Making the first mark on a page is ALWAYS a super daunting aspect of starting a new journal. Like, for everyone. There's a sense of permanence and a fear of making a mistake. I mean, I've gathered my notebook and tools, it needs to be PERFECT. What do I do? Will it look good?!
Perhaps you're overwhelmed by all the possibilities. We can TOTALLY relate to those thoughts. After all, the blank page equals endless opportunities. Endless opportunities seem great, but giving yourself certain guidelines within to work can actually help you move forward and start using your journal!
Just keep going back to everything that we discussed last week, the selections that you chose and the helpful tips. It's why we laid those out before even starting!!!
Perhaps you're overwhelmed by all the possibilities. We can TOTALLY relate to those thoughts. After all, the blank page equals endless opportunities. Endless opportunities seem great, but giving yourself certain guidelines within to work can actually help you move forward and start using your journal!
Just keep going back to everything that we discussed last week, the selections that you chose and the helpful tips. It's why we laid those out before even starting!!!
Just like building a house or writing a paper, giving your pages a foundation to build upon eases the sense of being overwhelmed and stuck. Bailey started with one element to define her space, some strokes of watercolor. From there, she added in other elements, like date stamps, stickers and written text. Sometimes just diving in with even one element makes ALL the difference!
It's as simple as that!
Sarah overcame the blank page syndrome by starting with defining spaces for the days of the week. She found a typeface she liked, printed, cut and pasted each day onto the pages. She still has plenty room for other elements, but now has a basic page structure to work off of!
If you find yourself still struggling with the blank page, here are some other things to keep in mind or try:
➤Experiment with formatting
Try using a ruler to draw rough guidelines. You can do this directly in your journal or on a scrap piece of paper! Try sketching light lines and designating visual compartments into your page. You don’t have to map everything out before starting, but giving a rough spacial framework helps SO much. It’s amazing how quickly things start to fall together after you have a general layout, or even just a few marks!
➤Work in Pencil First
You can go back afterwards to fill in with ink or paint, if desired. This takes a lot of the pressure off and gives you a chance to see how something would look in your journal before you commit to it!
You can go back afterwards to fill in with ink or paint, if desired. This takes a lot of the pressure off and gives you a chance to see how something would look in your journal before you commit to it!
➤Do some Research
It helps to see what others have done. Take some time to research inspiration for the type of journal you’re interested in keeping. But be careful, because it can also feel super overwhelming, so keep it simple!!! Choose one or two layouts you like, and incorporate some elements from them into your own page.
It helps to see what others have done. Take some time to research inspiration for the type of journal you’re interested in keeping. But be careful, because it can also feel super overwhelming, so keep it simple!!! Choose one or two layouts you like, and incorporate some elements from them into your own page.
➤Be Bold
Sometimes we only make progress by just diving in and GOING FOR IT! So be bold, try something new and learn from the process! If you truly don't like what you make, you can always paste another piece of paper over it!
Have you struggled with the blank page? We'd love to know your own tips for moving past it!
Happy Journaling!
xoxo
Emma, Bailey and the Antiquaria Team
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