illustrated journaling

While in Ohio, I was taken to a phenomenal bookstore called Joseph Beth. If I were not at risk of embarrassing myself, I probably would still be roaming the aisles of that store. While there I purchased a book that set me on my head. It is called Spilling Open: The Art of Becoming Yourself by Sabrina Ward Harrison. (She has a follow up book called Brave on the Rocks: If You Don't Go, You Don't See This is a 24-year-old girl who has published one of her own illustrated journals in full color. It is compelling and I have never seen anything like it. In the past, the illustrated journals I have seen have been neat and composed and lovely. This book is a wild and wooly journey through the trials and tribulations brought on by a 24 year old brain.

From a literary standpoint, you will connect with what this kid is going through emotionally, but the reading won't keep you up at night for its riveting content. As a journal, however, it is powerful and raw, and extremely exciting. I have shown it to three friends and two went out and bought it immediately! When I came home one of the first things I did was to go out and buy one of the new Polaroid cameras to begin including instant photography in my trip books. I also pulled out my calligraphy pens again

The concept of illustrated journaling is that for certain people pictures, drawing, sketching, and any form of illustration - including photography - is as powerful a communication tool as the written word. In reading this book, I realized that I had been doing a form of this for many years in what I call my "trip books". I have always separated out my journals from my trip books because my journals are private and my trip books are open to the public. For me, that works best because I am a venting journalist and use my journals to get things off my chest that often are not what I really feel - just what I feel at that moment.

Illustrated journalists use a variety of media to express their feelings. I have decided to expand my trip books back into this style of journaling - while maintaining my private journal for venting. I would encourage you to at least pick up this book in a bookstore and flip through it for inspiration. If you are interested in getting involved in Illustrated Journaling, I think it is worth owning.

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