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Types of Journals to Keep to Fill Your Notebooks
How to Fill Your Journals
I am a collector and maker of journals of all types. If I see a pretty journal I just can’t help myself I have to buy it and add it to my collection.
I adore journaling of all types. Filling up journals is just as satisfying as buying them. I’ll show you ways to fill up those journals that will make you happy and can improve your life. Yay!
If you are like me and always looking for more journals here are some of my favorite journals you can buy on-line.
Journals that are great for writing in and light painting
Journals that are great as sketchbooks are mixed media art journals
Ways to Fill your blank notebooks and journals
1.) Art journal
I love art journaling. This is a great way to fill up a journal. There are so many different styles of art journaling that can fit any notebook or journal.
There is the mixed media art journaling that uses anything and everything. Often times these pages are filled with collage and paint. You can read my post on How to Start an Art Journal here for more help and ideas.
You can also do what I call a more minimalist art journal. Where you use small bits of collage, doodles and light paint.
I think this video really gives a good idea of this type of art journaling.
Art journaling is bit like a dairy, a bit like a sketchbook, and a bit like a scrapbook. It’s anything and everything you want it to be.
2.) Gratitude Journal
Starting your day or ending your night with being thankful can change your life. You can read How to Start a Gratitude Journal here.
A gratitude journal changes your perspective on the world and your life. Psychology Today explains that being grateful can improve both your physical and mental health and will increase your likelihood of achieving your goals.
People who have a pity party don’t get farther than their self-pity. Look up, praise God and be thankful! Buy a new journal and fancy pens and then write how thankful you are for the money to buy such fabulous journal as your first entry.
3.) Sketchbook
A sketchbook is a must for any artist. Improving your drawing skills will improve all forms of your art. Ot’s okay if your first sketches start out like elaborate stick figures. Everyone starts out somewhere and it’s usually not pretty.
It’s all the ugly , struggling drawing that bring the beautiful ones. A sketchbook should also be fun, playful, full of ideas. You never know when a sketch will be inspiration for a great painting.
Find a sketchbook that fits your needs, pick out a few pencils and keep it with you. You can read my post on How to Make Sketching a Habit for more tips.
4.) Quotes
I have kept a journal of quotes for as long as I can remember. I used to save them my computer, however, it’s been way more satisfying to write the quotes down in a special book.
You can use a highlighter to organize quotes by topic.
Love saving quotes and having book to pullout and read whenever I need some inspiration.
5.) Morning Pages
Morning pages was started by Julia Cameron as part of her 12week course called The Artist Way which is now a wonderful book. I highly suggest everyone read it, especially those whom feel as though they are stuck or having a hard time finding their art groove. You are worth investing in. Whenever I am on the fence about. book or product I just remind myself money’s not worth anything until you spend it.
Morning pages are 3 pages of writing done first thing in the morning. It must be three sides of paper. It his described as stream of consciousness writing, You just let tour mind go, almost like a brain dump. Julia Cameron says, “You’re trying to catch yourself before your ego’s defenses are in place.” That is why you do this first thing in the morning.
You just write. If you can’t think o anything to write you and write that you can’t think anything to write. The important thing to to stay consistent and do this first thing in the morning.
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6.) Dream Journal
Psychology Today suggest that keeping a dream journal lets you track themes and patterns. They go on to say that Dream Journals give you an insight into concerns, relationships, and and you activities in your waking life.
Dreams are a wellspring of information into our subconscious. I have always loved reading about the meaning of Dreams. I think my fascination begun with Daniel in the Bible.
Dreams can also serve as sin-oration for our art. Stephanie Meyer was inspired to write Twilight from a dream she had. Whether you like Twilight or not you cannot deny the massive success it has had.
Vincent Van Gogh said, ““I dream my painting and I paint my dream.”
How to Journal your Dreams:
First you need a journal and something that is easy to write with. You don’t want to be struggling with a crappy pen or broken pencil lead when you wake up from an exhilarating dream.
Next, keep the journal at your bed at all times. Finally, write when you first wake up and make this a habit.
7.) Ideas Journal
In the book, The Creative Habit, by the renewed ballerina and choreographer Twyla Thorp, she says she keep her ideas in boxes. She places music and tother things for future ballets she plans to work on. She keeps a record of her ideas so she has them to go back to. So nothing islets. This is brilliant! I suggest doing this.
I also suggest an ideas journal that is always kept on you. You never know when the muse of a brilliant story idea or painting will come to you. Sometimes I have been in the grocery store and an interesting person has sparked a character idea.
Never forget an idea, again. Write them down as the cause hits you. Combe back and review your ideas often.
8.) Books I’ve read journal
I’m a complete bookworm. I’ve been reading and collecting books as long as I can remember. Love books of all kind. Books are a unique magic. I finally decided to journal about the books I read.
This lets you keep track of the books and make notes about things you want to remember, especially if you check out books from the library and can’t write in them. Yes, I wrote in my personal books.
This is a fun activity. These books can also serve as inspiration for your art or writing projects.
All you need is a journal and a pen. You can also add highlighters and print out the cover your books to stick in your journal.
9.) Diary Journal
A diary is a good way to brain dump and keep track of your daily thoughts and activities. It doesn’t have to be themed. Just a run down of the day and things that stuck out to you.
Keeping a diary is a good way to slow down and look at you days so you can be see if you are making themes out of your time. It’s also a safe place to reflect and get thoughts out of your head and on the paper. Once they leave your head you can gain some perspective.
It’s also fun to go back and look at what you have written and how you have changed.
10.) Goals Journal
I love goals. Goals let you take charge of your life and become determined to accomplish tasks projects and grow.
Everyone should have goals in their life. What do you want to be? Where do you want to go?
Write down your goals. You can even turn this into a type of Vision Board in your journal. You can read my article on creating a vision board in your art journal here.
It is very important to rite out your goals. Forbes and many, many motivational speakers have documented the power of writing down your goals. Writing down your goals makes you more likely to actually achieving them. Don’t just write your goal, write down in as much detail as you can. Visualize your goals.
11.) Inspiration Journal
There are many ways of keeping an inspirational journal. This can also incorporate ideas from other journals mentioned here.
In an inspiration journal I keep all things that spark my imagination. It may be postcards, paint swatched, bits of fabric. It’s a menagerie or color, texture and words.
I don’t plan out pages, I just add things as I find them.
Keeping an inspiration book can help you find ideas when you are going through dry spell or blocks. It can remind your brain of the feelings it had when you first saw a certain color combination or read a certain phrase.
12.) Prayer Journal
A prayer journal ,sometimes as called a war binder depending on how you use it, can really grow your prayer life and take you deeper in your relationship with God.
You can read my post on how to create prayer journal in your art journal for more help.
Here, you can write out your prayers and the verses that you ind that speak to your current situation.
This is a good way to get you into the practice of setting aside time daily to prayer and talk to God.
13.) Mood Book
A mood book is like a mood board, except it’s in your journal. You can take several pages and deign moods.
Mood boards visualize a look and design concept. You can build color pallets and rooms designs.
If you write fiction you can use a mood book to collect images that set the tone for your story to keep you inspired and give you visual elements to include.
You can use it to deign your home or your next set of paints.
14.) Bullet Journal
Do you like to keep lists and track your activities? Then bullet journal is for you.
Bullet journaling usually is done in a journal that is dotted with bullet points like a grid. However, you can also use grid paper or plain paper.
The purpose of bullet journaling is usually to exercise creative control over your planner and to exert a mindful purpose to your everyday routine.
All your planning is done in one notebook. You make spreads for the month and week. Each month gets its own calendar. Things such as food, periods, groceries are all tracked. Tasks, appointments, notes all have their own symbol and place in your bullet journal. You can read how to start your very own Bullet Journal here.
15.) Travel Journal
You can keep a journal of all the amazing places you have been. Haven’t traveled much? Keep a journal of all the places you will travel to someday!
You can document your outings around town. Perhaps you like to hike or have a favorite park.
You can include pictures, writings, postcards, anything you like.
Travel journal are fun because the world is a beautiful place. Let’s appreciate it and never lose our sense of wonder. As Gandalf says, “Not all who wander are lost.”
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I’d love for you to join me in my private Facebook Group! You can share your art and ask any questions you may have. I’d love to see how you fill all your journals and notebooks.
15 Ways to Fill Your Blank Notebooks and Journals
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