Why Keep a Daily Art Journal?

I miss A LOT of days, but I still love keeping a daily journal.

It is so easy to make myself feel guilty when I miss days (or weeks, or months…) This guilt often wins and then I don’t try to keep one at all. But even though I “fail” at this task often, I still love the idea of keeping a daily journal!

Lately, I have been making working in my daily journal a priority. It excites me to think about looking back on these pages down the road. One of my favorite things to look at is the trends over time, but this isn’t the only benefit.

Benefits of keeping a “daily” art journal:

Trends:

Trends and patterns are revealed allowing you to see what inspires you at any particular time. This can be color choices, style, techniques used, etc.

Consistency:

A consistent art practice strengthens your skills and reinforces the habit of consistency.

Experimentation:

A daily journal is a safe place to explore new ideas, techniques, and materials without the pressure of a final piece.

Build Muscle:

Your creative muscle, that is. By showing up every day, even when feeling uninspired, you learn how to work through the obstacles you put in front of yourself.

I’ll be the first to admit that I go through phases. I have worked every day in my journal for the last couple of weeks. But before this, it had been months, literally. This doesn’t mean I didn’t make art, but I wasn’t prioritizing my daily journal. And that’s ok! Sometimes, it serves us and helps us grow. But at some points, I find that I use it as a distraction from pursuing bigger projects.

Only you can determine if a daily journal is right for you! And the answer may be - sometimes it is and sometimes it isn’t. I’m right there with you.

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