My Lettering and Art Journaling Journey

Have you ever feel content by doing something? With all the hustle bustle going around your tired body, you slowly trying to detach yourself from a boring daily routine. And we often call ourselves the casualty of a busy life, having ourselves neurotic about why-can’t-I-be-more-productive-even-when-I’m-whacked kinda thought. And that’s kind of sad. You feel sorry for yourself.

We need a solace, we all do. Rather than something more ‘materialistic’ in this glamorous world, I’d rather have myself making art in a quiet room, with a locked door, curtains half-closed, accompanied by slow music playlist. I didn't call myself an artist, though ーI'm far from that. I found myself really enjoy lettering back in 2015-ish, where my only source of inspiration was @lissletter on Instagram. I spent the whole day scrolling through her a-lot-of-video-tutorial feed, feeling moved by her work and pushed me to actually make one. And here we go, my very first post about lettering, it’s so messy... but the thing is, it got a lot of positive comments from my friends. Lighten up by their compliment, I started to make more and more.

My very first published lettering, it's still on my Instagram. But I lost my original pic and so did the original artwork... (Please don't mind my friend's comment.. a lot of them are very savage)

Up until now, I made hundreds of artwork and never really make it commercial. I tried a few times to sell my artworks. But unfortunately, I didn’t find a way to make it happen. I feel insincere when I sell them. I feel slacking off and half-hearted when making it with a purpose to sell. So I ended up just doing it without anything to pay back. Yet, I’m beyond thankful. I really didn’t think it is necessary to make it commercial, because I’m doing it with the sincerity in my heart. Even sometimes few of my friends actually paid for it. But, still. this is my kind of solace. My kind of serene.

When I'm doing my lettering, I love to add some ornaments especially flowers and leaves in a low saturated tone. It feels more rustic and natural

Adding actual dried leaves as a property in my picture...

And then when the time slowly makes me more worked up, I discover art journal. If lettering only let myself draw letters and flowers ornament in a ‘limited way’, art journal let me express my self wore widely. Lettering only requires myself to write poems and draw flowers in a more calm tone,  but in art journal I let myself goes a little bit crazier. I let myself express my poems through the paper patch, dried flowers, an actual acrylic paint strokes and all of that make it even more painful to see. Full of sorrow. But, in a good way.

My very first artwork was when I bought a cute journal for my Internship. I believe a crucial moment in my life requires a new journal. Even though my old journal was still half empty, but buying a new one is my kind of self-pleasure and also self-impulsiveness.  And in my leisure time of internship, I started to draw with my pen. Well, it was a real-life changing experience because I finally have the ability to draw something with my pen. Not so good but, it’s about the process. You stroke something on a paper and it slowly become something meaningful, a clearer vision, a complete form.

My very first lettering in a journal, then I started to make it more and more. Trying out some styles, I finally found my signature art.

And started from 2016, I mixed my lettering with an art journal. It is such a good duo, a combo I’ve never expected to become my necessity once in a while. Stroking here and there, failing once or two, repeating every once in a while. And maybe, all we need to have is something that you can claim as your ‘necessity to seek peace’.

 My current artwork that I already posted on my Instagram, I love the dreamy yet low saturated picture so it also affect my
 artwork. I bring dreamy and soulful closure to my artwork.

With all the hindrance of life that I need to discover by myself, there is still huge chunk in me I haven’t found, yet. And by being content with myself, doing what I love, making art out of the materialistic thing in the world is my answer to my prayers asking for some peace. And through lettering and art journaling, I found myself, little by little. How I enjoy the process of slowly stroking pen, to make me learn that there is also a slow, running process in life that I can't control. How I can't erase the stroke that I already draw makes me learn, that it is impossible to always look back, trying to change past mistakes.

So in this solace, I don't want to spend my life defending my own mistakes making excuses, or even running away from it. My only necessity is trying to admit it, and embrace it. As I seek some peace in lettering and art journaling.

So, what's your deal to seek some peace on your own?