Inspiration Journals.

(yes, the newly painted office wall was color matched to match the blog since I love the color SO much!)

My mom got me this set of monthly journals from Pottery Barn for Christmas and they are amazing. I used to keep several notebooks at a time and then I would lose track of them and forget where I wrote what down but not I have one notebook at a time and they are the perfect size.

I use them as inspiration journals and they really help me sort through my ideas and narrow down my likes and dislikes as an artist. This helps me to further define my style as a photographer. I cut out images from the magazines I get each month (JPG- my favorite, PDN, American Photo) that I feel inspired by and tape them in or I jot down my own ideas and draw little sketches of my ideas. The drawings are very quick and bad and I find myself chuckling at them regularly.

Some examples:

(sketches of the images in the new fairytale shadow series "The Shadow Tales")

(color meanings for the balloon series)

I would recommend that any of you get a journal whether you are an artist or not. Don't pressure yourself to write daily or be eloquent everytime you do. Simply write at the speed of your thoughts that day, whether that be short and sporadic or long and descriptive. I personally think it's so helpful in organize all of the randomness that is my mind... and trust me my thoughts are RaNdOm!! =)

Hope everyone has a wonderful Valentine's week! Feel free to tell me all about your journals or plans for Valentine's Day, or whatever you want really, in the comments section.