybe it's a class you wanted to take. This helps keep you on task to reach those goals!
Here are a few of my current art journal pages. I started a new smaller journal using the new Ranger Ink/Dylusions Creative Journal. I have about three five different journals going but this one is a topical journal. I am working in it daily to deal with some emotional things so everything in this journal revolves around it. I am also trying on a more minimalistic style and just enjoying the process.
Things - Gesso with Catalyst Contour to create texture. Watercolors splashed around the page. A smaller older photo that just seem to fit the page. India Ink doodles & writings along with printed words.
Hello My Old Heart - Mostly monochromatic page using TCW/Julie Fei-Fan Balzer Stencil, Tiny Circles, to create texture. Stamped framed over the small white envelope. Kraft & Fabric heart with hand carved stamped heart in the center of the frame. Lots of journaling tucked into the envelope.
Protected - Gesso page with my Fancy Feather stencil in light modeling paste. Lots of watercolors through the center of the page. Wooden bird stamped image with a sticky back canvas remnant from my Layered Canvas class. Journaling & pen marks along with splatters of Maya Road charcoal (probably my #1 favorite color). Metallic rub on top of the feather.