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By Tera Leigh
A creativity trip book might be described as a combination scrapbook, journal and idea morgue. When I was a kid, it was very popular to create trip books, which were a sort of scrapbook and diary of a single trip. As an adult, I combined this idea with an experience I had in a college class called "Theater Creativity". When we arrived in class, the instructor told us we had 24 hours to choose a journal book, and we had six weeks to fill every single page of that book. Our grade in the course was dependent upon the integrity with which we filled the book.
Now, I challenge you to start your own creativity trip book to mark your journey as an artist. You will need to find a blank book that inspires you. I use a 16" x 22" bound sketch book. The paper stock is thick enough to allow me to tape, paste, paint, write, and otherwise imprint my mark on it. In the past fifteen years I have completed 24 of these books. I can't tell you how inspiring it is to look back through the books and see my progress. There are periods of extreme activity and creativity, and then periods of no work at all. Each page charts my life.
A great way to start is to buy ten or twelve magazines that you will rip up, cut out, quote from, etc. I cut out words, quotes, photos, sketches, color swatches, etc. When I have gone through all of the magazines, I pile the clippings into logical groupings. Often I find I have a theme. I like to put inspiring quotes on one page together, then each time I find a new one, I add it, for example.
I take my book with me on all excursions. My books have been to Europe, to church, to restaurants, to school, to work, etc. I let anyone who wants to write in my books share. They are GREAT conversation starters. Once, in a restaurant in LA, the waitress asked about my book, promptly snatched it and took it to an actor for his autograph, then brought it back. I still don't know who that actor was! Someone in a soap opera, apparently! The point is, these books begin to take on a life of their own. I like nothing better for my friends to write or sketch in my books!
You should also invest in some good markers. When I am in the car (as a passenger), on a plane, or anywhere I have time on my hands and can't be doing something else, I pull out my book and jot comments around the pieces I've pasted in, or draw in frames or otherwise color the pages.
One of my favorite exercises in the book is to write: "my life right now". This gives me a frame of reference for when I go back and read the book later. For example, I might say "married to ken, living in whittier, short blonde hair, driving an acura, working on these projects, favorite food, favorite restaurant, age, age of my nieces and nephew, cats, etc." Later when I read the book these pages help me put what I was writing into the context of my life.
I also decorate the cover of each of my books. I have painted, drawn, sprayed, and decoupaged my book covers. I take my books with me everywhere, so I like for them to be eyecatching and inspiring.
Give it a try!
Tera Leigh (pronounced Lee) is a 35-year-old artist / author living in California. She has a doctorate degree in law (J.D.), and teaches painting, creativity and goal setting for artists at conventions around the United States. She writes continuing columns for Paintworks and Decorative Artist Workbook magazines, and has written articles for publications such as Craftrends, Loew-Cornell's Teacher's Spectrum, Artist's Sketchbook, and The Decorative Painter. Tera's designs have been published in Crafts, Quick and Easy Painting, PaintWorks, and 101 Decorating Ideas Do It Yourself Magazine.You can visit her at her wonderful Web site, Tera's Wish.
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