art journal

I'm putting together a list of art journaling prompts and techniques that I want to teach (maybe a better word would be "share") with the kids in my daughter's 3rd grade class. I think it would be great to start off the new school year with a long-term project in mind. We can incorporate different ways to make art, writing and cursive as well as creative writing and journaling. I often wish that I had been exposed to the idea of an art journal when I was little and encouraged to keep a journal or art journal. I just think how neat it will be for my 8-year-old daughter to look back 10 or 20 years from now at the art journal she started when she was in third grade. Isn't that inspiration enough to get started? It's never too late!

What is art journaling?
Art journaling is keeping a book where you make art and write about (or just make art about) something, or nothing. The art can be anything - painting, drawing, just writing, collaging, doodling. There are no rules - it's a great way to chronicle a piece of your life. There are a ton of artists with blogs who show you different art journaling techniques (some of them are on my blog list) and it's a great way to explore different techniques.

You can use any "book":

• sketchbook (proper) either hardbound or spiral bound
• a composition book 
• a bought journal with lined pages
• an old book (paint over the text and collage it up or tear out some of the pages and glue in your own (tutorial coming)
• a homemade book (many ways to do this - tutorials coming)

Any size will do - it just depends on if you want to have something that will fit in your bag or if you want something larger - or have both!

I'll be posting more info on this page, including a list of art prompts that anyone can do. There are so many ideas!

Links
Daisy Yellow has some information explaining what art journaling is as well as a rather nice list of sites with art journaling prompts.

Art Projects for Kids is another great site for art journaling ideas tested in a classroom setting