Free Your Voice: Journaling and Art Workshop

by Kathryn Sturges

http://www.kathrynsturges.com

Instagram @art.kat.sews

*Photos were taken from my art journal created in a vintage copy of the book "Grimm's Fairy tales", Junior Deluxe Editions

Hi!  I'm Kathryn Sturges, my friends call me Kat.  I'm an all-around creative and supporter of creativity too.  Every day, I get out my pen and write in a journal, sometimes many times a day.  Journaling has helped me so much in life.  It's how I process my emotions, get current with myself, and make sense of this thing called life.

I also keep art journals!  I go through phases with them, typically I have at least one going at any given time...although right now I'm working in three!  Art journaling is wonderful because you don't need to be skilled at art to make an art journal.  Art journaling can be a great way to blow off steam, express yourself, and doing themed journals is great fun!

The benefits of journaling are too many to count!  Journaling can help you express yourself, even if you are going through struggles in life.  When life throws curveballs, it can be easy to become withdrawn.  A journal gives you a safe place to get out what is on your mind.

Journaling can also help you figure out what you want in life!  I don't know about you, but for me I will find myself at different stages of life lacking a clear view of what I want next.  If you feel adrift, journaling is a great way to home in on what you want to call into your life.

Journaling is a wonderful way to tune inward and get clear on your feelings.  Sometimes I think that I feel a certain way about something, but when I write something new unfolds.  Journaling can help you get over stuck emotions.  The more you write about how you feel, you can move beyond the hurts and pains of life into a more fulfilling experience.

Journaling has helped me to learn how to write.  It has helped me learn to speak my truth.  It has helped calmed so many storms, process memories and more!

If you have never journaled, there could be lots of reasons!  Perhaps you find it challenging to sit down and face the page.  Or maybe you had an experience as a kid where somebody read your diary, and now you aren't comfortable writing down your thoughts.  You also might not have a lot of time to sit down and write. 

Sometimes I take breaks from writing and go for a long time without journaling.  And those are the times I drift further and further away from my center...my Source.  Lately I've been journaling a lot more often!  Each time I come back to journaling and art journaling; I get more in touch with how I want my life to be.  It helps me slow down, take a breath, and notice what feels good and what doesn't.  Then I can go toward the things that light me up!

This is a writing and art journaling class.  You don't need much to get started!  Just about fifteen minutes a day.  It doesn't have to be at the same time every day either.  Some people swear that journaling in the morning or right before bed really works for them.  I prefer to write when I feel like it, and the mood can hit in a spare moment between projects or responsibilities. 

I play in my art journals when the mood hits!  It isn't the kind of thing I "have" to do every day.  I journal and art journal when I need to get my thoughts out, or I want to play with my art materials without pressure to produce "good" art. In this mini class, I will share ideas for ways to approach your writing time.  I will also share some ideas for turning those journals into art! Even if you are already keen on writing, glance over the activities here.  There might be some new nuggets of inspiration that speak to your heart! 

Get your pens and paper ready!  It's journal time!

Materials List

A journal, composition book, notebook, or paper pad

Your favorite pen!  I prefer basic Bic pens

Stapler, glue stick, or Elmer's Glue.  Tape works in a pinch!

Watercolor paint pan set, acrylic paints in white, grey and black

Paint brush and jar, water brush, sponge, or sea sponge and old gift card

A stack of old magazines

A hardback book (optional)

Create a Cover for Your Journal

Once you have gathered up your materials, find a place to set up.  First up comes decorating the cover.  When you take a few minutes to spruce up your journal, it becomes something you really want to work in each day.  Make it special and something just for you!

Grab a magazine, and flip through to find a page that speaks to you.  Tear out the page and make it just smaller than the cover of your journal.  Glue it on with a glue stick, Elmer's glue, or your glue of choice. 

Find some text you like in the magazine and cut it out.  Then glue the words onto the cover of your journal.  Or if you have acrylic paint, paint an affirmation over the image.  Continue collaging and painting until you are content.

Free Writing

When you first start to write without a plan, the blank page can be daunting.  Over time you get used to just jamming on that page, but at first journaling can be really intimidating.  I wanted to journal for many years before I first got the courage to give it a shot!  Once I started showing up at that page though, day after day, I became hooked on that journaling time. 

Free writing is just that...writing whatever comes across your mind!  It could be what you had for lunch, or a long distant memory.  It could be about something you want to do later that day, or about a relationship that comes to mind. 

Free writing has zero structure or plan.  You just get current with where your thoughts are, what you plan to achieve that day, how your body is feeling...there are no rules at all!

Try it!  Grab your favorite beverage first and turn on some music.  I often find that music sets the tone for journaling well!  Then write three pages in your journal.  Don't edit yourself, just let yourself vent.  Write whatever is on your heart!

Healing Through Writing

One thing about writing is it can bring up all the feels.  You might start to cry, reminiscing about a memory or feeling.  When you write, all kinds of emotions start to surface.  Some of them are positive and make you smile, while others might crack open a door to show you something you want to heal. 

If you are writing and start to feel bad, it can help to ask yourself what you need to feel better!  Does something need resolution?  Is there a way you can improve upon the circumstance?  Do you need to talk to someone about what is on your mind? 

One thing I do not advise about is to go to someone and blame them about something from the past that is making you still feel bad today.  I've gone down that path before, and it only causes problems in your relationships.  A better way is to solve it in your journal.  You are responsible for forgiving others, believe me...some people will never even think they have done anything wrong.  They might remember things differently than you do. 

If a negative memory comes up, try to write a letter to the person in your journal!  Then rip up the page and throw it away.  When you are writing the letter, get it all out on that page.  Finish the letter with some words on forgiveness.  You could even write a prayer and pray that God will help you to forgive.  Don't send the letter, keep it to yourself.  Forgiveness frees you from harboring resentment.  It isn't even so much about the other person as it is about how you feel.

Another thing that can really help if journaling triggers you is to get some physical activity afterward, to release the stress.  Do some organizing, dance to some of your favorite music, or take a quick ten-minute walk to clear your head.

Solving Problems in your Journal

I used to work with a life coach, and she infuriated me to no end!  LOLOL!  That's because she would never give me advice on anything at all.  She would just tell me to make my own mind up and leave it at that.  What she was best at was to be a sounding board.

One of the biggest gifts she gave me was to help me figure out a way to solve problems in my journal.  I told her I was complaining in my journal entries a lot, and that it was frustrating because nothing ever came about to solve my problems. 

She told me to write out a problem, and then come up with solutions to the problem.  Write out 3-5 ways you can solve the problem.  If a problem is unsolvable, then you know there is nothing that can be done.  You can release the problem and let it go.  But if there are steps you can take to make things better; choose a solution and try it out!

Journaling to Lift You Up

Everyone comes to their journal from a different frame of mind.  Sometimes you turn to your journal to document something incredible that happened in your life!  One thing I love to do is to have a specific journal that is just for documenting thankfulness.  I've been keeping a gratitude journal on and off for a few years!  I love a no rules approach, and sometimes I like more structure.

I have a leather journal from Amazon.  The pages of the book are a beautiful thick handmade paper.  The journal has a key which closes the book.  For about a year, I documented all the beautiful things that happened in my life.  I will treasure the journal for the rest of my life! 

I was creating my book, "The Faeries of Octo Bay" while I was filling in the gratitude journal.  It was a supercharged year where God was filling my heart with joy.  I had made a new friend, and an old friendship was also blossoming.  The more I seemed to focus on good things happening in my life, the better things seemed to be.

Try it!  Grab a paper pad or composition book, and start with the letter A.  Every day for about a month, write and draw pictures of things you are grateful for to go with each letter of the alphabet.

Try it!  Another fun activity is to create a list each day.  Write down five good things that happened that day, or five things that made you smile. 

Spontaneous Writing from a Magazine Page

Some days you might not feel like writing.  Or you will feel like writing but be hesitant to get the words flowing.  I find that I clam up in my journaling when I'm super busy, or when I'm constantly distracting myself.  Another time I avoid my journal is when I don't want to admit how I feel to myself.

A great way to get the pen flowing is to try this!  Grab a magazine and flip through until you feel drawn to a page.  Tear out the page and glue it in your journal.  Then write based on the image on the page. 

What or who does it remind you of?  How does it make you feel?  What drew you to the image, or what bothers you about it?  If you love the image, is there a way to bring something similar into your life?  How does the image make you feel?  What do you need in this moment?  If you came up with any discoveries, figure out an action step to take away. 

Keeping a Journal to Process Feelings

Sometimes life throws curve balls your way, or you come into a challenging time.  Whether you have lost a loved one, lost a job, faced a health crisis, or had some kind of struggle or setback; taking some time to process those feelings in your journal can help you get to the other side of those feelings.  That way, you don't get stuck there.  You can get through the feelings a lot faster when you vent and let them flow onto the page.

One thing I love to do is to begin my journal page with the prompt, "I feel..."!  There were entire years where I started my pages like that to help process traumas I had been through.  Tuning in to how you feel can help your mental health.  It can be such a soothing balm in a world where feelings are often trivialized or minimized.  It is so important to keep a channel open to how you feel.  The important thing is not to get stuck there.

Try it!  Start your next journal page with the words, "I feel", and vent your feelings on the page.  If you feel bad, don't get stuck there.  Vent the feelings and then remember to think of ways to feel better.  Jot down some ideas for what you need to either do to get to the other side of the pain.  Then seek the soothing balm for your feeling.

Keeping a Secret Journal

I believe in free expression!  I love to vent away in my journal, but I also know that I wouldn't want anyone to read what I've written.  Sometimes if I am in a disagreement with my husband, instead of causing commotion at home I will turn to my journal to process feelings.  That is a great way to give space and walk away from a disagreement to let things cool down.

I also journal about memories a lot, and sometimes those memories are private.  I journal about the good, the bad and the ugly.  If you want to use your journal in these ways, and if you are nervous someone might read it, there are ways to keep your thoughts more private.

One thing I nearly always do is throw away my journals after they are full.  The people working at the dump have probably had a blast, reading those journals!  LOLOL!  I like to throw them out because once I've worked through a layer of healing, it is a great final step to release those memories and negative thoughts.  Instead of keeping journals like that in my space, it feels good to let them go. 

Some people journal on individual sheets of printer paper, and then throw them away each day.  You can even journal on scraps of paper, or a yellow office pad.  Tearing up those pages is another option.  Or if you have a fireplace, you could use the pages as kindling.

If you have an old hardback book that you no longer need, you can always use that as a private journal.  Write directly over the text in the book with a marker.  If you want to see the text when you are done, use a dark marker.  Otherwise, the text will be illegible when you are finished. 

Cover Your Writing with Collage or Paint

One thing I used to do often was just to paint or collage right over the words I had written.  Even if you are not into art making, I highly suggest getting a little pouch to store a few art supplies in.  All you need is a glue stick or two, and a few tubes of acrylic paint.  White, grey and black paints cover writing really well. 

As an artist I go through paper pads and composition books really fast!  I used to do all of my journaling in cheap composition books, that can be found just about anywhere.  I started to feel bad for using up so much paper.  For a year or two I was reusing my written journals and turning them into art journals!

If you have written something you don't want anyone to read, grab a magazine and tear out a page or two.  Tear out your favorite images from those pages and glue them down with a glue stick right over your words.

To easily paint over your writing, have an old gift card handy.  You will also want a little paper plate or pad to put the gift card on afterward so you don't make a mess.  Put some paint on the tip of the gift card and swipe it across your writing.  Let the first coat dry, and then do it again if it isn't sufficiently covered.  Or do a painting right over the top!

Another way to use art supplies over writing is to change up what you are writing with.  Get some watercolor pencils in an assortment of colors, then with a light hand, write out your frustrations.  Get it all out on the page.  If you run out of room on the page, turn the paper sideways and write over what you just wrote.  This works best with a lighter color, but experiment and see what you like best!

Have a paintbrush and water or damp sponge handy and activate the watercolor pencil with water.  If some words remain on the page, use one of the above methods to disguise the writing further, or tear out the page and discard it.

Try it!  Get out a journal, a glue stick and magazine.  I love torn paper collages, however if you prefer your collages to be more tidy, use scissors.  Flip through the magazine and tear out a few pages you are drawn to.  Then carefully tear or cut out imagery and text from the magazine.  Arrange the images on a journal page, and then glue everything down.  Continue to add images and text until you feel satisfied.  If you could sum up the collage with a few words, what would they be?  Add those words in a corner with a marker or pen.

Create an Expressive Art Journal Page

You might notice that I love combining journal methods in my own writing practice.  It took me a long time to merge the two.  When I started painting, initially I only did landscape art.  But over time I wanted my art to say more.  I loved venting in my journal writing time, but I also wanted a way to vent and process life in a visual way.

I discovered art journaling as another way to tune inward.  What I love most about art journaling is there truly isn't a wrong way to do it!  When I art journal, I'm not concerned with making polished art to share or hang on a wall.  If you look at my Instagram, I've only shared a few art journal pages.  I have probably filled fifteen or more art journals by now!

You don't need many supplies to do a basic art journal page.  Even though I have endless art supplies, watercolor pans are what I use most of the time.  Watercolor pans are affordable, and simplistic.  You can even use Crayola watercolors in a pinch.  You don't need anything artist quality, unless you want to invest in a finer set.  Also you will need a brush or sponge.  I love water brushes, because they hold water.  Then I don't need a separate water jar to rinse brushes in.  I always have a napkin or paper towel handy to wipe off the brush in between colors.  Any basic paint brush or sponge will do!  Sea sponges are the artist variety, but even a basic sponge will get paint onto the page.

Try it!  To start, fill your page with color.  I love to apply lots of different colors on the page.  Let the paint dry.

Next, draw an image with marker or pen.  If you cannot draw people, draw a stick figure instead.  Or just scribble on the page a little to get that pen in motion!  I will draw whatever suits my mood for that journal session.  Whatever image pops into my head...that's what I draw! 

Another intuitive way to approach the drawing is to make a line and see what it makes you think of.  Then continue finishing out the drawing.  It doesn't have to be good, and it doesn't have to be art.  Trust the process!

After that, I write on the page.  Sometimes it is just a few words, sometimes it is sentences.  Sometimes I write with acrylic paints and brushes.  Feel free to add more writing or imagery as you go.  If you don't like what you have drawn and written, cover up areas with collage, or leave them as is. 

If you absolutely don't like one of your pages, or if you want to cover a page up a different way, tear out a magazine page.  Then make it slightly smaller than the page you want to cover up.  Using a stapler or glue, attach the magazine page to the journal page around the edges.  It will create a pocket.  Then tuck in a gratitude list or other note inside the pocket.

A Daily Check-In

I bring it all to the page!  And a lot of the time I turn to my journal to feel better or soak in the goodness of a happy day.  One thing I used to do a lot was a check in each evening. 

As the day was winding down, I would write about my day.  Then I would celebrate the things that went well.  I would also write about things I could improve upon, and then create an action step for the next day.

Journaling in the evening is also a great time to plan for the next day.  I love to wind down my evening and plan for the next day.  I will write down a few action steps to take to get me closer to my goals, and then add in a few activities to nurture myself and contribute around the house.

Try it!  Carve out ten minutes as you are winding down your day, for quiet time with your journal.  Do a check in and see what you need more of tomorrow, what didn't work well, and what action steps you want to take to make tomorrow even better!

Your Own Ways to Journal

Once you get in the habit of journaling, you will come up with a lot of nurturing ways to journal.  Trust your intuition, and journal in a way that supports your life and nurtures your spirit.  If you are on a healing path, know that a journal can be a tremendous way to support your journey to healing and wholeness. 

Journaling can be a lot of fun!  A journal is there for you through good times and bad.  Give yourself the precious gift of your undivided attention.  As the Buddha stated, "You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe deserve your love and affection."

Write what you love about yourself and the people in your life!  Write about the things that sound fun to try.  Make lists of what you enjoy doing, and ways you can level up your life!  Then take that information off the page and live your best life!

I hope you enjoyed this workshop!  Seize the day and get expressive in your journal!