Do you do morning pages from The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron? I do & I often use my morning pages in my art. I use a handful of paint pens and just write, especially when I am feeling stuck. That became my base for this art journal page. Here is a video showing how I did the first part of this page.
I just started smearing paint on it making some circles. As I looked at them I saw heads – heads full of chaos- just the way my head feels on way too many days!
I added a bit more paint and carved more circles into the paint.
The chaos in my head- all things I want to do, all the things I need to do, all the things I should do, and all the things I haven’t done- were just swirling around. I realized that what I needed to do was just breathe. Just take a moment and breathe. So simple and so powerful.
Got a moment? Stop by these great blogs to relax and soak up the creativity! Creative Every Day and Inspire Me Monday and Just Journals!
no joke! i feel like this on too many days! but it’s usually late in the day – haha! love this post 🙂
I know this feeling so well! Great way to work it off! Valerie
Colorful expression of chaos. That was the basis of my 5/4 blog post. I like your chaos head; it sure feels like that some days LOL. Thank you for an outlook on chaos that makes me feel rather joyful. Cheers, donna peach
LOL ~ know the feeling ~ yet you used the energy to create wonderfully colorful creations ~ Wow~ thanks,namaste, ^_^
I really like how your mind works. Very colorful. And then, I like how you describe how your mind works. Even more colorful!!
So colorful. Looks like my head on Monday mornings. 🙂
This just jumped right out at me. This work speaks VOLUMES. I am wishing to be immersed in your chaos. xox
Totally fun and I think if you took a cross section of the brain of just about any creative person, it would look just like this! Great way to put your scribble piece to work!
You have this all worked out just beautifully. I need to try and do something similar and see if it helps me. Thanks for your inspiration.
Lovely way to take the chaos and spin yourself a wee web of calm. I have been finding that this whole Zentangle thing is REALLY effective for me when I get to spinning. I don’t even pretend to know the “right” ways to DO it, only that the process is like sitting in my grandmother’s lap. This looks like similar fun. Great share!!
I know exactly what you mean!
I realized when looking at your painting that I often feel just like this. I try really hard to relax but life doesn’t always cooperate. What a great way to express how you and so many others of us feel.
From chaotic scribble to a calm layout – brilliant! I may just borrow this layering technique – thank you Carol!
I love your vision of chaos… and it looks like happy chaos – all the colours are bright and cheerful 🙂
wow…if you knew how this post spoke to me …THIS was a post about me today tfs
This is great! I tried doing morning pages way back when, but it didn’t really stick. Never thought about using them in my art…I like that.
Oooh this is SO awesome! I am really learning a lot from you Carolyn, your sense of freedom and not making things to “precious” is a great lesson for me. Oh! AND guess what? I am taking a Jessie Reno class in October at Art and Soul! YOU were an inspiration to do that!
AND YAY, so happy that you’ll be joining The Summer of Color – it really is so much fun, xoxo
Morning pages in art, yes! I’ve finished a morning page- journal some time ago and will include it in a new art journal. Thanks for sharing the work in progress, it’s so much fun to see. 🙂
I love your illustration — the colors and shapes are terrific! I think we all feel the chaos closing in sometimes. You are so right about deep breathing!
I really like all the colorful lines! Thanks for sharing with Just Journals.
oh my goodness, that’s how i feel all the time! my head feels like swirls of mush. great post!
Glad to know that I’m not alone with such feelings. But I love the journaling process that you showed here. It is a great way to take it out of our system.
Carolyn, I so enjoy reading your blog and being able to see your creative process. In the beginning stage your art is like a tiny seed and you are the gardener armed with paints and pens instead of watering cans and miracle grow. I am always amazed at how you plant these seeds of creativity and make them bloom and grow into beautiful works of art!
Amy*
What a fab page and boy, I’m sure what you have shared about it speaks to so many of us. A wonderful reminder to, yes, just breathe.Thank you.
That sums it all up! What a thought process you had there. Brilliant 🙂