Occasionally I’ll find myself in a creative funk, just staring at the blank, white page of my journal, without a clue as to what to fill it with. When I’m feeling most creative, I’ll grab a sheet of paper and jot down ideas to use later when the creative ideas come to a halt. I thought perhaps you’d find some use in one of my lists so here it is. Do with it as you wish. You can pick and choose on the days when a little inspiration is in order, or you can turn it into a 40 day art journal challenge. The choice is yours.
Choose a lyric from one of your favorite songs and bring it to life on a page.
Go crazy with masking tape!
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle- scoop up junk mail, paper bags, paper scraps, fabric scraps, WHATEVER, and use these things to create a background, then go nuts with color.
Journal about something or someone that inspires you.
Paste a photograph that brings back a good memory to your page and design around it.
Turn found objects into stamps. A few good ones would be: an empty toilet paper roll, bubble wrap (if you can resist popping the bubbles!), crumpled paper, the sole of a shoe… The options are endless!
Pick one word, any word. Include it in your entry.
Illustrate what change looks like to you.
Draw a map of a made up place you’d like to visit/live.
Go outside, sketch, paint, draw, or doodle whatever you see in front of you.
Grab a few magazines and cut out your perfect outfit. Journal about where you’d wear it to, how it would make you feel…
Create an abstract painting of the room you’re in.
If you were on death row, what would your last meal be? How would you spend your day? (A bit morbid, but just go with it!)
Practice painting or drawing letters in a new font you’ve never tried before.
Opposite hand. Created a page using your less dominant hand. If you’re ambidextrous, use the hand you use less often.
Don’t think, just do. Just slap some paint down and go to town.
A special someone. Journal about someone who you love dearly.
Choose a song that reminds you of a dark time and bring it to life on the page.
Get rid of it. Got something bothering you? Spill it out onto your journal page and leave it there.
Tea art. Splash it, spill it, drip it, blob it… Create a background using your tea.
What would you do if you hit the lottery?
These are a few of my favorite things.
Create a bridge leading from where you are now, and where you want to be.
A picture is worth a thousand words.
Draw a tree and replace the leaves with random objects/doodles.
Write down all of the things you dislike about yourself then cover it up with gesso, and write down all of the things you like about yourself.
Design a room that would inspire you just being in it.
