We all have Blurb’s social media lead Michelle to thank for this post. Michelle keeps a journal, notebook, or whatever else you want to call it. And she knows that I own one too. She passed along this film from Trojan Horse Was A Unicorn. The film details artist Red Hong Yi, someone I was unfamiliar with, but this film is filled with so many important morsels I couldn’t fathom not sharing it with you. Red’s film is part of a sketchbook series. (Her site has not kept up with her work.)
Anyone who has been around this site for any time knows how much I push notebooks and journals on anyone who comes near me. Notebooks prove challenging for many folks. We live in a creative culture driven by following and producing works based on audience demand. Journals, in some ways, seem counterintuitive. What? A space just for me? How do I profit from that? How do I sell this to my audience? This is a soulless way of working. Regardless, it has now become the norm.
Red Hong Yi talks about destroying her notebook. It is NOT a precious object. She skips around. All things that defeat people who produce for their audience. I know because you’ve told me again and again. How your book looks isn’t important. Remember, it’s just for you. Unless a channel comes along and asks you to share. Just watch. There are so many lessons here. So many lessons about life, work, the arts, etc. And my favorite part….she has ink on her fingers. Heart emoji.
Comments 24
oh i love this. thanks for the post. always looking for more info + inspiration on journaling!
Author
There’s a lot to learn there. Her work is stellar.
I’m afraid of journaling: I’m afraid it might not work out. I’m afraid I’ll not complete it. I’m afraid it’s no good. I’m afraid I’ll ignore it. I’m afraid I’ll look back on it with contempt. I’m afraid I won’t know what to put in it. I’m afraid I’ll copy others.
I’m afraid of failure. I’m afraid i’m doing it for the sake and it won’t be true. Journaling is frightening.
Author
You might not have intended to be funny, but that was funny. But I also know you might be serious, and if you are, you are not alone. I believe a significant percentage of the population feels the same. And the pressure of the modern, social facade has made it worse. I also think a lot of people are lazy and cant’ be bothered. Others feel journaling is beneath them. (As they scroll IG and watch TV.) You just need to start. Take minutes and write a fictional narrative. Make it up. Five minutes. Stop when the alarm goes off. Do that for a few weeks. See where it takes you.
You are right. I think the comedy was to take the weight out. Laziness is often fed by lacking confidence; many of the points I make are attributed to a lack of confidence. However, I shall cast aside negativity and throw caution to the wind and without overthinking pen and journal types, colours and textures I’ll give it a go. Appreciate your wise words.
Author
Neil, to put it mildly, it will change your life. Seriously.
A film about journaling will be very well received. Thanks again.
Author
I’ve got one about note taking….and YOU are featured.
Anything to do with journaling makes my heart so happy. Thank you for sharing.
Author
Making a film about journaling as soon as I get a chance.
We love Red Hong Yi! It’s so inspiring to see how successful artists keep their journals. I’m reminded again and again that it’s the space to create, not perform. Like drops of water falling on rock and creating impressions over a long time, every journal entry slowly breaks that part of our brain that tells us we need to be afraid of failure, especially when making art.
Author
YES! You nailed it. “create, not perform.” Perfect place to document wakeboarding mishaps.
Impressive stuff with the right hand and intuition with the left hand— I love it!
Author
One of my neighbors is a journal keeper. She draws with her left every day. What a great idea.
Thanks for the share… really enjoyed her perspectives on art and life. If nothing else, I need a “Where’s Waldo” journal just to keep track of my glasses, keys, phone/kindle… a journal really can improve awareness of the moment.
Author
Agree. It’s like a second brain.
This was fantastic and engaging. Journaling has been one of the best things I have started. While am newer to the process, I found that I able to let my analytical brain go of certain things and just go.
Thanks for the share Dan.
Author
Letting go is a great reasons to use it. And it does take practice. Like prisoners freed from a long jail stint. Hard to let go of a space.
I too wasn’t sure about Neil’s first post. I found kinship in the words though. Everyone else’s journal/sketchbook looks better to me than mine.
I think that’s where some of us get trapped, the over burdened idea of a journal. Just link it to one or more of your creative pursuits and call it a sketchbook.
I hope to soon heed my own advice.
Author
Neil is featured in my next time. Will go out later this week. His words are SO important to the process.
Loved this so much. Many great ideas and in a way very liberating as one who loves journaling but often feels the need to be orderly and perfect. (Im working on this).
Author
That is so hard to shake, but once you do, the journal opens up exponentially.
Great post Dan.
Thanks to this video I discovered “The Sketchbook Diaries” in youtube, and helped me last night to restart my own (kinda)sketching / journaling of a project I started two years ago and was a little forgotten.
Actually, maybe not that interesting, but is a very personal project that’s been 30 years in the making and 2025 marks that anniversary.
Anyways, thanks again and cheers from Costa Rica.
Author
Would I love to be in Costa Rica about now. Those diaries are incredibly inspiring.