I have friends that say they can’t draw. I feel that way too and it is because we haven’t been taught.

I use as many resources as I can to help me. One of my favorite books for drawing simple little drawings is Let’s Draw Cute Animals. Sachiko Umoto shows you step by step how to draw little creatures like this friendly bulldog.

Her other two books, Let’s Draw Happy People and Let’s Draw Plants and Small Creatures are also in my collection. I highly recommend these books if you want to learn to draw in a whimsical, fun and cute style. Right now I am completely copying her style. Eventually with more practice, my own style will emerge.

I drew this first in pencil to allow for adjustments. Then went over it in pen once I felt happy with the image. I added a bit of shading with a light grey marker and erased the pencil.

I am curious, do you draw in your visual journals, just write or do a combination?

I like the idea of having my artwork contained in book form, unlike my Gelli plate prints that are in a pile on a bookshelf.

What happens when a visual journal is goes beyond a place to explore the properties of paint and pen?

A visual journal has the ability to be a container of potential if you look beyond the original intention.

It may contain ideas that can be turned into an alternative purpose.

My current work in progress is a body of work called “Bad Hair Day”.

The idea came from a little image that I had done in one of my visual journals.

This year I am participating in East Bay Open Studios and wanted to focus on a particular theme. I remembered my image and that was the beginning of my project.

This techniques helps with these two qualities.

Use a plastic card to smear the ink before it dries to help prevent further smearing.

If you smear the gel pen immediately it will smear better than if you write, get the camera ready, pose and then take the picture – as you can see in my examples.

I like to write in my journal with brightly colored ball point pens and with gel pens but they can smear on the Moleskine Sketchbook paper because of the coating.

My solution is to take advantage of the situation and use it as a design element in my pages. A plastic card works great to smear the ink and helps dry it. I can close my book without transferring the wet or sticky ink onto the facing page.

“A ship is safe in harbor, but that’s not what ships are for.”       ~William Shedd

I created another 3-D visual journal writing prompt and video for you.

Origami boats made from magazine pages and graph paper. There is a secret journal writing section that is hidden when folded.

What I like about this journal writing project is that unlike a journal that may be closed up and put away, the boats can be displayed. When I look at mine, I am reminded of what I wrote inside.

I left my boats unadorned but feel free to add paint, markers, or washi tape to yours as you see fit.

Unlike a home that represents stability and shelter, a boat is meant to take you on a voyage, even it’s a short ride around a lake – unless it’s a house boat and then my comparison doesn’t apply.

There can be more of a risk because of all of the variables that come with going out on the water.

As a captain we have the opportunity to pilot a boat in the direction that we wish to go.

Your journal writing prompt:

Where do you want to go from here?

If you don’t know where you want to go, answer it as if you already knew. The reason that I picked this prompt is that we always have the chance to correct course. If your life is not going in the direction that you intended, what could you do to make it better? It doesn’t need to be a huge change, even just starting out by writing about it will help start the process.

The video below shows you how to fold the boat and where the secret journal writing spot is.

I would love to hear how this process went for you in the comments section below.

You can start from scratch or you can use paper that you are recycling. In my case, I am using a mono-print on drawing paper from my stash. The dimensions are not critical, just the steps. The paper can be rectangular or a square.

Once the folds have been made, you journal in the center most section of the inside.

Refolded and sealed, your writing is hidden away.

The visual journal prompt for this writing is:

Are there any changes that you would like to make to your living space?

If you cannot see the video click here for a tutorial on how to fold the paper.

I am using gel medium as my adhesive. A glue stick, white glue or washi tape could be used instead.

I attached some images from a magazine to the sides. The house can also be used as a mini vision board. Someday I want to live near a tropical beach.

I wanted to tone the image down a little so I am applying gesso over the top. You can also see where I started adding colored pencil beneath the image.

You can add more images or do any additional painting or drawing as you wish. How about a neighborhood of houses?

Going deeper:

As I was creating these, my observation of this visual journal project was the comparison of the origami house and our two selves.

We have:

1. The essential self: how we truly are, what we believe in. This is the interior.

2. The social self: how others see us and how we conduct ourselves. This is the exterior.

For example, if your essential self doesn’t like to cook but you promised to make a homemade dessert for an upcoming event, then your inside (essential self)  and outside (social self) don’t mesh and it may create havoc.

The key to finding peace is moving both of these two selves closer and closer together through truth and honesty.

Alternative journal prompt:

Are there any changes that you would like to make to your life?

If you have any comments or questions I would love to hear them.

Olivia has a bum knee so we took her for a “carry”.

Colored Markers in my Visual Journal

Detail of Zentangle Inspired Art Bookmark

Creepy Shadow Guy showed up on my second story window to my office! I was relieved when I realized it was just the brickwork.

Acrylic Ink abstract on watercolor paper.

Succulent as inspiration for a future project – someday….

Morning Light

Visual journal circles in watercolor pencil

Went to Open Studios in San Francisco for the day and saw this cool logo.

The Amazon Lockers at Staples are great because I don’t have to stay around to wait for deliveries from UPS or ONTRAK (who leaves packages at the door where they could be stolen. UPS makes sure someone is home.) There is no extra charge to use this service – other than your regular shipping costs.

The gardeners missed the top of this hedge so the Bottle Brush flowers were able to bloom. It made my walk to my medical appointment much nicer!

I love creating these Bad Hair Day drawings with some of the tangles that I know.

Drop acrylic inks onto watercolor paper and then drag across using a discarded plastic card.

This is one of my favorite things to do in my visual journal.

I just pick one word that sums up my feelings of the day.

Derwent Inktense pencil in a Moleskine sketchbook.

I noticed someone else’s creativity on this security screen on a business window.

Day 16

I am working on a swap. I forgot to take a picture before I started cutting up all the paper into 2.5″ x 3.5″ pieces. I used acrylic ink, watercolor, markers, gesso and gel pens.

Day 17

The 52 cards have all been cut. Next comes text which will be quotes. I am not sure if I am collaging the quotes on or hand writing them on each card. The instructions were to do a different quote on each card.

Day 18

Blue Crayola marker in my journal.

Watercolor in Moleskine sketchbook with Micron pen over top.

Day 13

Coming back from teaching my Zentangle® workshops, I saw a blimp in a perfect blue sky. I had to pull over to take a picture.

Day 14

Cut and framed each piece.

These little works of art are now finished and for sale. They are one of a kind, original, pen and ink on paper. Double sided. $45 each. Please contact me if you are interested in purchasing one.

You can see how they started out on Day 7.