Where I put thoughts to text

You can keep a journal!

If you want to do something creative, do it!
It's as easy as that. Or is it?
Of course it is! Of course it isn't!

There are so many things that can hold us back:

• No materials
• No clue where to start
• No time
• No skills
• No talent
• No confidence

How can we tackle them and finally do the things we've been wanting to do for so long?
I am no professional expert, and no professional artist. I am just a normal person who doesn't know what she's doing most of the time. Everything I'm going to write down here is coming from my head and my heart and my experience. Please take what resonates with you and leave the rest.

The most important thing when it comes to creativity is: There is no wrong way to do it.
There is no wrong way to sketch, draw, paint, write, sing, make music, make art, express yourself. No. Wrong. Way.
If you feel good about it, it's good. (Of course, and this should go without saying, your borders end where those of others begin. Don't be an ass.)

So e.g. when you look at the wonderfully creative, artsy, pretty, amazing bullet journal spreads of some people, please don't think that that is the way a bullet journal has to look. And please don't think that because you can't or don't want to do what they are doing, you can't keep a bullet journal. Because you can.
Ryder Carroll invented the Bullet Journal method to stay organised and focused and productive. Watch this video (YouTube video via Invidious) where he explains it. You will see that there is no single drawing, not even a doodle in his journal. It's just a pen, paper, and words.

The materials

And that's basically all you need: pen and paper. You don't even really need that to express your creativity. But say you want to keep a journal, either written or art, paper is the thing you probably want to use.
If you do not have a journal, or sketchbook, or can't afford one, there are other options you can explore:

• Take a sheet of paper of any size and make a one page zine.
• Take a couple of sheets, fold them in half and stitch or staple them together in the fold.
• Take an old book and prepare the pages with a medium like gesso, or paint, or use as is.
• Take a newspaper or magazine and use a combination of the above to make your journal.
• You can also use loose sheets of paper. There is no need to bind them at all.

For mark making you can use a variety of things: pencils, biros, coloured penicls, crayons, felttip pens, highlighters, fountain pens, your fingers, a stick, brushes, etc.
You can use inks, paints, mud, charcoal, pastels, etc.

Ok. You have some paper and some mark making implement...

What now?

Well, what do you want to do? Write? Draw?

If you want to keep a written journal, there are many ways to do that. Even when you struggle with handwriting, either because you haven't practiced it in a while and feel shakey, or because you are generally displeased with how it looks, you absolutely can keep a written journal.

• Start with one word a day. It could be a word that summarises your day, or a word you learned that day, or your favourite word, or any other word you feel compelled to write down.
• Write one sentence a day.
• Write a list with three good things that happened that day. Or one. Or five.
• Write what you have accomplished that day.
• Write a quote you like.
• Write a poem or the lyrics of a song.
• Write a to do list.
• Write a not to do list.

Take one step at a time. Do what feels good and then go one step further if you feel like it.

If you want to keep an art journal, there are equally as many ways to do it:

• You can sketch, draw, doodle.
• You can paint.
• You can collage.
• You can combine some or all of the above.
• You can draw a flower.
• You can draw shapes and patterns.
• You can draw your coffee cup.
• You can draw your food.
• You can draw your living room, or what you see outside your window.
• You can draw self portraits.
• You can cut or rip images out of newspapers and magazines.
• You can use lables, wrapping paper, notepaper, sticky notes, stickers, tape, ribbon, etc.

Basically, use what you have. Look around you. I am sure you have many bits and pieces that you would otherwise throw away. Cut or rip shapes. Collage them in any way you like. Stick your bits on your paper with glue or tape, use staples or paper clips. Remember: There is no wrong way to do it.

Making time

Journaling, or being creative in general, does not have to take a lot of time. You do not have to set away an hour every day for it. How long does it take you to write one word? That is the time you need. If you care about it, add the time it takes to write the date. That's it.
Also, you don't have to do it every day. Do it once a week. Once a month. On your birthday, on New Year's, whenever you feel like it. Write it as an appointment in your calandar or be spontaneous about it. There is no wrong way to do it.
I have however one suggestion: Don't overdo it from the start. When you try to establish a new habit, or when you have a new hobby that excites you, it is easy to want to do it every day for as long as possible. But after a while the newness fades and the hour you set aside every day starts to feel like a chore. Change it then. Take a pause. Adjust.

Some people love writing morning pages. Others like to journal in the evening. Some like to do it at work. Some with a nice hot cuppa. Some at a desk, some in a comfy chair. In the café, at the park, on the train, during lunch break. Try out what works for you.

The skills

Many great artists throughout history were not natural born geniuses. They did apprenticeships and learned their skill from sratch. Don't expect yourself to be a natural genius. Learn your skills from scratch. Take a class. There are terrific online classes. Maybe there's one at your local community centre. Youtube is your friend. Your library may have a selection of books as well. Practice, practice, practice. Learn the techniques. In my experience, art is much more technique then talent. Really. Believe me. I have drawn portraits I never thought I could. I used techniques I had learned in a class and they worked.
If you find that one medium or art form is not yours, choose another one. Try out all the things.

Confidence

Confidence builds over time. Start small. Like with only one word, or one shape, or one colour. Repeat that over and over and over. When you're happy with it, choose another one and repeat that. Build from there. The confidence will come.

Showing others your work

The most important thing about being creative is that there is no wrong way to do it.
The second most important thing is that you do not have to show what you do or make to anyone. Nobody is entitled to see your journal, or art in general! If you want to show your work, you can decide what of it you want to show. You can show all of it, parts of it, the work in process, the finished piece, or a combination thereof. You decide.
You also decide whom you want to show your piece. You can post a photo on your social media, or show it only to your best friend. All is ok. Nothing is wrong.

I post my decorated journal pages every week on my fediverse account @theresmiling@ibe.social. If you're curious, I invite you to take a look. Look for #JournalDeco. At this moment I seem to be the only one using it. Join in if you like!
I usually never show my journals with any writing on the pages. That is personal.
Do keep in mind that when you see other people's art, they chose what to show you. Just because every photo of their art is pretty and stunning, doesn't mean that all their art is. Because it sure is not.

Be kind to yourself and have fun! That's the third most important thing.

Leave a comment in the Fediverse
or write me an e-mail: hello [-at-] theresmiling [dot] eu