It’s time to start thinking about International Fake Journal
Month. Yes, April is still more than a month away, but it’s time to keep your
eyes open and antennae twitching for possibilities.
For the past few days, when I have a moment or two, I have
been gathering the commercially bound journals I have on hand. While I usually
bind my own books, the past two years a shoulder injury has prevented that and
I’ve been using more and more commercially bound journals, while completing
physical therapy so I can return to binding. Typically I complete my fake
journal in a commercial bound journal because that’s the first and most obvious
difference I can draw from reality to fake—but now that might not be the case.
So along with a few commercially bound journals like the types found in this post from 2012.
I am pulling a few small journals that I hand bound several
years ago, off the shelves as well.
Once the small selection has been laid out on the table I’ll
start thinking about what medium I might want to devote 30 days to. I’ll ask myself what my subject matter might
be, what I might enjoy creating with that medium, how I might seek out that
subject matter, which of the books seems most friendly to these emerging plans,
and then I’ll walk away from the table to think it all over.
If I get it in my mind that I want to work in gouache, I
probably wouldn’t pick a book with paper I know is unsuitable for gouache. I
love a challenge, but I also want to have some fun.
I also usually like to select a topic that I know will hold
my interest for the entire month of April, and be doable—so detailed 9 x 12
inch portraits of people, that’s too much a time commitment. Value studies of
fruits and vegetables I can set up on the table and execute in 15 minutes,
doable.
For the first example I have to round up 30 people to
sketch, or enough people that I can keep asking them to sit for me long enough
that I can do a detailed portrait of them. That’s easily a 2 to 3 hour a day
undertaking I wouldn’t impose on friends or myself.
Last year, because I wanted to make goofy people sketches, I
requested animated photos from readers. I worked from photos, creating loose images
that were all done very quickly (and the model didn’t have to sit for the
portrait). But I prefer working from life so there were drawbacks to that solution.
It did however give me ample time to work with acrylic inks and brush pens in a
large scale (22 x 30 inches) during the month.
Since I’m just starting to paint again after a long hiatus
(due to the same shoulder injury that limited my binding) there is something
appealing about working in gouache for the entire month. Then even if I work
with pen and ink all day, at least once a day the paints will come out.
Another consideration for me is whether or not my character
will be mobile. If she (and 90 percent of the time I keep with a female
character) is then I have to work out what sort of medium would be easily
transportable and enjoyable and where she might take that medium, e.g., to the
zoo, but not an art museum perhaps.
But I’ll wait to think on that until I’ve found the book. I
have a sense that this year the answer lies in finding the book. Some years my
character comes to me as soon as I pick a medium.
I would suggest that you start thinking about options and
approaches yourself. Start taking stock of what books and supplies you have on
hand. I think the project works best if you spend zero money on it—so use what
you have on hand and push your creative response to those materials and see who
pops up as a character and what theme or thread comes to the surface.
If you’re looking at books and supplies you have on hand and
a character isn’t coming to you within two weeks of casual thought about this
close you’re eyes and pick a book.
Then walk around for a week thinking about the media you can
use in that book, on the paper it contains. Is that something you want to work
with for 30 days?
Next think of a subject matter. By now it’s only about a
week away and something is beginning to percolate. Once it does, take a moment
to write a couple things down about your character—name, sex, habitat, likes,
dislikes, that sort of thing. You can even make a list of friends’ names and a
little bit about them if you want. REMEMBER once you start working you’ll be
jumping right in and you won’t be explaining backstory because in the REAL
course of events if I’m going to write about my friend Tom I don’t need to
write all about him and how I met him and what he does and what he looks like
when I mention him in April. I already know all that. Now I can certainly get
at some of that information if it’s important to my character, for instance if
she wants to indicate that he doesn’t look well she will describe how he looks
different from NORMAL, but no more.
Think about those natural limitations to the journaling
process as you move along. You can either just go merrily along or you can take
a moment, before you start, to write a couple things down about your character
so you don’t forget that her best friend is named Tom and start calling him
Bill at the end of the month…
You decide.
But whatever you decide it’s time to start deciding.
I hope you’ll all take a moment to consider joining in this
year.
See the links at the top of the blog for an explanation of
what a Fake journal is and what International Fake Journal Month is. Check out
the Tips category for tips on keeping such a journal (though I’ve given you
some good tips for starting in this post there are many more tips on the blog
from past years).
As we approach April check back here to learn how to get on
the participants list.
If you’re still on the fence check out “Thinking aboutParticipating in International Fake Journal Month?”
Remember this: Your fake journal doesn’t have to be
elaborate—in fact it works better if it isn’t. Engineer a project that you can
execute in a few minutes each day, a character you can get into with a minimum
of fuss. Then you’ll be on your way.