Have you got photographs in boxes, on your camera, on your computer, and/or on your phone? I encourage you to take stock of what you've got, then print, print, print your photos! You can use almost any photo in your art journal, even the blurry ones! Art journals are wonderful containers for the photos of your life. You can include photos of the people you see, the places you go, the things you love, and all that you do each day. If you know me personally, or have been reading my blog(s) for awhile, you know that I am a fan of self-portrait photography. When you use photos of yourself in your art journal, you are stopping time, in a sense. You will get to look back at those photos down the road and recall amazing things about that specific time and place in your life.
Here's an example: Pictured below is my art journal/visual journal from 2000-2001. I met one of my favorite singers, Kristin Hersh at Borders Books in Richfield, Minnesota. I was soooooo excited, and sooooo nervous to go up to her and ask her to sign my CD. I remember sheepishly asking my boyfriend (now husband) if he'd take a picture of me while I was with Kristin. He of course said, "yes". I don't know why it was hard for me to ask, but I knew I would want to document this big moment in my journal. I am soooo glad I have these photos in my art journal. As you can see, I like funky photos. The photos below were likely altered in some way, either as photo transfers, or in Photoshop. I like that I have both versions on one page. Repeating photos on a page is one technique to try in your art journal!
Of course, cameras, film, and film processing continue to change. Most people are taking digital photos these days. I still love Polaroid film, and do you remember the I-Zone cameras?! Those were my favorite! The film is no longer being made, so don't go buy one on Amazon.com!
Below is a page spread from an old art journal. There are stacks of Polaroid photos, the top photo being of my now husband, doing the dishes back in 2002. It was definitely a moment to capture on film, as he rarely does the dishes! At least I knew that before I married him!
Tip: Adding the date and time to photos can make your trip down memory lane even more interesting!
Art journal pages can be super layered and take hours to create, or they can be quite simple. A photo, a sketch, a design, a pattern, some writing; there are many choices on how to create a page. What has your experience been with photos in your art journal? How do you like to incorporate your photos?
I learned the technique of sewing photos into my art journals from the brave, beautiful, traveling, teaching, Miss Mary Ann Moss. I highly recommend any of her online classes. They are fantastic!
Recently, I have been trying to keep up with Liz Lamoreux's Inner Excate Along Online Class. I created a journal that I've worked in a little, but would like to do more. Here's one page I did, which uses some of my nature photographs:
Here's another look at a Remains of the Day travel journal (a class taught by Mary Ann Moss). I created this journal after a trip to the Western United States. If you travel and like to take photographs on your journey, an art journal is a great spot to catch those photos, too!
For more ideas on the kinds of photos to use in your art journal, hop on over to the Using Photos in Your Art Journal Workshop information and registration page. I am offering a workshop in Minneapolis, Minnesota, this coming Sunday, August 2nd, 2015, 2pm-5pm at The Artful Nook. If you are local to the Twin Cities, I invite you to attend! Grab your art journal, a stack of photos, and let's make art! All materials and supplies are provided for your use during class. No prior art experience needed.
