Art Sketchbook Tips

For women who are ready to dive in!!

1. Everyone is an artist and creative. This is all about art for healing. Many women say they aren’t artistic but what they really mean is they aren’t good enough. Sketchbook art is not about being good, it’s about you and your life. It allows you to have a healing journey with yourself through writing, color, collage, and paint. It’s a creative diary and so fun! So the very first healing is about your attitude!

2. Get a spiral sketchbook that has heavy paper – watercolor paper is ideal. A spiral book allows you to open it flat while you are working in it. It can be larger or smaller. Personal choice. I like 8 X 6 but many people like larger ones.

3. Accumulate yummy supplies – keep them handy in a box so you can jump in whenever the spirit calls.

Basic tools you might want to begin:

• An assortment of pens of different width and color. Make sure you get pens that don’t bleed through paper. Pencil with eraser.
• Small watercolor set of professional type paints. Colors will be stronger and not watered down. Watercolor brushes. Your set might come with a tiny brush so you would just need a slighter larger one- size 6 round.
• Scissors
• Glue stick
• Some magazines for collage- start saving then now!
• Stickers, ribbons, beads, fancy tape, etc.
• Old greeting cards, photos, quotations, etc. look around house house or in drawers. These are all good for collage.

4. Begin with sketchbook cover. It sets the stage for your process. You can glue on pictures from a magazine or paint the whole cover with acrylic paint. You can get tiny jars at a craft store. You would need a specified brush for acrylic paint. Wash it right away..

5. First page can be a title – A beginning of your journey. ex. My transformations or My trip to Europe or Facing my grief etc. etc.

6. Ideas to focus Art for healing:

• Do a short meditation with your Wild Woman or with a tree and ask for help with something going on. Share about what came up for you.
• Use affirmations
• Pick tarot cards and then you can take a photo of your card and paste it on a page and write about the message for you.
• Share about your children, life changes, wishes, etc.
• Acknowledge any self-doubt you carry and affirm the opposite.
• Do a self-portrait- can just be a scribble. Write words around it.
• Notice your emotions and what keeps going on in your head and put that on a page.

7. You can begin any page with a light swash of watercolors – keep it light so you can write words on top of the paint. Could be your poetry or find words or pics from a magazine and glue on.

8. Remember it’s impossible to mess up or make a mistake. It’s all part of the flow of life!!

After you finish each page notice how you feel differently than you did when you started!! Its MAGIC

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Art for Healing Sketchbook Tips

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