Keeping an Image Journal

I love the idea of keeping a journal of just images. I sometimes paste clippings and images into my notebooks, but I don’t do it as often as I should. The link where I found the quote below has inspired me to give it another shot:

…when you glue a picture, or a swatch of material into a book and make a note beside it about how it makes you feel, you have created something that you can not only see, but that you can also feel- both physically and emotionally. You are also engaging with the material by making a comment about it and this is where creativity can be sparked. There is also something wonderful about gathering your visual journals and sitting down with them long after the last page has been filled and going back through them. Examining the images again, questioning how they now make you feel; perhaps seeing something you did not see before.

It’s so true– whenever I see pictures of other people’s notebooks, the ones that have color and texture and collage-y bits always intrigue me the most. They have an impact that is lacking in even the most beautifully written word-only journals. Do you keep a visual journal? Is this the same as a scrapbook, or somehow different?

Read more at Keeping a Visual/Inspiration Journal | Event Experts.

4 thoughts on “Keeping an Image Journal”

  1. I love doing this! Even though my journals are primarily writing, I always collect images throughout my day – postcards, receipts, polaroids – and stick them in my journal. Usually I start with the covers inside and out, which are plastered with images and stickers from my travels. Reminds me of those old suitcases! I also find parts of my journals loaded with images are my favorite to revisit. There’s something magical about capturing time and place with images.

  2. This sounds pretty cool! I do put plane tickets and stuff in my travel journal, but I’ve never thought much about adding them to my real journal.

  3. I’d say I’m almost a purist when it comes to my notebooks- I even only use plain-cover cahiers as I feel constrained if there are already images or a ‘theme’ present. Very very occasionally i stick things in; usually i put them in the back pocket instead.

    However I’ve been feeling the lack of the visual lately as I have just taken up (traditional film) photography, and want somewhere to document my photos but not in an album format. I want to have what I had when I was exchange in Italy 6 years ago- somewhere that had small entries but a lot of paraphernalia stuck in. It really is a time capsule for me. So I bought an A4 Clairfontaine clothbound notebook…I’m yet to start, it’s a bit daunting! But after reading this post, I will make sure I do today… And I like ‘visual notebook’ better.

  4. hi
    i’m so pleased that i saw this page. that posting was so cool. thanks again i saved this site.
    are you going to post similar posts?

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