Materials For Creative Journaling

PART TWO

Most of the materials for "Creative Journaling" are easily found at your favorite local dollar store or super store.  You may need to visit your local craft store to purchase watercolor pencils.  If you are already a practicing artist, you probably have most of these materials on hand already! 

1. Composition Notebooks.  I recommend using the original black/white Composition notebook. I have tried some of the composition notebooks with cute, brightly colored covers, but I found the quality of the paper to be too poor for extensive handling.

2. Watercolor pencils.  Buy the best you can afford.  You'll be happier with the richer pigments.

3. Colored pencils. It's possible to find satisfactory colored pencils that are on the inexpensive side.Try Crayola's.  The pigments are rich and they have a smooth texture.

4. Pencil Sharpeners. Yes, I said sharpenerS as in multiple.  Years ago I used to watch an oil painter named Bill Alexander on PBS television.  He believed in washing his brushes frequently to avoid muddying his colors.  He used to say, "First, you are brush washers, then painters."  I say, "First you are pencil sharpeners, then journalists!"  There will be lots of pencil sharpening!

5. Colored Markers.  Once again, as with most art supplies, buy the best you can afford.  You'll be happier with the quality.

6. Fine or extra fine point Sharpies.  I use these for writing in my journal.  They write nicely on almost any surface.

7. Old Magazines, newspapers, junk mail, receipts, doodles. Don't limit yourself to the types of magazines you like to read.  There are amazing photos and fonts in that "Guns and Ammo" magazine that you would NEVER dream of having in your possesion.

8. Glue sticks.  I use Elmer's. I found a mega pack of them at our local wholesale club for around $6.00.

9. Scissors. A small pair for cutting single letters and other details.

And there you have it!  The basic list of materials to get you started on your way to "Creative Journaling".  I'll talk about each item in further detail as I explain the method.  See you next week!

NEXT WEEK: PART THREE "EXPLORING THE METHOD"