This document provides examples of techniques for making sketchbook journaling more visual and engaging, including incorporating photographs, drawings, collage, patterns, textures, and experiments with different media. Some key suggestions are to include both written notes and visual elements like drawings, to conduct research by collecting artwork examples, and to experiment with layering different images and media on the pages. The goal is for the sketchbook journal to have an artistic quality beyond just written words.

1. Sketchbook Journaling

2. Page examples…

3. PHOTO ONE This is an example Of a not-so interesting Journal. It conveys Information in only one Format – written. Your journal should be Both VERBAL and VISUAL.

4. PHOTO ONE Written notes w/creative lettering printed text transparency on top of painted background

5. PHOTO ONE creative lettering

6. PHOTO ONE investigations with patterning AKA “doodles” (sharpie on paper) coloring a photocopy

7. PHOTO ONE gluing in photos texture rubbings

8. Visual Research Occasionally you may need to do “visual research” for an assignment – especially when it comes to looking at work of other artists. For example, using the internet, you can easily print visual examples of artist’s work, collage the images in their journal, and include written facts/personal opinions about the work – better than having to write a formal paper (in most people’s opinions).

9. Could a photo Become an Interesting pocket?

10. PHOTO ONE layer paint on top of photos cut text into strips or other shapes, glue

11. PHOTO ONE try using stamps glue lots of examples of ideas for reference

12. PHOTO ONE watercolor wash

13. PHOTO ONE glue in Snippets of text or research

14. ART ONE try drawing with An opaque marker, Gel pen, or white-out Pen over images make sketches from artwork you see

15. PHOTO ONE draw with a sharpie, go over in watercolor OR – use a flair pen, add water over the top of the ink and it will run. Collect examples of art from other times & cultures

16. PHOTO TWO incorporate stencils incorporate unusual papers or found objects

17. PHOTO THREE scratch in to wet paint Glue in all of your “ ugly” artworks, work on top of them

18. ART ONE Conduct Artistic research

19. ART ONE Sketch from life, Try different arrangements Fill a page With examples Of many Different Combinations Of Line

20. ART ONE Draw from observation

21. ART ONE Study shadows Play With Different Drawing materials

22. ART TWO Play with composition

23. ART TWO Practice Drawing People (charcoal)

24. ART TWO Layer images On top of one another

25. PHOTO Paint and Draw on top Of photos Create Lines & grids With tape

26. JOURNAL Experiment With pastels

27. JOURNAL Transfer Oil pastel Drawings By rubbing On the back side

28. JOURNAL Create a visual Definition of Something complex

29. JOURNAL Draw on Unusual surfaces Create a Spray paint stencil

30. JOURNAL Watercolor Washes w/ink

31. JOURNAL Incorporate Magazine imagery Re-invent The setting For a magazine photo

32. JOURNAL Use transparencies incorporate Handwritten text

33. JOURNAL Write “ ransom” style Cut out Descriptive words

34. JOURNAL Play with Interesting Combinations Of images

35. JOURNAL Draw in pen or marker Over watercolor create Repeated patterns

36. JOURNAL Obsessively Cover a page With something Repeated Over and over In different Media / sizes

37. JOURNAL Draw Your surroundings Use crayon As a watercolor Resist on a page Draw borders Around weird edges

38. JOURNAL Layer vellum Or tissue paper Over an image Mix multiple Drawing media On one picture

39. JOURNAL doodle Repeat patterns

40. JOURNAL Draw/paint On top of Newsprint or Other materials

41. JOURNAL Layer oil Pastel over images Color in black And white photocopies

42. JOURNAL Make weird photocopies Draw in Pencil over Tempera/acrylic wash

43. JOURNAL Collage Something In repetition Draw something With heavy outlines

44. JOURNAL Show two drawings In different media On facing pages

45. JOURNAL Incorporate Photos of Things in your Everyday life Grafitti on Top of your Friend’s faces

46. JOURNAL Cut windows out Of your pages

47. PHOTO TWO Collage Images In strips

48. PHOTO Extend the Edges of a Photo with paint

49. PHOTO Create a mixed Media background Allow a Photograph To cover Two pages

50. ART ONE Self-Portraits Draw negative spaces

51. ART ONE Self-Portraits Practice Truly seeing Something By sketching It over and over

52. ART ONE Self-Portraits Draw from A photograph

53. ART ONE Self-Portraits Draw with light Marks on a Dark surface

54. PHOTO ONE - Photograms / Pin-Hole Insert class handouts

55. PHOTO ONE - Photograms / Pin-Hole Showcase And document Your experiements

56. PHOTO ONE - Photograms / Pin-Hole Try monoprinting

57. ART ONE - Aesthetic Landscapes See what Types of Marks a Material makes

58. ART ONE - Aesthetic Landscapes Copy a color Photograph By drawing Or painting it

59. ART ONE - Aesthetic Landscapes Change the Composition, Media, and technique

60. Designing a cover…