Tera Leigh's Personal Home Page

Photos of some of my journals and art journal pages. Because I tend to use golds and opalescent colors in my painting, the pages don't always photograph as well as I'd like them to! I have been creating art journals since 1983. For me, they are a mixture of "trip book", "scrapbook", and journal. I used to keep a separate private written journal because I keep my art journals "open to the public". (Although I have been known to paper clip pages together if I am later uncomfortable with the content!) Now I combine the two and tip in envelopes and doors to hide entries not intended for other eyes.

FAQ: I usually use 8 1/2 " x 11" or 11" x 14" hardback sketchbooks for my journals. Most books have 100 - 250 pages in them. (Average is 200.) I do occasionally do a smaller spiral bound book if one comes my way. Colored backgrounds are painted with anything handy (acrylic, gouache, watercolor, ink, etc.). The only exception is that I do not use oil paints. I have glued, stapled, taped, and sewn items into my journals. The way that I create my books today is to paint about 20 pages in advance and then collage, write, sketch, etc. over those backgrounds. The books are numbered chronologically (as of 9/2004 I am on my 41st art journal.) I did not number my writing only journals, but I would estimate I have about 30. I have journaled all my life, but began to seriously write when I was about 25 years old. Probably the biggest change in the journals over the years is the introduction of photography, thanks to Polaroid JoyCam and Izone, and digital cameras with a color printer.

My Art Journals, books 1 - 30	Cover of Art Journal #28. Click to see larger photo.
Painted and text entry for Independence Day 2001.	Painted cover collaged with stamped art tags. Art Journal # 26
This is an example of one of my writing journals (e.g. private). I painted over the cover of a commercial journal with a transparent red paint then collaged black and white words, a clip-art tulip, and a part of a postcard I picked up off the street in Walnut Creek, California. Afterwards I glued gold wings on the girl's back, a crown for her head, and painted the swirl design in gold. The book was then varnished several times for durability.	Inside front cover of art journal #25. Painted freehand patterns with stamped with Paintability bee and pansies.
Cover of Art Journal #27. Click to see larger photo.	Journal pages from the week I took the California bar exam in San Diego, CA. 1993. Click to see a larger photo.
An impressionist cover, Vol 16	Random collages. I often create collages over the time span of a book, adding an image when I find one that fits the theme or color.
Entry from trip to Cincinnati, Ohio 2000.	Typical early entry (circa 1984) combining sketches, magazine clippings, photos and text over unpainted background. Today I paint most of the pages of the journals before writing or working on them.
I did this page as part of the 1000 journals project. Click to see a larger photo.	Another 1000 journals project page. Click to see larger version.
Another 1000 journals page, click to see larger version.	To seem more examples of my journals, visit my biz website here, and the main page of the journaling section of this site, here.

All artwork is copyright of the artist (1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006) in accordance with title 17, United States Code. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Images on this site are for viewing purposes only. Wrongful downloading for commercial or personal use will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.