You want to keep an illustrated journal as your daily art container, but you don’t want to share the nitty gritty details of your life with the public. What do you do?
The Pleiades. Because: Sisterhood. Because: sparks, synapses, light. Because: Stardust.
I think a lot about readers and writers. The fact that “no one reads anymore” — as impatient colleagues always remind me when I’m writing slowly and sweating details (words, syntax, tone, &c.) — is both horrifying and liberating. I like your point about preparing for both the prurient obsessives and the careless skimmers, while aiming for the few who matter. I think this is true for both writing in general, and, say, sharing an illustrated journal.
When I was posting regularly, i spent more time on the captions than the art. It’s all just a search for meaning. In writing — as in speaking — I prize authenticity. I am forthright. How does this jibe with a consuming need for privacy? My tendency toward the abstract and the metaphorical seems to be a sufficient veil. I don’t share much anymore not because I’m hiding, but because it takes so much energy to navigate the intersection of public and private creativity.
I am grateful (and awed) that you do this every week.
I'm not an illustrator but tend toward honesty and transparency in my words and photographic images. I don't put everything out there, though. We all need a little mystery, right? I've noticed with my own audio voiceovers that they're estimated to take almost twice as long as reading. Sometimes I'll listen as I'm washing dishes or folding laundry, and then I wonder if I'm doing the author a disservice that way. Most of the books I've completed in recent past have been audiobooks. I suppose driving is another form of multitasking, and I've never felt guilty about that! 😅
Constellation: Ursa Major
Middle of the road (though I'm pretty sure my middle of the road would be someone else's clutterbug.
Interestingly timed post… the whole privacy issue and sharing is what has had me frozen of late. Which is strange because I used to write openly but as I progress through the years, I worry more and have turned entire blogs to draft simply because I felt too exposed.
Doing the illustrated week is good for me to find that balance between what I’m comfortable with sharing and what I’m not. But I do struggle because I’m a wordsmith pre artist, my pages feel unfinished or unbalanced without words so I am mostly sharing them half finished.
This has to be the longest I’ve ever stuck with any project though so I’m hoping I find that happy medium soon 🫣😂
Love the added ideas for privacy. Love to read your posts each week!
I can’t choose one. Minimalist goals, middle of the road in spirit, chaos clutter in action. I think some people, when faced with things in life they can’t control, will control the things they can. I have been steamrolled by uncontrollable chaos, and have temporarily given up.
Although the big and Little Dipper and always visible in Texas, I prefer Orion.
I struggle with a few privacy concerns with my journal.
- Authenticity is my goal. It’s good practice for me, and I hope anyone reading will feel less alone.
- There are people I do not want to share all the things with. These are actually people I know well, but I think might be hurt/offended by what I write/draw, even if that wasn’t my intention. This has been an issue in the past, and I would prefer to avoid a repeat.
- I want to respect my kids’ privacy, but our lives are really entangled and it feels impossible to tell my story without revealing theirs.
I’m uncomfortable admitting this after reading your post, but I am that person who tilts and zooms to try to find the spoken and unspoken in pages I find interesting and mysterious. My interest isn’t judgmental, and it definitely isn’t prurient, I am just genuinely curious about people’s lives (and everything else on the planet).
My readiness to share my journals or art online have definitely waned this year, who knows if they might swing back. I love the Bansky quote, I consider myself more private than most. There is one I remember from my childhood: “fools’ names, like fools’ faces, are often seen in public places.” Lol it sounds almost totalitarian, I am not sure why I thought it was a sound proverb. But there is something prudent in it.
I love all the tips for masking personal info here!
I do sometimes struggle with the sharing of my journal for a few reasons- the main one being that I've never thought I was "good" at drawing , I'm not an illustrator. I'm more of a doodler 🤣🤣 But I'm really finding that stepping outside my comfort zone is good for me - mind,, body, and soul
Constellation? Orion because even with all the lights in my city I can still see his belt🌟
What beautiful words you have in the lines you were left with, and what helpful tips shared for managing privacy and sharing - thank you. These and observing how you and others do this is what led to me feeling able to start an illustrated journal I could also share.
I love this I don't keep an illustrated journal but see them around in substack and admire them. I do journal however and my way of keeping it secret is to write so it is illegible. Even for me! Funnily enough, recently in a shared journaling group, I decided not to share my writing as some of it was too personal that I would not know how to cover it. This lead to questions and one thing led to another so the group got cancelled. Shame but that won't stop me from journaling. Amazing journal and artwork you have shared. Thank you.
Thank you for these tips, Amy. Though I haven’t done an illustrated journal in a long time, I do include writing in my sketchbooks that I don’t always want to share when I post sketchbook photos. It helps maintain that special space for an open flow of personal expression knowing you can always share as much or as little as you choose.
The Pleiades. Because: Sisterhood. Because: sparks, synapses, light. Because: Stardust.
I think a lot about readers and writers. The fact that “no one reads anymore” — as impatient colleagues always remind me when I’m writing slowly and sweating details (words, syntax, tone, &c.) — is both horrifying and liberating. I like your point about preparing for both the prurient obsessives and the careless skimmers, while aiming for the few who matter. I think this is true for both writing in general, and, say, sharing an illustrated journal.
When I was posting regularly, i spent more time on the captions than the art. It’s all just a search for meaning. In writing — as in speaking — I prize authenticity. I am forthright. How does this jibe with a consuming need for privacy? My tendency toward the abstract and the metaphorical seems to be a sufficient veil. I don’t share much anymore not because I’m hiding, but because it takes so much energy to navigate the intersection of public and private creativity.
I am grateful (and awed) that you do this every week.
Ugh. Sorry about your unexpected morning cleanup.
I'm not an illustrator but tend toward honesty and transparency in my words and photographic images. I don't put everything out there, though. We all need a little mystery, right? I've noticed with my own audio voiceovers that they're estimated to take almost twice as long as reading. Sometimes I'll listen as I'm washing dishes or folding laundry, and then I wonder if I'm doing the author a disservice that way. Most of the books I've completed in recent past have been audiobooks. I suppose driving is another form of multitasking, and I've never felt guilty about that! 😅
Constellation: Ursa Major
Middle of the road (though I'm pretty sure my middle of the road would be someone else's clutterbug.
Interestingly timed post… the whole privacy issue and sharing is what has had me frozen of late. Which is strange because I used to write openly but as I progress through the years, I worry more and have turned entire blogs to draft simply because I felt too exposed.
Doing the illustrated week is good for me to find that balance between what I’m comfortable with sharing and what I’m not. But I do struggle because I’m a wordsmith pre artist, my pages feel unfinished or unbalanced without words so I am mostly sharing them half finished.
This has to be the longest I’ve ever stuck with any project though so I’m hoping I find that happy medium soon 🫣😂
Love the added ideas for privacy. Love to read your posts each week!
I can’t choose one. Minimalist goals, middle of the road in spirit, chaos clutter in action. I think some people, when faced with things in life they can’t control, will control the things they can. I have been steamrolled by uncontrollable chaos, and have temporarily given up.
Although the big and Little Dipper and always visible in Texas, I prefer Orion.
I struggle with a few privacy concerns with my journal.
- Authenticity is my goal. It’s good practice for me, and I hope anyone reading will feel less alone.
- There are people I do not want to share all the things with. These are actually people I know well, but I think might be hurt/offended by what I write/draw, even if that wasn’t my intention. This has been an issue in the past, and I would prefer to avoid a repeat.
- I want to respect my kids’ privacy, but our lives are really entangled and it feels impossible to tell my story without revealing theirs.
I’m uncomfortable admitting this after reading your post, but I am that person who tilts and zooms to try to find the spoken and unspoken in pages I find interesting and mysterious. My interest isn’t judgmental, and it definitely isn’t prurient, I am just genuinely curious about people’s lives (and everything else on the planet).
My readiness to share my journals or art online have definitely waned this year, who knows if they might swing back. I love the Bansky quote, I consider myself more private than most. There is one I remember from my childhood: “fools’ names, like fools’ faces, are often seen in public places.” Lol it sounds almost totalitarian, I am not sure why I thought it was a sound proverb. But there is something prudent in it.
I love all the tips for masking personal info here!
I do sometimes struggle with the sharing of my journal for a few reasons- the main one being that I've never thought I was "good" at drawing , I'm not an illustrator. I'm more of a doodler 🤣🤣 But I'm really finding that stepping outside my comfort zone is good for me - mind,, body, and soul
Constellation? Orion because even with all the lights in my city I can still see his belt🌟
What beautiful words you have in the lines you were left with, and what helpful tips shared for managing privacy and sharing - thank you. These and observing how you and others do this is what led to me feeling able to start an illustrated journal I could also share.
I love this I don't keep an illustrated journal but see them around in substack and admire them. I do journal however and my way of keeping it secret is to write so it is illegible. Even for me! Funnily enough, recently in a shared journaling group, I decided not to share my writing as some of it was too personal that I would not know how to cover it. This lead to questions and one thing led to another so the group got cancelled. Shame but that won't stop me from journaling. Amazing journal and artwork you have shared. Thank you.
Thank you for these tips, Amy. Though I haven’t done an illustrated journal in a long time, I do include writing in my sketchbooks that I don’t always want to share when I post sketchbook photos. It helps maintain that special space for an open flow of personal expression knowing you can always share as much or as little as you choose.