Today I want to introduce you to Maria Lacuesta who is a blogger, designer, and memory keeper living in the Boston area. When she’s not happily crafting paper and pixels in her tiny studio, you can find her enjoying the neighborhood she loves and dreaming of her next project. She believes in cultivating a happy life and, for her, that means creating something every day and giving thanks for all the little things that make life so wonderful. Analog Paper is her small piece of the internet where she can share a bit of her life and work with you.

Analog Guest Post on Uncustomary Art: Art Journaling Process

I first met Mary when I joined the Get Messy Art Journal group a few months ago. I had never kept an art journal before, but I was intrigued. All my other creative ventures are either work related or part of my memory keeping system, so I really wanted to start creating just for the sake of creating. I quickly realized, art journaling requires me to create without a plan or any idea of what the final product will be. And, to be honest, that’s kind of a little scary. But, now I’m on my fourth art journal and I’ve really come to love this project, so I want to share my process with you guys today.

Analog Guest Post on Uncustomary Art: Art Journaling Process

​1. Use what you have on hand.

All you really need is a pen and some paper. I didn’t have a journal when I first started, so I made one and I really enjoyed it. I’ve been making a new notebook every month. Sometimes I experiment with a stitched binding or I simply staple my pages together. Easy.

Analog Guest Post on Uncustomary Art: Art Journaling Process

In fact, I never buy any new supplies for my art journal. Sometimes, I use magazine clippings, but most of the time, I just use a lot of the bits and and pieces I tend to hoard. I love typography and pretty paper and my supplies reflect that.

2. Think of one thing.

A blank page can be really daunting. I usually get over this hump by trying to think of one true thing. Sometimes, I try to find a quote, but most of time I just add a few of my own words to the page and go from there. I don’t pressure myself to think of anything profound and it doesn’t even have to be a lot of words. In fact, a lot of my pages just have a single word on them.

Analog Guest Post on Uncustomary Art: Art Journaling Process

3. Build around it…Or not.​

​And lastly, I add some visual elements that help reinforce the idea ​​I’m trying to convey. ​​

Analog Guest Post on Uncustomary Art: Art Journaling Process

This page was actually made in a fit of rage after my beloved printer died on me. I didn’t add much to my words; just a few uneven, ink smudged lines. And surprisingly, I don’t hate this page. I was keeping it real and and I appreciate having it in my journal because it’s honest.

Analog Guest Post on Uncustomary Art: Art Journaling Process

And that’s my process in a nutshell. I’m sure I haven’t shared anything groundbreaking, and yet, for me at least, it felt momentous when I finished my first page, and then my first journal.

I really like Maria’s style, and I’m grateful for her sharing her thought processes with us today! Check out her blog and let her know I sent you over.