lillianifjm

Some things I loved about this year’s IFJM
Strathmore 500 Series Mixed-media journal..everything that Roz has told us about why this is such a great journal to work in is true! I like the paper so much that I have ordered an entire roll
Before, I have filled out my character with pretty broad strokes. This time I went through Roz’s questionnaire and gave at least some thought to every question. It did feel like I was able to stay more in character than other years and that her personality was more nuanced and present in my pages.
I prepared background textures with FW acrylic inks and some stamping/printing. I really liked having something on the page already at the start of each day to give me a jumping off point…and if I didn’t like it I could just cover it over with paint or collage.
I loved using all the different media and playing with layers. Loved learning more about gouache and so much enjoyed its opacity after working with transparent watercolour.
I managed to fill a double spread every day.YES! I always did the work on that day but occasionally glued or stamped something the next morning (already decided on, but, for example, maybe my painting was still too wet to collage the same page by the time I went to bed)
I loved how my journal built day by day, how a rhythm of work developed and how momentum helped carry me from one day’s ideas and approach to the next.
I checked out the prompts every day and enjoyed them, and they often sparked ideas, but only actually included them a few times. I also used a daily Ennegram prompt for a Type 4 to give me a little insight into how my character might react to the things I saw that day.
I think some of the pages I have made this month are really good work. I can see progress in my painting and the month of daily drawing or painting has helped build my confidence that I am closer to being able to achieve what I am trying for.

Things I loved less;
When I prepared the backgrounds, I used the same background colour for two successive pages, just because that bottle was out. Some days, a second round of the same colour wasn’t appealing. Another time I might change it up every page.
Sometimes, I just wanted to be me working and was impatient with my character. A few times I totally ignored her.
It is sobering to realize that I completed this project only because I signed on officially to make a “fake journal” as a different person. I made space for it when normally I wouldn’t feel that I could dedicate this much time every day. Need to reassess on what I want in my creative life, and how to achieve it. (again)