How to use your pigment journal
We’re big fans of keeping things simple. We designed the journal pages with room for you to organize your collection in a way that makes sense to you. Think about how you want to divide your collection: region, color, elevation, county, geography, and urban/rural are some possibilities. The blank boxes in the top right are spaces left for you to organize your journal based on your own preference.
There are multiple ways to use this journal, and we hope you do so however fits your process and interests best.
Each journal page follows a basic structure.
- The first box is for a photograph that you take onsite and print and paste in the journal later.
- The second is for a pigment swipe or smear of the found material. (Tip: If your pigment is coming from a berry or flower, it will most likely leave a mark more easily than the Earth pigments, or minerals. If allowed in the area, use a small bag to collect a small sample you can work with later). *Sometimes the most colorful plant won’t leave the brightest mark. Don’t overlook the minerals hiding in the soil!
- The third box is for a sketch of what you found. This may be helpful if traveling without a camera and you need to document some details about the plant or mineral to identify later.
- The fourth box is for your information. Include the date and time of year, especially for seasonal pigments you may want to find again. Include the location with as much detail as you can as well as the identification of the pigment.
- The bottom section of each collection page is left for your own notes. Some find this to be an opportunity for more detailed specificity; others use this as a journal or as a space to document personal experiences and thoughts while out exploring.
The last step is to show us what you found! As you fill the pages of your journal with various pigments, make a digital scan of the entire page and submit it to our website: earthandcolorproject.weebly.com.
Each submission will be added to the collection and map where you will be able to find the locations of every pigment found by our Pigment Project community.
There are multiple ways to use this journal, and we hope you do so however fits your process and interests best.
Each journal page follows a basic structure.
- The first box is for a photograph that you take onsite and print and paste in the journal later.
- The second is for a pigment swipe or smear of the found material. (Tip: If your pigment is coming from a berry or flower, it will most likely leave a mark more easily than the Earth pigments, or minerals. If allowed in the area, use a small bag to collect a small sample you can work with later). *Sometimes the most colorful plant won’t leave the brightest mark. Don’t overlook the minerals hiding in the soil!
- The third box is for a sketch of what you found. This may be helpful if traveling without a camera and you need to document some details about the plant or mineral to identify later.
- The fourth box is for your information. Include the date and time of year, especially for seasonal pigments you may want to find again. Include the location with as much detail as you can as well as the identification of the pigment.
- The bottom section of each collection page is left for your own notes. Some find this to be an opportunity for more detailed specificity; others use this as a journal or as a space to document personal experiences and thoughts while out exploring.
The last step is to show us what you found! As you fill the pages of your journal with various pigments, make a digital scan of the entire page and submit it to our website: earthandcolorproject.weebly.com.
Each submission will be added to the collection and map where you will be able to find the locations of every pigment found by our Pigment Project community.
We've created two options for you to choose from as you make your own pigment journal - a letter format and an artist book format.
- The letter format will allow you to print the pages on US Letter Size paper, 8.5 inches x 11 inches.
You can use a 3-hole punch on the pages if you want to use a binder, or take these pages to an office supply store to get your book spiral bound.
- The artist book format prints on US Letter size, then folds in half to become 5.5 inches x 8.5 inches.
If you want the experience of creating and binding your own artist book, we recommend using the guide created by Poets and Writers, starting at Figure K (page 11 if you are viewing on mobile). Find the guide here, and the accompanying video here.
- The letter format will allow you to print the pages on US Letter Size paper, 8.5 inches x 11 inches.
You can use a 3-hole punch on the pages if you want to use a binder, or take these pages to an office supply store to get your book spiral bound.
- The artist book format prints on US Letter size, then folds in half to become 5.5 inches x 8.5 inches.
If you want the experience of creating and binding your own artist book, we recommend using the guide created by Poets and Writers, starting at Figure K (page 11 if you are viewing on mobile). Find the guide here, and the accompanying video here.
Pigment journal - letter format
earth_and_color_project_-_spiral.pdf | |
File Size: | 1562 kb |
File Type: |
Pigment journal - artist book format
earth___color_book_final.pdf | |
File Size: | 5293 kb |
File Type: |
Printing tip - start with page 1 aligned to the right, flip to other side and print page 2 and 3 together, flip again and print page 4 aligned to the left. Continue through book.
Journal pages - letter format
earth_and_color_project_-_journal_page.pdf | |
File Size: | 228 kb |
File Type: |
Journal pages - artist book format
pigment_journal_page_.pdf | |
File Size: | 329 kb |
File Type: |