Expressive Art Journals
Does drawing and scribbling in your journal scare you? Have you wondered what collage fodder is?
I used to be an artist but mark making and drawing or even scribbling in my journals scared me until I learned more about collage fodder and saw some of the most amazing journals created using collage fodder cutouts of flowers, leaves, hearts, hands and myriads of other fun shapes along with multiple layers of torn paper bits on expressive painted paper backgrounds. This type of art form journaling is so expressive, childlike and free and it seemed like a good way to begin adding 'art' to a page without the commitment of feeling like I was adding some type of illustration. It isn't much different than a die cut aside from being handmade.
What is collage fodder?
Collage fodder can be anything from a torn scrap of book page to a leaf, flower, cup, house or some other shape cut out of painty or patterned papers. It's a great way to use waste paper that you were probably going to toss in the trash. You can use old art paintings you don't like or sketches to make fodder. It is then used to create embellishments, fanciful scenes or still life's in an art journal or on some other surface in a type of mixed media creation. It can be used for tabs, glued together randomly to form see through pages or whatever other creation you can think of.
I find an almost endless supply of collage fodder from beginner watercolor sketches in old sketchbooks and practice art in book pages.
The best thing about collage fodder is that it doesn't take much to get started. You probably already have a bunch of painted scraps, inked scraps or other types of patterned paper to get started. All you have to do is draw and then fussy cut or tear your painted shapes and you can then use your fodder designs to arrange on a journal page or some other background.
First, don't be afraid to draw or scribble. The more expressive and child like your scribbles become the better. Choose your favorite pen or pencil and just doodle or paint in a free form style. Some ideas are to just make shapes with your brush and then outline and draw on top.
The more you draw the more confident you become in self expression.
If flowers seem too daunting try just petals, leaves or some other simple shapes like hearts. You can easily assemble petals, leaves or even hearts to make simple flowers. If flowers aren't your thing try other simple shapes like houses, clouds, rainbows or butterflies or just abstracts.
Once you feel you mastered drawing some simple shapes draw a bunch on a variety of papers and then cut them out and try to arrange them on some mixed media backgrounds in your journal or on another surface and glue them down. Add some more pattern on top with a white gel pen or marker.
If the idea of literal shapes or scenes isn't for you just cut or tear circles, squares, rectangles or random shapes and make a piece of modern art by gluing them in a grid or some other pattern. Use fodder on a master board or make a master board entirely from fodder and then cut it up to make postcards or journal cards.
The simple art of making collage fodder can be a very relaxing experience even if you've never considered art journaling. Drawing or painting simple patterns repeatedly becomes meditative and is great for stress relief and anxiety. Cutting paper helps take your mind off of other things and tearing paper is great for reducing anger or other pent up emotions. You can add your fodder creations to tags, notes, or even your planner. You can write an inspirational word or quote on them and give them away. Tuck them in your correspondence, put them in your kid's lunchbox. If you don't like them you can toss them, after all it's just waste paper. Don't be afraid to begin and see where your collage fodder journey takes you, it can be a very freeing creative experience.
Happy paper crafting!