When I first started keeping an art journal, I didn't bother to prepare my pages. I would use acrylic paints, or glue magazine images, bits of tissue paper, etc, and just go for it. Over the past few months, I have enjoyed taking the time to prepare my pages using gel medium. Other people have used gesso to prepare their pages. I haven't tried this myself, only because I have the gel medium and am happy with it. I may get around to using gesso in the future.
Preparing my pages has me taking more time for myself. It has me taking the time to be more thoughtful about what I create. It speaks to where I am at in my mind. I am more at peace now than when I started to keep an art journal. When I first started, I felt like I was in a hurry to bring about healing in my life...and I was. I felt a deep urge to 'figure out' what was going on in my head. Creating pages in my journal really, really helped me connect with my feelings. I remember making a very, very dark art journal entry. On it were the words "dark night of the soul". I had been through a particularly dark time. I simply used the pages to express what was inside. Once it was out - on the page - I felt I could look at it and decide if it really expressed how I wanted to be. Until you express the feelings that are inside, regardless of whether you judge them 'good' or 'bad', they will continue to have control over your life until you become aware of them. That's why I love to work in an art journal.
