Visual Journaling Pt. 2: How You Can Start One

Art icon

Starting a “life-long” skill and hobby, like a visual journal, can be daunting

But we can help give you the practical steps you need to start your own visual journey through recovery.

In our first article on visual journaling, we talked about the many reasons why keeping a visual journal can help you in your recovery. A visual journal, also known as an art journal, is just like a traditional journal. However, instead of writing, the person expresses themselves with sketches, paintings, collages, lettering, etc. You might find yourself intrigued by the idea of keeping a visual journal, but have no idea where to start. It’s been ages since you stepped into an art room or even cracked open a notebook. This is the perfect place for you then.

The fear of not having that great of an “artistic skill” might be holding you back. Don’t fret! Although you can show people pages from your visual journal, most of the time no one is going to see it. Just like a diary or traditional journal, visual journaling is a personal practice that doesn’t have any strict guidelines. It’s not meant to be judged, compared, or criticized. It’s meant to entirely act as an emotional outlet. Let’s go through the simple and practical steps to starting your visual journal.

Published

07/19/2022

Category

Art

#1

Gather Your Materials

You don’t need an art studio to take advantage of visual journaling. You probably have all you need just lying around the house. The most important thing you need though is a good sturdy notebook. Outside of the book, just grab whatever drawing materials you can find and love using; pencils, pens, colored pencils, markers, even crayons! Get things to glue or tape into your journal, too. White or silver marker to draw on top of color, like magazines and construction paper.

#2

Pick a Prompt

Sometimes it might be clear what you need to get off your chest. However, if you are a beginner in visual journaling, having prompts can help ease you into the practice. Aim to answer questions like “Who am I? What’s my biggest fear? What’s my biggest joy? How do others see me?” Try drawing what your favorite song “looks like” or a portrait of someone you admire. You can even try drawing yourself in a different era of history or what would happen if you could swap bodies with someone. We’ll expound on this in [part three] of this series.

#3

Set Prompt Boundaries

As contradictory as it sounds, setting rules and restrictions for your visual journal makes a big difference. Setting boundaries on your prompts helps you get more out of your journaling sessions. Decide details like; which colors to use, which medium is best, and what style should the page be in beforehand. This way you’ll be less likely to feel lost or overwhelmed. Don’t forget that the point of the exercise is to help you relax and heal. It should encourage freedom from mental illness and addiction, not stress you out.

#4

Draw and Reflect

Now comes the fun part. With or without a prompt, draw (or write) whatever comes to mind. If you’re worried about judgment, draw something that reflects that fear. Draw about a goal you achieved or a relationship that you made recently. The possibilities are endless! Visual journaling is an effective tool for coping in recovery. However, it can’t replace professional care. Share how your art journal is helping you in your recovery journey with a therapist, counselor, or even one of our virtual recovery coaches.

Conclusion

Key takeaways

  • Buy a sturdy notebook and grab whatever art utensils and collage materials you have around
  • Pick a prompt to start with, brownie points if it’s related to recovery
  • Set boundaries for your prompt so you don’t get lost or overwhelmed
  • Draw, write, and collect your thoughts and feelings on your prompt
  • Share it all with a recovery coach

Challenge

Apply to your life

Read Visual Journaling Pt. 3, where we provide prompts related to your recovery to get you started. We encourage you to try visual journaling for yourself this week. Spend a few minutes each day just doodling, listing, and collecting your thoughts and feelings. Take your newly created journal into any direction you want. There is no right or wrong way to pour your heart out on the page.

Conclusion

Key takeaways

  • A visual journal is a collection of your thoughts and feelings in an artistic form
  • Visual journaling helps you be more aware of the positive in your life and let go of the negative
  • Visual journaling draws the connections between your emotions and your compulsive tendencies
  • Visual journaling gives you a place to unload emotionally the same way venting to a friend does
  • An art journal is a tool for discovering things about yourself that you’ve pushed down for years
  • Visual journaling allows you to express your inner world, dreams, and set goals for your recovery
  • A visual journal can act as a “dream board” to help visualize your goals and put them on paper

Challenge

Apply to your life

Read Visual Journaling Pt. 2, where we walk you through practical steps to starting a visual journal of your own. Also read Visual Journaling Pt. 3, where we provide prompts related to your recovery to get you started. We encourage you to try visual journaling for yourself this week. Spend a few minutes each day just doodling, listing, and collecting your thoughts and feelings.

A Recovery Community Center in Chesterton, Indiana.

This location is also the studio and homebase for content creation on Artistic Recovery. The team of professionals at Three20 conceive, draft, and edit many of the articles you find here. These recovery resources are a collaboration between certified recovery coaches, creative writers, fitness trainers, artists, musicians, and chefs. Most importantly, our content is written for people in recovery, by people in recovery.

Ty Walker

Ty Walker is a contract copywriter and graphic designer with a huge heart for recovery. He has spent the last five years serving churches and recovery communities with his creative skills. Ty spends his free time writing poetry and fictional short stories as well as hiking, biking, and kayaking with his wife, Angie, and his two daughters, Winter and Ember.

Credit where credit is due

Portions of this article were originally sourced from Thrive Family Services, Banyan Treatment Center, and Psychology Today. If you would like to check out additional recovery articles, videos, and podcast episodes, check us out at artisticrecovery.org.

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Although you can show people pages from your visual journal, most of the time no one is going to see it. Just like a diary or traditional journal, visual journaling is a personal practice that doesn’t have any strict guidelines. It’s not meant to be judged, compared, or criticized. It’s meant to entirely act as an emotional outlet.

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