Conquering the Blank Page
Artist’s Block in Art Journals
© Jennifer Hollowell
Sep 11, 2006
We’ve all experienced it one form or another. Artist’s block can debilitate even the most brilliant artist without warning. What do artists do to remedy this problem when
It's true; there is nothing more intimidating than staring at a blank page and not knowing what to do. Artists and writers have been plagued with this problem, artist's block, ever since there have been artists and writers. We're going to talk about some simple solutions and resources to look at to solve this problem with ease.
A simple exercise:
Suggested materials:
your art journalseveral magazines you can cut upscissorsconstruction paper or decorative scrapbook paperalphabet stencils or rubber stamps/ ink padglue stick or your favorite adhesivemarkersSuggested Methods:
Open your art journal to the first blank page. Look at it for a minute, but don't think too hard about what you're going to create. Keep all your supplies around your workspace so everything can be grabbed and utilized easily.Flip through one of the magazines and cut out every image that catches your eye. Don't think about what you'll use it for, if the images are related to each other or how they'll be organized on the page. Just cut and pile.Take your stencils or rubber stamps and, across the top of each page (the left page and the right page), create the words Eliminating Artist's Block. This doesn't have to be neat, it doesn't have to line up and it doesn't have to be anywhere near perfect.Cut several strips and squares of construction (or decorative) paper, then set them aside.Now, start gluing everything down without thought or care. You can use the construction (decorative) papers as a base for your magazine images if you'd like, or you can have them as a freestanding portion of the collage. You can cover over the stamped phrase if you'd like as a way of showing you've conquered this problem, or you can keep it as a statement showing what you're trying to accomplish. This choice is yours.Once everything's glued down, take your markers and date the collage somewhere. Then, write a journal entry over all the images and papers explaining the process in which you took to break free from this block and, if needed, how many additional collages you feel you need to make in order to truly be connected with your artist.Some resources:
How to Beat Artists BlockStudio Friday: Artist BlockOvercoming Artists Block (Part 1)Overcoming Artists Block (Part 2)Blockbusters for Artists
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