I received a real treat in the mail recently. Worthy Publishing sent me 3 lovely art journals to review.
Two of them, Illuminate Your Story, and Faith & Lettering, have handy dandy pen holder elastics built into the spine! All 3 have a fabulous "lay flat" design, which means no cracking the spine, and no pages flopping shut when you let go.
First, let's talk about the Faith & Lettering Journal (affiliate link). This book contains some really beautiful pages that inspired me, both spiritually and artistically.
Using the techniques one can learn in the Faith & Lettering Journal, this is the sort of artwork you can create.
Honestly, I kinda want to frame some of them.
This journal has a variety of page types. Above is an example of how you can trace and practice as much as needed. There are also pages for learning different letter fonts.
Some pages offer a dot grid, which makes it easier to copy a complex design. It's also nice to keep your writing from "falling off," or looking like it's sloping down a hillside.
Some pages offer lines for journaling, and nice, wide, side margins for drawing.
Next, let's discuss the Illuminate Your Story Journal (affiliate link). When we were homeschooling, we learned about the illuminated manuscripts of the Middle Ages. Gold paint was used to decorate images that seemed to glow within the pages of Bibles and other very important texts.
Elaborate lettering styles are taught in this journal. There are also step by step instructions for drawing animals, foliage, and other flourishes to accent your lettering.
There are also pages for simply writing one's thoughts.
Illuminate Your Story comes with an attached ribbon bookmark, an elastic loop to hold the book closed, and a pleated pouch to hold keepsakes.
Finally, I'd like to share about The Illustrated Word (affiliate link). If you're familiar with the "adult coloring books" trend (which I prefer to think of as "grown up coloring books"), imagine that, combined with a traditional journal. Pages for recording your thoughts, feelings, experiences, prayers, hopes, goals, etc. are interspersed with detailed coloring pages.
I've got my mug of hot cider, and classical music playing in the background, as I sit down with The Illustrated Word and my Tombow brush pens (affiliate link).
As I colored, I kept thinking, "This is probably bleeding through the page." I was really surprised that the brush pens didn't bleed through at all!
I tried using bronze Sharpie to give the flourishes a metallic effect, and the Sharpie did bleed through. I have a set of metallic brush pens on my Christmas wish list that I'm hoping will be a better option.
The Ellie Claire art journals can be used with just about any writing implements. I really like my brush pens, but gel pens are great, too, as are colored pencils.
As we head into winter doldrums, and the darker days, I look forward to brushing up on a new artistic skill. Journaling is known to combat depression, and being creative helps me in the struggle against seasonal affective disorder.
These are high quality books, that are a pleasure to look at, and absolutely invite you to dive in and make your mark. A journal and a set of pens would make a nice Christmas gift for all the teen and adult ladies in your life. In addition to the Amazon links above, they are also available at Barnes & Noble: Faith & Lettering Journal, The Illustrated Word, Illuminate Your Story Journal. You can connect with Worthy Publishing Group on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
