How I release frustration in a few easy steps!

by | Blog - Tutorials | 10 comments

A fun art journal tutorial to release frustration!

Today I have spent too many hours working, researching and finding out stuff that didn’t please me…
As a result I am feeling quite frustrated and I may just throw both my keyboard and mouse at my computer screen 😉

Because I work in my studio all day, with usually only my dog to talk to (yeah, see where this is going??  That’s when you go ke-ray-zay!), then it is so easy to end up stewing in a negative headspace for hours without even realising!

But, as soon as I noticed this happening, I try to turn things around into a more positive and useful situation…

First, I just stop everything and walk away… It doesn’t have to be for long! Sometimes 5 minutes is enough to ”reset” your mind but, if you can leave things alone even longer then you will feel more refreshed.

Then, my favourite way to release tension and frustration is to go nuts in my art journal:)

It’s easy, free and nobody has to see it. And, if the results turn out to be really ugly (yikes!!! Frustration isn’t usually pretty!), that’s ok because that wasn’t the goal anyway and all you have to do is cover it up later on (shhhh… no-one will ever know).

Follow me along, I’ll show you how I release my frustration in a really easy and quick way! At the end, negative feelings are replaced with relief, happiness and a pretty cool art journal page (yay me) that could also be a background for something else later. Obviously that doesn’t make issues go away but at least you will have a clearer mind to tackle them.

Let me know if this art journal tutorial helps you in any way by leaving me a comment below…

Mimi.

Supplies used:
– various hand carved stamps by Yours Truly (but just use ANY stamp you have, as long as they all a similar ie either use ”delicate” designs or ”chunky” designs but avoid mixing both – what is on there is NOT important so use shapes, words, flowers, texture, whatever you have laying around)
– Stazon ink pad in Stone Grey and Tsukineko moonlight white (the colour and brand you have doesn’t matter as long as you can paint over later without smudging)
– various colours of acrylic paint (I used Liquitex Art Basics in quinacridone magenta, cadmium yellow deep hue, light blue permanent, brilliant purple + Matisse cadmium yellow light + Jo Sonja yellow green + white – again, use whatever colours/brands you have)
– rubber tool to create texture – no idea where I got that from but Catalyst Wedges are the best alternative, with a lot more options!
– a black pen (I used a 0.7mm black Posca)

Check out my favourite art supplies and where I get them from.

Studio Time 10 - free mixed media art journal tutorial with Mimi BondiStudio Time 10 - free mixed media art journal tutorial with Mimi Bondi

Studio Time 10 - free mixed media art journal tutorial with Mimi Bondi

Studio Time 10 - free mixed media art journal tutorial with Mimi Bondi

Want more? My book and e-course are perfect for any beginner wanting to create their own paintings and learn mixed media art… Find out more here!

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Studio Time 5 - learn mixed media tutorial with Mimi Bondi

10 Comments

  1. You should market and sell your stamps. I love them!!!

    Reply
    • mimibondi

      Thanks Tammy!! I’d have to get them manufactured as it would be too time consuming to make them by hand ☺ I actually looked into it but the costs are a little high to produce… Maybe one day!

  2. Mimi, I have just discovered your tutorials & am enjoying them thoroughly! This video in particular has really been inspiring to me. In my childhood I wrote something very personal & my sister got a hold of it & shared with people & I was teased incessantly until I graduated. As a result I have never been able to keep a written journal because I was too afraid of who might read it. For the past 15 yrs I’ve been dealing with a chronic pain condition & the Dr.s recommend keeping a journal but I just couldn’t do it. I just discovered art journaling & it’s been very therapeutic. But now you’ve shown me how I can put down my feelings in words to get them out & still maintain my privacy. I can’t wait to give this technique a go. It’s 5am in Maryland, USA &give been watching your videos all night, they are so inspiring. Please do consider a tutorial for the stamp making ~ that is so exciting, I’d love to learn that as well. Please keep up the great work & I can not wait till your book becomes available. Peace & Blessings, Ms. Silk

    Reply
    • mimibondi

      Dear Ms Silk, first of all, what a great name 🙂 Thank you so much for your lovely comment, it means a lot to me! I can so relate to your diary incident as my little brother decided to dig mine out from under my bed when I was a teenager, read it and made fun of me so much. I felt so betrayed and never wrote in there again! I’m sorry to hear about your back condition but glad you understand how art journalling can help, that’s awesome! I was suggesting to another lady to make a little travel art bag so you can take your journal and minimal supplies with you along to doctors appointments or anywhere you might end up waiting and potentially focussing on negative thoughts. I will do a stamp making tutorial as I am getting many requests and if you are on my Sunshine Newsletter list then you’ll be the fist to get the chance to pre-order the book 🙂 Thank you again Ms Silk!! Love from Australia, mimi

  3. Thank you so very much for this tutorial! For me, I’ve been putting all of my energy, time, feelings, etc into fighting for healing…a miracle of sorts. I’m battling a brain tumor among so many other issues that go along with it. You taught me today, to ask myself: What if I applied this lesson on art journaling to work through my negative feelings on this life journey VS internalizing the feelings of frustration, apathy, impatience….Big ole list! What if I instead, continue to believe that I am well, trust the process/doctors, and put bright colorful mark making in my journal to create a feeling of release and relaxation ? I think this could profoundly effect my journey in a more positive way, in soooo many ways! Like they say, Art Heals. And instead of perfection, go for fun release of pent up feelings! I love this so much….You are amazing for opening my eyes, and my heart! I look forward to your new book and all of its glorious goodies inside! Xxx

    Reply
    • mimibondi

      Dear Peg, you are very welcome! I am so sorry to hear about your health troubles 🙁 If doctors could understand the healing power of art like you and I do, I think they would prescribe art therapy a lot more often 😉 Of course it’s easy for me to say but I really think you have hit the nail on the head here about expressing everything in your art journal… If you haven’t done so already, I would suggest you make yourself a little art bag to take with you EVERYWHERE, especially to doctors’ appointments where you have to wait for ages. You could make it super cute and decorate it yourself (I did that for my travel art bag) and take your favourite supplies so you can do something positive while you wait. Losing that need for perfection has been a journey for me too (compare my current style to what I used to do here: so different!) but keep following the tutorials because that’s exactly what I am working on hahaha. I just lost a chapter for my book due to my camera failing on me but not too long to go! Lots of love and sunshine from Sydney Peg!! xxo

  4. Even I feel better after watching you work through your frustrations from today. Thanks for sharing this, as we all get frustrated and what better way to work through it than to play in our journals! I frequently work through my irritability, thanks to something that’s bugging me, by playing in my ” private” journal, and I always feel better, whether the page is pretty or not, although frequently, they are sometimes my best because I am not trying to make anything special. Mimi, I love watching you work in your journal and am always reminded to “just play!”

    Reply
    • mimibondi

      Hahaha Cheryl, I’m glad just watching helped you! A private journal is a great idea for really expressing yourself! I find that I’d rather write it all down in French if it’s really private as 99% of people close to me wouldn’t understand lol Otherwise I just write it down then cover it up to ”let it go” (like some people write things down then burn the paper). Thanks for your comment Cheryl, have a great day (and play, play, play!) 🙂 Take care, mimi

  5. Merci beaucoup pour la vidéo, j’adore le rendu !!!!

    Reply
    • mimibondi

      Merci Nathy 🙂

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Mimi Bondi, Mixed media artist, author, illustrator and teacher

Hi there, I'm Mimi!

Mixed Media Artist * Author * Designer * Lover of Life
My style is abstract, whimsical, expressive, full of energy… and my creativity has no bounds!
From layering to collaging, throwing ink around to painting with my fingers, I hope to share with you the joy and peace I experience when creating 🙂

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