3.08.2011

art supplies + beginner's mind

after the inspiration i found last week in hand-drawn books and blogs, i made a date with myself to go to the local art store this weekend and buy myself two new treats...



it was an exhilarating + fun trip!

alas, now i must confess:

i have tried the pen (it's wonderful) but the empty cahiers are sitting on my desk, staring longingly at me and waiting patiently for me to begin.

the truth is that i'm a little stuck. putting the first thing into a new journal has always been slightly daunting to me. i often find that starting is the most difficult part. once i get going, momentum carries me. but that first blank page...

i think i need to get out of my head, dive back into the sources that inspired me, and get going with my lovely new books.

do you ever get stuck when starting a brand new journal?

16 comments:

Anonymous said...

lol, I have three new notebooks sitting on my desk right now, and I'm terrified to put anything in them. and I only use them to write down little snippets, quotes I find, shopping lists, phone numbers, ideas for articles, book recommendations. they always turn into a mess of unrelated bits and pieces, but still - starting a new one is always difficult.

:)

Anonymous said...

Fun, fun! Art supplies are my favorite thing to shop for. I always feel a little hesitant starting a new journal, as if i'm going to soil their beautiful blank pages. ; )

Caiti said...

I have trouble starting new sketchbooks too! I love what Keri Smith says about new sketchbooks-- just open up the journal and scribble all over a page. That way it seems less "precious" and you can get down to business and not worry about the outcome. {Although it still takes an effort for me to do this!}

Sarah said...

I alwaysss get stuck when I buy a new journal/sketchbook! Actually I bought this beautiful new moleskine a couple weeks ago and it sits on my desk untouched. I don't want to ruin it!

Oh, and Micronpens? Absolute faveee. <3

Maria said...

I think the problem is when choosing a new pen - is the overwhelming choice! When I lived in Japan, the stationary shops were just chock-a-block full of pens and I'd spend ages comparing and testing them on the notepads they provided. I'm now on the hunt for Staedtler pens!

Unknown said...

ah yes...that first pen to paper is a hard wall to bust thru. Hope you find your muse!

(p.s. your growing list of lists is beautiful!)

a blog about the little things said...

My issue isn't starting a new journal, it's finishing it! I have so many sketch books and journals (and combinations of both) laying about my home - all of them have the beginnings of something in them, but none of them lead anywhere.
I think I need to start fresh, with a clean slate and focus my sketching & writing into one place. That is more difficult for me than I can relay. Discipline is not my forte.
I think it's fabulous that you took that first step - bringing home a sketchbook & pen. Perhaps start with a word or a quote that triggers inspiration?

Some Korean Website Highjacker said...

isn't it so great when you find the perfect pen, one so smooth it actually makes you a better writer just by using it!

blank pages stare at you like a loaded gun, for real! i just get the sweats thinking about it...happened one too many times. the freeze ups and trying to get a jump to start my engine again. woah! harsh, but also means you CARE and when you are ready it will happen and be brilliant, just the way it is.

cheers to setting the pen to paper lades. ♥

shawnacy said...

i totally have new-journal phobia. i don't draw in them, really, so much as write. but either way, i have a little tactic i use to shock myself out of thinking any of my scribbles are too sacred, and must be filed and organized and kept in perfect chronological pristinity (pretty sure i just made that word up...) : so the technique - i just open to a random page, turn the book upside down or sideways and write the first thing that comes into my head. (they're mostly song lyrics, i've noticed.) anyway, it's a good way to beat back the freakouts and its fun to start from the middle and work out, instead of the other way round.

loving all your amazing artwork and script on 30 days of lists.
and, i'm now officially a follower. :)
hooray for blank books and all that may fill them up!

diane said...

wow! i am so happy that i am not alone in my first page angst. a huge thank you to all of you for your encouraging words + ideas. you have helped me tremendously. you are fabulous, dear friends.

upon reflection, i believe my reluctance is related to scarcity issues + perfectionism. neither one of these pesky problems is going to stop me from drawing, but they are a challenge indeed.

sarah...this is my first micronpen + so far i am in LOVE.

silvii...i don't think i have tried a staedtler pen, but now i must add it to my art supply wish list. :)

sara...thank you for the list love! i'm having lots of fun with the project.

caren...ah, yes. unfinished journals. i have so many of those. although this year i have started to pick them up + finish filling them. but there are so many! :D thanks for your encouragement. xo

lynn...thank you. you are incredibly sweet + your words mean so much. <3

quiverfull...i love your 'pristinity' busting tactic! thank you for the idea. i really appreciate the list love. welcome to the inn! :)

ali v. said...

I *adore* trips to the art store...maybe a little too much ;) I also have a VERY tough time with starting a new journal. I also use a pencil because inevitably, I'll want to tear out what I do incorrectly in pen...and let's be honest, you don't want pages torn out of a journal! so happy to have stumbled on your blog! thanks for making me feel a little better about being slow to get going too ;) xoxo {av}

diane said...

{av}...welcome! i'm so happy that you've come to visit the inn.

i have torn so many "bad" pages out of journals and somehow, it's never a good tear. it's always a royal ragged mess + drives me crazy when i look at it. :D

*typing this as i keep glancing at my still empty moleskine*

pigwidget said...

Ah yes, the curse of the blank page! Did you see my post of suggestions regarding what to do? I know you're going to do a zentangle now, but these might also help for subsequent pages of stuckedness :)

diane said...

beka...i went searching about on your blog to find those suggestions + couldn't locate them. would you kindly point me in the direction of the post? i will indeed need some help when i get past that first page of stuckedness. thanks for the encouragement! :)

xinap said...

Di! Just found your lovely blog! Miss you so much sweetie, and it's great to be able to tune in, hear your thoughts, and feel connected again.

I always start my new journals on the second page. The thinking is that when I find the "perfect" thing for the first page, then I'll put it there. In the end, the first page stays blank, but the journal gets filled.

diane said...

xina...sooooo happy you found me! i miss you terribly. i've been watching your world via the ol' FB but it's just not enough. i would love a visit soonish if at all possible. let's lounge on the couch and read together. xoxo