“Kaleidoscope”- I’m not currently using the illustrated prompts. My go-to doodle these days has been some abstract version of a tree or grouping of three shrubs. I also have been using a tiny moleskin notebook to draw these shapes and then write lines of morning pages (sometimes “afternoon” pages) in the remaining negative space around the doodle shape. So it makes the morning pages sort of illustrated. In this format and notebook size, I write a lot smaller than I naturally would if I was using a spiral bound notebook with lined paper.
With regard to focus, creative productivity, etc., I agree that this summer and year have unfolded differently than perhaps expected. I think I’m at an in between on some of my habits- a pause before I really chase after new cadences, maybe. Thanks as always for sharing your creative process - it’s helpful to understand that we all share these ups, downs, and points of contemplation.
Trees! That’s a fascinating reply. Very cool. I think your illustrated morning pages sound wonderful. Those in between phases and pauses can be so important. I hope you catch the winds of those next cadences in good time.
I love the way you fill space in your journal! I do the same, but it is often fish, or stylized flowers. My relationship with zentangle is...complicated.
If I do the inchie challenge I’ll use the small size as an opportunity to be more intuitive and abstract.
My go-to doodles are usually flowers and vines, stars, or circles. Sometimes I do rows of cartoon faces and give them names according to what I think they look like. "That one looks like a Gus," or ,"That one looks like his name ought to be Floyd." Haha Sometimes they remind me of people I know in real life and they secretly get named accordingly. 🤪 I love doing hatching and line patterns too. Yours are so creative and beautiful. It's hard for me to come up with unique patterns without looking up inspiration somewhere. I want to try more of that using my own pattern ideas, so maybe the Inchies challenge would be a good start for me. I'm thinking of joining. 😊I love all your journal pages so much! I first stumbled across them on a YouTube video and I was immediately inspired! Starting an illustrated journal has become such a therapeutic and satisfying outlet for me. I'm still trying to find my balance between appearance and function, and how much to post, but I love it. I don't think I will ever grow tired of it.
It’s hard to imagine you haven’t been keeping an illustrated journal forever! I think we are always trying to find balance and also changing things up. That it is that flexible though gives it lasting power. Looking forward to your inchies.
Kaleidoscope. But every single week I think maybe this is the week I'll start. I do want to get back to illustrated journaling, the time just doesn't feel right. Yet.
I doodle hearts and stars, but if I'm on a work Zoom call I sometimes do quick sketches of my co-workers.
I was short on glimmers this week, too, and also felt a bit dim. Creatively stagnant. I feel like I'm missing something but I can't put my finger on what it is.
I'm interested in the inchie challenge and I think I'll give it a whirl. I'll probably do it in my sketchbook, but I'm not sure yet.
Thanks as always, Amy! For your insight, and thoughtful ideas and inspiration.
Hearts and stars! The answers to this question are delightful - and such an important and whimsical reminder of how we all differ. Looking forward to see in your inchies - and we’ll all be around when the illustrated journal feels right. Hoping the summer doldrums float on by for you.
I’m here for all of it, Amy. And I wouldn’t unsubscribe if you sent multiple emails. Illustrating my weeks with the help of your prompts & the inspiration of the community you’ve created is a gift. I am gonna give the inchie challenge a whirl. My mark making/doodling is more often flowers & leaves but faces also appear regularly. I admire the way you fill spaces with interesting lines & marks.
Thank you. I really appreciate your kind words. Flowers and leaves.... I am loving these responses! Looking forward to seeing some mindful inchies .... one inchers!
Glammer. (I must have missed how GLIMMERS got translated to “glammer”?? I always have so much to look through - on line- as far as reading goes. Sunday mornings the Marginalian is a must, along with your musings, so I say, just one post is perfect. Yep, I have signed up once again for the inchie challenge. I agree that 2 a day works. Think I did most in a journal last year but I love the feeling of little cards so might try your technique of one in the journal and one “inchie”. I’ll explore Amy M’s practice prompts today as I hide out from the heat. I’ll leave you with this quote I had to copy down from CBS Sunday Morning today: “With gratitude, optimism is sustainable.” -Michael J Fox
Great quote, Carol. Thank you for sharing that, and I loved seeing your glimmers in your journal. The “glammers” was a funny autocorrect of voice to text. Just silliness. Thanks for your comments about reading. The nice thing, always, is that the words are around whenever they are convenient, but this feedback is appreciated. And thank you for reading. Looking forward to seeing your inchies!
When I doodle without thinking it’s usually leaves for some reason sometimes swirly circles.
I’ve done the inchie challenge before and am signed up for this year. I did individual tiles then stuck them in a book last year.
We can all put too many expectations on ourselves. The list of wants and needs can get muddled especially with so much information constantly available to us. I’m trying to focus where I want my journaling and drawing to go. I’m being more ruthless 😆 Your posts, prompts and email really help me to stay focused and guide me gently along. I’m grateful for that thank you 😊
Thank you for this comment. I appreciate getting to know more about how everyone thinks about these things. More power to you being directed in how you use your time! I do a lot of circles.... that’s often my meeting doodle. Swirly circles and leaves are great go-tos.
As always a breath of fresh air to hear/see your wandering thoughts. First give yourself some grace! When life is tough or feeling like a grind it is so hard to be creative or find time to do all the projects you want to. Make a list, create a place to collect supplies or research or inspiration on the project and you can feel like you are making some head way. It will all be there waiting for you when the time is right. You know I finally got a page done this week but I have also been recording all the prompts and notes on what else to include so I can go back and do the weeks I've missed. Eek it's a lot but I'll do them one at a time
I'm happy with once a week or as often as you feel but once a week feels right.
I did the inchie challenge last year and will do it again this year.I try to catch her weekly ones too. Keep looking out for those glimmers
My doodle of choice is usually connecting lines and geometrics with a few flowers and vines thrown in
I appreciate your kind advice. My advice in return is not to worry about missed weeks. Just go forward, the notes you took are a record. That is good. Just move ahead with a current week in your journal.... weeks hanging over our heads can really weigh us down. And it’s okay to disagree .... but I offer that advice often. Thanks for the feedback. Nice to see some geometric doodles pop up in the answers! Have fun with the inchies.
Good advice too Amy. Ill only do them as I get time but if I change my mind I can put something else in the space Ive kept for them. Your past prompts are so useful for those times when I want to draw but dont know what or I want to stretch myself by drawing something completely out of my wheelhouse like planes! love those planes from last week. Off to start my first inchie if its up. Its monday night here in New Zealand
Kaleidoscope, but I enjoy reading the prompts and find them inspiring. I always think maybe I’ll grab a few and pop them in my pages somehow...I enjoyed it very much when I was doing Illustrate Your Week for a bit back in 2020. It’s Friday morning and I have not drawn in my sketchbook yet this week, but your words about filling space and mindfulness continue to resonated with me as I am reminded the importance of that type of art making for how I feel. I also continue to admire the way you show up, do your art, your writing, fitting it into your day/ evening/ where you can. Even when it feels like there isn’t enough time or you’re tired or discouraged. Showing up is the biggest step I think. Thanks for that.
Glammer
And beautifully so!
“Kaleidoscope”- I’m not currently using the illustrated prompts. My go-to doodle these days has been some abstract version of a tree or grouping of three shrubs. I also have been using a tiny moleskin notebook to draw these shapes and then write lines of morning pages (sometimes “afternoon” pages) in the remaining negative space around the doodle shape. So it makes the morning pages sort of illustrated. In this format and notebook size, I write a lot smaller than I naturally would if I was using a spiral bound notebook with lined paper.
With regard to focus, creative productivity, etc., I agree that this summer and year have unfolded differently than perhaps expected. I think I’m at an in between on some of my habits- a pause before I really chase after new cadences, maybe. Thanks as always for sharing your creative process - it’s helpful to understand that we all share these ups, downs, and points of contemplation.
Trees! That’s a fascinating reply. Very cool. I think your illustrated morning pages sound wonderful. Those in between phases and pauses can be so important. I hope you catch the winds of those next cadences in good time.
Glammer!
I love the way you fill space in your journal! I do the same, but it is often fish, or stylized flowers. My relationship with zentangle is...complicated.
If I do the inchie challenge I’ll use the small size as an opportunity to be more intuitive and abstract.
Intuitive and abstract sounds perfectly suited to the challenge! Fish... love that! And yes to the glammer!
My go-to doodles are usually flowers and vines, stars, or circles. Sometimes I do rows of cartoon faces and give them names according to what I think they look like. "That one looks like a Gus," or ,"That one looks like his name ought to be Floyd." Haha Sometimes they remind me of people I know in real life and they secretly get named accordingly. 🤪 I love doing hatching and line patterns too. Yours are so creative and beautiful. It's hard for me to come up with unique patterns without looking up inspiration somewhere. I want to try more of that using my own pattern ideas, so maybe the Inchies challenge would be a good start for me. I'm thinking of joining. 😊I love all your journal pages so much! I first stumbled across them on a YouTube video and I was immediately inspired! Starting an illustrated journal has become such a therapeutic and satisfying outlet for me. I'm still trying to find my balance between appearance and function, and how much to post, but I love it. I don't think I will ever grow tired of it.
It’s hard to imagine you haven’t been keeping an illustrated journal forever! I think we are always trying to find balance and also changing things up. That it is that flexible though gives it lasting power. Looking forward to your inchies.
Kaleidoscope. But every single week I think maybe this is the week I'll start. I do want to get back to illustrated journaling, the time just doesn't feel right. Yet.
I doodle hearts and stars, but if I'm on a work Zoom call I sometimes do quick sketches of my co-workers.
I was short on glimmers this week, too, and also felt a bit dim. Creatively stagnant. I feel like I'm missing something but I can't put my finger on what it is.
I'm interested in the inchie challenge and I think I'll give it a whirl. I'll probably do it in my sketchbook, but I'm not sure yet.
Thanks as always, Amy! For your insight, and thoughtful ideas and inspiration.
Hearts and stars! The answers to this question are delightful - and such an important and whimsical reminder of how we all differ. Looking forward to see in your inchies - and we’ll all be around when the illustrated journal feels right. Hoping the summer doldrums float on by for you.
glammer!
I’m here for all of it, Amy. And I wouldn’t unsubscribe if you sent multiple emails. Illustrating my weeks with the help of your prompts & the inspiration of the community you’ve created is a gift. I am gonna give the inchie challenge a whirl. My mark making/doodling is more often flowers & leaves but faces also appear regularly. I admire the way you fill spaces with interesting lines & marks.
Thank you. I really appreciate your kind words. Flowers and leaves.... I am loving these responses! Looking forward to seeing some mindful inchies .... one inchers!
Glammer. (I must have missed how GLIMMERS got translated to “glammer”?? I always have so much to look through - on line- as far as reading goes. Sunday mornings the Marginalian is a must, along with your musings, so I say, just one post is perfect. Yep, I have signed up once again for the inchie challenge. I agree that 2 a day works. Think I did most in a journal last year but I love the feeling of little cards so might try your technique of one in the journal and one “inchie”. I’ll explore Amy M’s practice prompts today as I hide out from the heat. I’ll leave you with this quote I had to copy down from CBS Sunday Morning today: “With gratitude, optimism is sustainable.” -Michael J Fox
Great quote, Carol. Thank you for sharing that, and I loved seeing your glimmers in your journal. The “glammers” was a funny autocorrect of voice to text. Just silliness. Thanks for your comments about reading. The nice thing, always, is that the words are around whenever they are convenient, but this feedback is appreciated. And thank you for reading. Looking forward to seeing your inchies!
Definitely ‘glammer’ .
When I doodle without thinking it’s usually leaves for some reason sometimes swirly circles.
I’ve done the inchie challenge before and am signed up for this year. I did individual tiles then stuck them in a book last year.
We can all put too many expectations on ourselves. The list of wants and needs can get muddled especially with so much information constantly available to us. I’m trying to focus where I want my journaling and drawing to go. I’m being more ruthless 😆 Your posts, prompts and email really help me to stay focused and guide me gently along. I’m grateful for that thank you 😊
Thank you for this comment. I appreciate getting to know more about how everyone thinks about these things. More power to you being directed in how you use your time! I do a lot of circles.... that’s often my meeting doodle. Swirly circles and leaves are great go-tos.
Love seeing these “fill ins” on past sketchbooks Amy. Your markmaking is so wonderful and individualistic!
Thanks so much, Lauren!
As always a breath of fresh air to hear/see your wandering thoughts. First give yourself some grace! When life is tough or feeling like a grind it is so hard to be creative or find time to do all the projects you want to. Make a list, create a place to collect supplies or research or inspiration on the project and you can feel like you are making some head way. It will all be there waiting for you when the time is right. You know I finally got a page done this week but I have also been recording all the prompts and notes on what else to include so I can go back and do the weeks I've missed. Eek it's a lot but I'll do them one at a time
I'm happy with once a week or as often as you feel but once a week feels right.
I did the inchie challenge last year and will do it again this year.I try to catch her weekly ones too. Keep looking out for those glimmers
My doodle of choice is usually connecting lines and geometrics with a few flowers and vines thrown in
I appreciate your kind advice. My advice in return is not to worry about missed weeks. Just go forward, the notes you took are a record. That is good. Just move ahead with a current week in your journal.... weeks hanging over our heads can really weigh us down. And it’s okay to disagree .... but I offer that advice often. Thanks for the feedback. Nice to see some geometric doodles pop up in the answers! Have fun with the inchies.
Good advice too Amy. Ill only do them as I get time but if I change my mind I can put something else in the space Ive kept for them. Your past prompts are so useful for those times when I want to draw but dont know what or I want to stretch myself by drawing something completely out of my wheelhouse like planes! love those planes from last week. Off to start my first inchie if its up. Its monday night here in New Zealand
Kaleidoscope 🩷 and I’m happy to read whatever you write! I doodle all sorts of imaginary shapes but usually nothing that looks “real.”
Thanks, Tammy! I love all forms of doodles I’ve seen you do through the years!
Kaleidoscope, but I enjoy reading the prompts and find them inspiring. I always think maybe I’ll grab a few and pop them in my pages somehow...I enjoyed it very much when I was doing Illustrate Your Week for a bit back in 2020. It’s Friday morning and I have not drawn in my sketchbook yet this week, but your words about filling space and mindfulness continue to resonated with me as I am reminded the importance of that type of art making for how I feel. I also continue to admire the way you show up, do your art, your writing, fitting it into your day/ evening/ where you can. Even when it feels like there isn’t enough time or you’re tired or discouraged. Showing up is the biggest step I think. Thanks for that.
Thanks so much for reading and commenting, Erin. I hope it’s been a good week!