Rosamond's Journal
Rosamond Jourdan, is a watercolour artist (@rosamondjourdanartist)
from Queensland, Australia.
Her discovery of journaling, the creative collage form created in paper journals or notebooks, is very recent, and has captivated her. She chronicles her experience in her Instagram account @rosamondsjournal.
Rosamond started journaling in early 2020 when the Covid 19 pandemic emerged. When life changed dramatically she was at home a lot and it was a new creative outlet. Here she shares her experience.
“I was able to channel my creative spirit in a new and exciting way and incorporate my love of watercolour. I have always loved fountain pens and stationery and discovered the Journal community through the internet and Instagram. It is a whole new world of creativity and a group of people that were like minded”.
She found Journaling is “a way to express your thoughts through words and creative collage. On instagram it is backed by a wonderful supportive group of people who respond and encourage one another.”
Her journaling offers diversity from her professional work as a watercolour artist which is usually working on much larger pieces. “It is important for the two to be different. I do incorporate tiny paintings in my journals and I love working in miniature and using stickers and other forms of collage.”
How did you develop a style?
“I find that my style has changed even over such a short period of time. Like any art you are inspired by others and it is a process to find your own style. Each person in the art journaling community has their own unique style. I find that I am drawn to simple detail with a whimsical twist. I love to incorporate my tiny watercolour paintings into my pages”.
Rosamond says she often starts with some words that inspire her, in the same way she would start her watercolours with just one colour.
“Often I will use parts of poems or books or I use my own words. It can depend on my mood. I will choose favourite stamps or stickers to match my words or quotes”. She also appreciates the textures and other media to build out the work, enjoying changing colours and incorporating lots of textures, “I will often use wax seals or washi or whatever I feel the page needs”.
Collage and journaling involves many textures and layers, of media and pieces from nature, when do you know when a piece is finished?
“I know when a piece is finished when it feels balanced and right for me. It is hard to explain when that moment is. I have had quite a lot of training in art and design and I think that helps a lot”.
What materials do you really like to work with?
“I use beautiful handmade notebooks made by local or overseas papermakers to create my spreads with soft leather covers from The Travelers Company in Japan. They are really so lovely to hold and touch and help to inspire me.
“I have many favourite materials. I love Japanese paper. The quality is exquisite. I love my wax seal stamp collection, they are very special to me. I also have a collection of glass pens. Each one is a work of art. I have some beautiful rubber stamps and the detail that the many artists can skilfully create never ceases to amaze me. Of course my watercolour paints and paper are important too and I can’t forget the beautiful stickers and washi tape. I have got to know a lot of the suppliers and creators and they are an important part of my journaling.
Japanese materials are present in your work and in your studio?
“I love the Japanese culture and most of what I use comes from Japan. I love the beautiful papers, origami, the soft and tactile Japanese covers for my journals, the indigo fabrics that I have collected over the years, the tea, the architecture, the mystery of the Geisha, the cherry blossoms. Japanese beauty is never-ending. The quality is always the very best.
Would she ever sell the journals?
“No, I do not sell my journals. They are too precious but maybe one day I will, who knows?”.
In the meantime we can enjoy watching her work on her instagram!
Thank you to Rosamond for opening the door to her studio as our first Maker of HOW.
