I spent the majority of yesterday reading stuff for school. I’m trying to get a lot of the reading I have due done so I can move onto the papers I have due. I finally took a break and decided to dive into something, a project of sorts that has been sitting on the back burner for awhile now. After a lovely series of emails with a friend I decided I had to get some work done.

I picked up a pair of “smash books” over the summer. If you have been reading my blog for any time you know I'm not a huge fan. They were on clearance for $4 each. When I finally started testing them out, I was disappointed in them. The paper isn’t very nice for fountain pens or liquid inks. But does okay with other things. A quick test with acrylic shows a lot of wrinkles, especially in the style that I work. Needless to say, they aren’t really for me. I have worked with worse.

BUT.

I have them and I want to do something with them so I started to go through and glue in some collage elements (personal ephemera) and layering some scraped acrylic paint over the top. Any pages with words- well they have my own stuff on them, dark pages? covered in white paint. I’ll add some colors and more collage pieces in today.

I think I’ll draw with sharpies on the pages. Or anything else that will write on acrylic paint.

I forgot to snap a picture of my drawing from the second Drawn2gether sketching event at the Gulu Gulu in Salem, MA. It was created by the lovely AJ ning member Sheryl.

It was good to get away from the computer, the books, and highlighters for a few hours to sip a beer and nom some tasty food.  After llibations I got to doodle away on an automatic drawing as I got to know a new art friend.

It was good to have a small patch of fun in among writing heavy papers.

Also, I felt much more relaxed than I did with my last automatic drawing. So there is that, the power of not only art but good conversation.

But for now, back to this paper.

So how do I use my notebooks? I used to take notes on both sides of every page of my notebooks. I did a little research on the Cornell method and attempted it during my summer class but it didn’t fit with my style of note taking and reflection. It really didn’t fit with the composition books I chose. The comp books were simply too small to effectively use the Cornell method. My method uses color coding, post it notes and tabs, codes, and headings.

I take class notes, reflect on my readings, and journal about classes and experientials on the right side page. Any ink color can be used on these pages, but I usually avoid red. Each page gets a “code” in the upper right hand corner to indicate what is on the page:

R= Reading reflections

C= Class notes

J= Journal

G= Group work
E- Experiential

At the top of each page, in the larger line I add a subject line and date. If the class that day is a about CBT Therapy then that is the subject line. If the page is reflections on a reading then the title and author go on the top line of the page. If I’m journaling about an experiential paper, or particular idea then the name of the experiential or idea is indicated on the top “subject” line.

While I’m reading I don’t take notes but highlight. If I think something is of particular importance I will write it down on a post it note or put a tab next to the area in the book. I’ll write in the margins of books I plan to keep or of printed articles. The post it notes are stuck on the right side page opposite of my reading reflection pages. I time my reading reflections to 5 minutes and try to keep the reflection to one or 2 pages. The goal in the reflection is to get down my ideas about the article, any criticism I had, and to get a general idea of the contents. I also make note of what I think the professor is hoping I get out of the reading. This timed method was suggested during a workshop about managing the readings for class, and thus far it has worked really well for me.  I’m not filling up a dozen pages per reading, and I’m not wasting a lot of time focusing on information that is not pertinent to the class.

The left hand page is generally left blank during notes and journaling. If a professor gives out specific information about an assignment, I’ll make note of if on the left side. This acts as a call out. I use the left side to reflect on things that come up during class, experientials, journaling, and readings. These are specifically my ideas and differentiated from journaling that I do on experientials. These can be spontaneous ideas that pop into my head as I read and reflect on articles. These reflections are always done in red ink to differentiate it from any specific info given out by the professor.

If I am going to use a particular page for a paper it gets a blue post it tab. These are removed after the paper is finished. My current page gets a green or yellow post it flag mostly so I can flip to it quickly when I get to class or I need to reflect on a reading.

Occasionally when I have a paper coming up for class I’ll sit down and do a mind map of all the ideas that come up from the questions the professor asks, I will then use the mind map as a launching point for any journaling I do for the paper. The mind map will span the left and right side of the pages.

On the inside front cover of each of these notebooks I’ve made a pocket so I can stuff in any handouts or art made during class. This has been working pretty well so far. Though most of my classes do not have hand outs but a few of the workshops I’ve attended have. The pockets have proved useful.

This is an evolving method. I’d abandoned some things- like highlighting within my notes and simply moving to whatever ink color I’m using that day and red. In some of my notebooks I remembered to leave a page blank at the start, and wish I’d done it for all of them, this will allow me to index the notebook when I shelve it. When I do shelve it I add a label to the spin indicating what class the notebook was for and what dates I used it. The idea is that I’m able to quickly go back to class notes and refer to them as needed. The other really positive thing about this method is that it is cheap. I’m using a 50 cent notebook, a pack of colored post it tabs, some post it notes, and several colors of pens. It could be done with only 2 ink colors if you really wanted to pair it down.

Anyway, that’s how I use all those notebooks and pens I wrote about in my last few posts. I should probably stick the school stuff on one particular day of the week but it is my life right now so, yeah, my blog reflects my life. 😛

Grad school requires that I write, a lot. I’m not a computerized notetaker, I prefer pen and paper because it helps me to learn and remember. I thought I’d write up a post about what I’m using for notes as well as drawing. Yes, drawing! The great thing about getting a graduate degree in art therapy is that art is part of the program.

First, notebooks.

I’m almost exclusively using Staples brand composition notebooks that are made in Brazil. I purchased a bunch of these when they were on sale for 50 cents. 20 of them to be exact. Why so many? After being burned on the Staples Sustainable Earth composition notebooks, I really didn’t want to get into the depth of the semester and have to search out another decent composition notebook. Once I did the work in figuring out what composition notebook I liked with the inks I planned on using, I didn’t want to be frustrated with notebooks. It looks as though I’m going to fill one per class and more for classes where I’m doing more reflection. I’ll have to write up a post about how I use my notebooks, because it’s different than how I thought I’d use them. I also carry a no name sketechbook from Artist and Craftsman that I need to review at some point. It's heavy, but the paper is great.

Writing Pens

I’m almost exclusively using one of 4 pens, depending on my mood, color desired, and what I’m writing.I take 2 of these with me to school as well as an assortment of pens to draw with.

First I have a TWSBI 530 medium nib, I change the ink up as I feel like I want to change it. Right now it’s loaded with Diamine Chocolate. I love this ink and pen combination. The flow is just amazing, the color is like writing with semi-sweet chocolate, and it has lovely shading with this nib. Awesome.

Second I have a TWSBI 540 fine nib that I have loaded with my Scribal Workshop blend of Siren Blue. Now that I have this ink flowing well, it’s just awesome. It flows well, looks great and has nice shading, plus it’s not a boring blue. I also use this for margin notes on my readings.

Third I have my Kaweco Sport Classic in clear with a medium nib. I’ve converted it back to eyedropper since the sack conversion left it leaking into the cap, which it doesn’t do when eyedropper. I’ve got it filled with Private Reserve DC Supershow blue. I love this ink, even with it’s long drying time. I use this for my short reflections on my readings.

Fourth I have a Platinum Preppy medium converted to eyedropper loaded up with a 50/50 mix of Noodler’s Nikita and Red Fox. The Nikita lends it’s bloody red color and the fox gives some water resistance. I use this for reflections for classes on the opposite side of the page. (This is where I need to explain my note taking and reflection  method. I’ll get  a post up about that soon.) I also use it to reflect on my reading notes, again on the opposite side of the page. I will also use it to circle or underline stuff in my notes.

Highlighters

I exclusively use refillable highlighters. I’ve written about my Platinum Preppy highlighters and my mix of ink previously, so I won’t here. I’ll just point out I have 2, one that I take to school with me and one that stays on my desk at home, so I always have one filled.

I’ll get to the pens I use for drawing tomorrow.

This is a begining list of instructors that have technique based instruction. If you know of another person who does online technique based instruction, add a comment and I'll check it out and add them to the list. Just because someone is on this list does NOT mean that I personally endorse them. If I've seen their instruction before I'll make note of it.

Daisy Yellow Clear easy to follow instruction, bright photos, interactive online, thriving FB group.

KellyKilmer Has done a lot of classes. Friendly online, what instruction I've seen is clear and easy to follow. Does reasonably priced online and in person classes.

iHanna Loads of online instruction, clear easy to follow instructions, pretty pictures.

The Land of Lost Luggage I have taken 2 classes with Julie. Instructions are clear, easy to follow and technique based. Videos are a little long and and include every step of the image made with a voice over. It can get boring. BUT the instruction is clear and understandable. After you finish a LoLL course you will know how to recreate the technique.

Joggles (I know nothing of this site, just when I looked it's all technique based mixed media classes.)

 ArtJournaling.ning.com This is my site. There are free and fee based workshops run by a variety of instructors. These are all technique based. The forums are loaded with artists and journalers sharing their personal techniques. Lots of pictures of art journaling.

Diana Trout Her blog is ful,l of arty goodness and I love her YouTube videos. Her book Journal Spilling is one I suggest to many people when they are looking for a good place to strat with art journaling.

Roben-Marie Smith teachs many technique based classes. I have not personally taken her classes.

What can we as instructors do to help potential students make the proper choice? After all happy students mean more happy students.

#1. Accurately describe classes.

#2. If you say you are going to cover something, do it!

#3. Don’t confuse potential students with a lot of fluffy descriptions. A concise description will tell us more about the class than a lot of TV infomercial style writing.

When I was teaching my supervising teacher had me write lesson plans. These plans included a brief statement of what I wanted to accomplish in the class, how long the class was going to last, what I’d cover in the class, and what part of the school and state’s learning goals I was going to meet. Then I’d do a step-by-step plan of the actual classes. I’d include notes on what I would say to students and when. These were serious business, it allowed me to maintain my licensure. If I skipped on these, she’d make me do them again. They were  a lot of work. The thing is, they were so important and helpful for me to be able to accurately teach my students. It was so useful I have made them for all my online classes and classes I hope to teach one day.

If #1 and #2 are too hard, maybe a lesson plan would help. Summarize each lesson into a brief description. If you can’t summarize it, break up the class, add another day. A class can’t be all expansive. Teaching everything is impossible. This was the hardest thing for me to learn as a young teacher. I had each class for about 50 minutes each day. I had to be able to summarize my lessons into something my supervisor could figure out in a moment.

What I’ve learned from this discussion is that there is a viable and lively group of people looking for honest, in depth mixed media and art journaling instruction online. What this group wants is safe classes with art and no diving deep into the subconscious, no mind-body connection, no promises to jumpstart creativity, just honest-to-goodness mixed media and art instruction.We can all hold dear the idea that art heals, but we can all also find that in our own personal practice of art journaling if we want it.

I also get why some teach the healing they have learned. It’s natural to want to show this thing you’ve learned with everyone. It’s awesome and we should be proud of the deep internal work we’ve done. That is some powerful stuff. When we have spontaneous healing of wounds we’ve dug out of “the deep” of our subconscious, it’s mind blowing and even life altering. Personal revelation does not necessarily make a good class. Nor does self healing qualify us to take others on that journey. We need to modify what we teach so that it is safe for anyone who takes a class with us. I’m advocating for us to care more for each other, and with that to be careful with the possible hurts that people may feel.

I'm going to make a brief list of the instructors that I know who only do technique based classes but I'll post that in another day or two. If you would like to shoot me an email with a class you tink should be listed feel free. You can also add it in the comments of the post tomorrow.