Art Journals For Venting

[BloomInWinter]

Hi All,

I have SO many art supplies and possible journals laying around.

Found this fab website to show me how to begin...and I realize, I'm really 'drawn' to the idea of 'Art Journaling' so I'll be digging out what I've got laying around and begin.

http://www.dsm5.org/ProposedRevisions/Pages/AnxietyDisorders.aspx

Anyone else do art journaling? Did it help?

 

[Cheshire]

I'm the same, I have art supplies EVERYWHERE. I've only just recently started painting again, too.. feels great to be back with it again. I've been toying with the idea of an art journal too. I've not started yet but you've just sparked my interest again, so thank you :)

 

[ARPortia]

I've been keeping journals/sketchbooks for the greater part of my life.... and then stopped about 4 years ago. I would doodle every once in a while... Within the past two years, though, I would frantically scribble when I was at the very bottom and in deep with an abusive "work" relationship.
A couple months ago, I burned everything from that time period... and looking back, if I would have saved everything I feel like it might have helped me to go through once I start my therapy.

BUT i have hopes for starting the art journal again. It's amazing, the things that I can go back on, and realize how it helped steered my life positively when I devoted time to it. It's almost scary to try to do again, because I associate making art with trauma that I've dealt with, and it's like... I've been avoiding making art even though it is my livelihood because I have been unable to deal with all my feelings.

I can even say with certainty that the man I am dating now is the man of my dreams, and the person I've been writing love letters to and random quotes throughout my whole life. 2 years before I even met him, I drew this random ass picture that made me feel goofy and happy but I had no idea where it came from. About a month ago, I was giving my soulmate a footrub and it clicked. I had drawn his goofy ass foot in my sketchbook before I ever met him. Talk about validation from inspiration. :)

 

[Hashi]

I keep an art journal, although not as often as my written journal. It helps me a lot, particularly with venting and with trying to work out what I'm feeling. It can help me talk in T as well. if I take it along to show her.

I use wax crayons in it mostly, which is also what I use for sketching when I'm out and about. For me it helps to keep it quite sketchy and immediate.

When I first started I found it hard because I didn't want to ruin the first few pages of a new sketchbook with my early attempts. I'm not usually so precious, but I had a big block about it so in the end I had to start around the 10th page instead!

The first two posts here were about a year ago - thanks for bumping it up ARPortia. I wonder, BloominWinter and Cheshire, have you done any art journalling since posting?

 

[Lilly]

I've painted and sketched for years. Many of the darker ones have something written on it. But they're not in a book form or anything. Just a pile of finished watercolors & sketches sitting on a shelf in the closet.

To answer your question, BloomInWinter, yes. Journaling (whether it's with a pen, keyboard, or a paintbrush) helps. :) Art journaling, imo, is very helpful for the things we can't yet put into words.

 

[Philippa]

I've worked with art as therapy for about 20 years now, but I did stop for a few years, and noticed that my life was not very inspired in those times, and it was like I was punishing myself by not continuing...though I started to associate being an artist with depression and deep sadness, which I got very stuck in in my early 20's.

Now I am at school to become an art therapist, and it's been so great to get back into art journaling and just creating every day, with clay, or collage, making divination games, and generally containing all difficult emotions onto paper in a safe environment. I can't wait to be able to do this every day for a job and help other people find their inner healer as well.