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I need some good recommendations on a good book for art journal. I'd like it to have good quality watercolor paper. But not overly expensive b/c my two daughters and I all want one. My daughter would kind of like some wriiting lines on half the page but I haven't seen much for that except for little kids LOL! Any ideas would be greatly appreciated!
Strathmore has a line of Visual Journals with 140 lb watercolor paper, in various sizes. You can find them at Hobby Lobby and maybe at Michaels, (I'm not sure about JoAnns), or various places online ( Jerry's Artarama or Dick Blick, for example). I like them because the covers are very sturdy and with the spiral binding (which is also heavy-duty), the pages will lie flat when you're working on them.
If you want a journal with a variety of papers (lined, unlined, watercolor, smooth, etc), you're better off making your own. I made one in the fall to take on a trip. I used Zutter chipboard covers, Heidi Swapp mini file folders, drawing paper and 140 lb watercolor paper cut in various sizes. I attached a large envelope inside the back cover to tuck in paper scraps (to use for collage). I three-hole punched everything and voila! Instant art journal specific to my needs.
I haven't taken any pictures of it, but I could if you're interested in seeing it.
Strathmore has a line of Visual Journals with 140 lb watercolor paper, in various sizes. You can find them at Hobby Lobby and maybe at Michaels, (I'm not sure about JoAnns), or various places online ( Jerry's Artarama or Dick Blick, for example). I like them because the covers are very sturdy and with the spiral binding (which is also heavy-duty), the pages will lie flat when you're working on them.
If you want a journal with a variety of papers (lined, unlined, watercolor, smooth, etc), you're better off making your own. I made one in the fall to take on a trip. I used Zutter chipboard covers, Heidi Swapp mini file folders, drawing paper and 140 lb watercolor paper cut in various sizes. I attached a large envelope inside the back cover to tuck in paper scraps (to use for collage). I three-hole punched everything and voila! Instant art journal specific to my needs.
I haven't taken any pictures of it, but I could if you're interested in seeing it .
I would love seeing pictures. I have been hunting for a good journal. I have lots of good single papers but want a bigger journal and was considering making my own too.
__________________ Meg from MN*madameplushbottom is a childhood nickname from my godmother*
Strathmore has a line of Visual Journals with 140 lb watercolor paper, in various sizes. You can find them at Hobby Lobby and maybe at Michaels, (I'm not sure about JoAnns), or various places online ( Jerry's Artarama or Dick Blick, for example). I like them because the covers are very sturdy and with the spiral binding (which is also heavy-duty), the pages will lie flat when you're working on them.
If you want a journal with a variety of papers (lined, unlined, watercolor, smooth, etc), you're better off making your own. I made one in the fall to take on a trip. I used Zutter chipboard covers, Heidi Swapp mini file folders, drawing paper and 140 lb watercolor paper cut in various sizes. I attached a large envelope inside the back cover to tuck in paper scraps (to use for collage). I three-hole punched everything and voila! Instant art journal specific to my needs.
I haven't taken any pictures of it, but I could if you're interested in seeing it.
Those are the exact journals I found this afternoon and got online! Yea! Thank you!
These photos aren't the best because of the lighting, but I figured if I didn't do this tonight, I'd never get back to it. LOL
So here you'll see:
* photos of the front and back covers, covered with scrapbooking paper
* View of all the inside pages, fanned out
* Shot of a small kraft envelope, 3-hole punched, at the front, to stick small stuff into
* Shot of a bigger white envelope, adhered to inside back cover, to hold larger paper ephemera
* Shots of some of the inner pages that consist of Heidi Swapp mini folders, white and colored drawing paper (cut to various sizes; some are flat, some are tri or bi-folded), watercolor paper, a green matchbook style card for journaling, etc.
The white stuff smeared on some of the pages is gesso, which just gives me a start for a mixed media collage page. As you can see, most of the pages are still blank. :p I didn't have much time during my trip to work in it, but I saved all kinds of things to add to it (ticket stubs, etc), and I have a few pictures to print. At some point I'll decorate the cover, but since I plan to take this on trips I left it blank for now so it won't get damaged.
Overall size is 9x9 inches. Click on each picture to enlarge if you want to see more detail.
missiowa - those photos are great! wow! I have been thinking about making my own and collecting a few things to get the job done. I love yours and think I might just have to give it a whirl. Thanks so much for the inspiration and for taking time to take the photos.
__________________ Meg from MN*madameplushbottom is a childhood nickname from my godmother*
I, too, recommend Joggles.com. Go to the tutorials and go down to the Strathmore Art Journal Video to watch her show you the various journals...watercolor and mixed media. Lots of great videos on how to use various media. I highly recommend Joggles. They have quick shipping and lots of other goodies to tempt you like stamps, paints, stencils, pastes, fabrics, embellishments, etc., etc. I HAD to get the horizontal one just because it looks different. I already had a Dylusions journal but had to have that cool horizontal one!
__________________ Arlene, The Snorkeler
Last edited by arlenevita; 01-02-2014 at 02:37 PM..
These photos aren't the best because of the lighting, but I figured if I didn't do this tonight, I'd never get back to it. LOL
So here you'll see:
* photos of the front and back covers, covered with scrapbooking paper
* View of all the inside pages, fanned out
* Shot of a small kraft envelope, 3-hole punched, at the front, to stick small stuff into
* Shot of a bigger white envelope, adhered to inside back cover, to hold larger paper ephemera
* Shots of some of the inner pages that consist of Heidi Swapp mini folders, white and colored drawing paper (cut to various sizes; some are flat, some are tri or bi-folded), watercolor paper, a green matchbook style card for journaling, etc.
The white stuff smeared on some of the pages is gesso, which just gives me a start for a mixed media collage page. As you can see, most of the pages are still blank. :p I didn't have much time during my trip to work in it, but I saved all kinds of things to add to it (ticket stubs, etc), and I have a few pictures to print. At some point I'll decorate the cover, but since I plan to take this on trips I left it blank for now so it won't get damaged.
Overall size is 9x9 inches. Click on each picture to enlarge if you want to see more detail.
wow!! Beautiful job, TFS! I did order the Strathmore Visual journals for us. But this might be a fun project in the future! Thank you again for sharing!
Dyan Reavesley (sp?) from Ranger also has a nice journal - and it has a pocket inside to put things in. It comes in two sizes. I know that it's somewhat different from the Visual Journal in the paper that it has in it - where's Lela/SerenityStamper when you need her??? :-)
__________________ ~ Susan - Celebrating 19 years as an SU demo! Grammy to Anna 15, Elizabeth 14, Nora 12, Abigail 12, Kendall 10 , Isaac 10, Evan 7, and Hudson 3 with me in my avatar Proud to be SCS Fan Club Member since the beginning!
Tell me more soozie... I had NO idea you were into all of this too. I am so excited that I have learned about a new side of you. (new to me anyway). And, your grandson is possibly the cutest thing ever in your avatar. Dang... he is darling!
__________________ Meg from MN*madameplushbottom is a childhood nickname from my godmother*
It's great for single pages but I bought a small hardbound fabric covered sketchbook from Michaels Craft store for my 2 page spreads. I glue 2 pages together to make the pages stronger to hold lots of gesso and paint.
I have a couple of different art journals and one altered book, that I rotate in, depending on my mood... I can't stand it if my journaling isn't straight, so I have a few lined stamps I used lightly to keep me on track:
Oh Meg, I came over here to answer your question. Am I "into all this"?? Well, let's put it this way - I have a lot of supplies!!! I have Tim Holtz's Distress Inks, Stains and Paints. And some Dylusions Sprays, and some stencils, and Claudine's Studio Acrylic Paints (in the little tiny bottles), some Gesso, Matte Medium (I'm only now learning what one does with that), and various and sundry other stuff. Now I just need to USE the stuff!!! :-)
Dina, CONGRATS on your new job here on SCS! I started following your blog again. I LOVE your YouTube channel! I just got some Inktense Pencils (was enabled by Lydia!) and I watched your video. Can't wait to see/hear more from you! :-)
__________________ ~ Susan - Celebrating 19 years as an SU demo! Grammy to Anna 15, Elizabeth 14, Nora 12, Abigail 12, Kendall 10 , Isaac 10, Evan 7, and Hudson 3 with me in my avatar Proud to be SCS Fan Club Member since the beginning!
Well that is exciting Susan. I love new connections with people I already know and enjoy. I am going to PM you my flikr link. I am taking the LifeBook 2014 course and am posting my assignments on flikr. I also took this last year, and completed one whole project and sketched out a second project. I've already completed and posted two projects this year, started a third painting on my own and am thinking about doing this week's assignment early.
Okay... back to the post at hand. I love all the suggestions everyone is offering. Thanks for the original post OP. Does anyone have or use the same journals that Donna Downey uses in her videos? They intrigue me.
__________________ Meg from MN*madameplushbottom is a childhood nickname from my godmother*
Meg, so you PAINT?!?!? I *own* paints, but I don't have an artistic bone in my body! I'm impressed!! I had to run over and look at this Lifebook thingie - now I can't wait to see what you've done!
I did sign up for the Stenciled class through Online Card Classes - have you taken any of them? I love them!! :-)
__________________ ~ Susan - Celebrating 19 years as an SU demo! Grammy to Anna 15, Elizabeth 14, Nora 12, Abigail 12, Kendall 10 , Isaac 10, Evan 7, and Hudson 3 with me in my avatar Proud to be SCS Fan Club Member since the beginning!
I don't care for the Dylusions art journal - if you don't put paper tape down the middle where the spine is, your inks will stain other layouts. France Papillon (papillon sur la branche) creates on heavy watercolor paper then mounts that in a Finnabair Mixed Media Art Journal that is spiral bound. This allows you to have any thing on the back (brad tails and ink spills) and you don't mess up the rest of the book by working on a single sheet at a time. She works on a longer sheet and when done, cuts it in half, then mounts both sheets. I LOVE HER WORK!
__________________ A good friend will come and bail you out of jail... a true friend will be sitting next to you saying, "Damn, that was fun!"
Art journal books?
