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Peek Inside a Journal | Kathrin Jebsen-Marwedel

Last updated on August 14th, 2021 • Peek inside a Journal

Isn’t it fun to look inside other people’s journals?

Kathrin Jebsen-Marwedel is a graphic designer in marketing and PR in Kiel, Germany. She is also the creative spark behind @IllustratedJournal on Instagram where she has over 24,000 followers–with good reason. Her journal is fascinating.

Kathrin is one of the first people I started following on Instagram when I realized other people were posting their journals there. She really stretched my imagination as to what was possible in a journal.

In this interview, Kathrin gives us a behind the scenes glimpse at how she approaches her personal journaling practice.

When did you start journaling?Β 

I’ve been writing a diary for a long time, but it wasn’t until 2001 that I started to illustrate my diaries. I had bought a Moleskine Pocket Diary as an appointment calendar and started making little sketches of the day’s events. I liked that because it made it much easier for me to find certain entries. Better than flipping through pages of text.

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A post shared by Kathrin Jebsen-Marwedel (@illustratedjournal)

How has journaling impacted you? What has it meant to you?Β 

I loved doing these little drawings. For a long time I hadn’t painted or drawn, I had lost the desire to do so during my studies. In my diary, I had the option of just drawing for myself, and it didn’t matter what the result was. The memory was important to me. Over the years the drawings got better, and I discovered on flickr that other people are also using their Moleskine books as an illustrated diary. I signed up there and started showing my diary pages on flickr. This created an inspiring exchange that motivated me a lot.

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A post shared by Kathrin Jebsen-Marwedel (@illustratedjournal)

Tell us about your personal set up? What type of journal and tools do you use?Β 

I still use the Moleskine Pocket Diary in the size 9×14 cm. The paper is actually very unsuitable for watercolors, but I use them most often. The paper does curl a bit, but that doesn’t bother me. I use pencils and fineliners for the preliminary drawings.

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A post shared by Kathrin Jebsen-Marwedel (@illustratedjournal)

When do you find time to journal?Β 

Actually, I think it’s best to draw before work. But since I started working around 6 a.m., I couldn’t do it anymore. So I usually paint in the afternoons and evenings. I always leave the painting supplies on my kitchen table so that I can continue at any time. Unfortunately, I rarely manage to paint a picture in one go.

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A post shared by Kathrin Jebsen-Marwedel (@illustratedjournal)

Do you go back through old journals? How often do you review?Β 

Every now and then I leaf through old journals, but there are now so many that I don’t get to them too often.

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A post shared by Kathrin Jebsen-Marwedel (@illustratedjournal)

The more you draw, the better you get over time. Learn to love your own style.

Kathrin Jebsen-Marwedel

What advice do you have for people just getting started?Β 

The simplest trick is: just do it. Many think they cannot draw. But it doesn’t matter, you can start with stick figures. You shouldn’t measure yourself against others and think: β€œI can never do it that well!”, but try first and foremost to have fun drawing. The more you draw, the better you get over time. It’s hard to break free from comparisons with others, but I think it’s an important realization that you paint the way you paint and you won’t paint the way someone else paints. That doesn’t mean you can’t get tips from others to develop further. But you shouldn’t try to paint the way someone else paints, but learn to love your own style.

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A post shared by Kathrin Jebsen-Marwedel (@illustratedjournal)

Where can people connect with you to learn more?

I am most active on Instagram, where I am always happy to receive comments, criticism and questions.Β 

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A post shared by Kathrin Jebsen-Marwedel (@illustratedjournal)

About Cathy Hutchison

Cathy Hutchison helps people get more joy, meaning, and freedom in a world of demands through the practice of visual journaling.

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cathy.hutchison

Cathy helps people banish overwhelm,
boost creativity 🎨
and reconnect with their β™₯️
through visual journaling. πŸ–Œ
Get the free Quickstart guide πŸ“— here

CathyHutchison | VisualJournal
I love my Mother's Day present! Thanks @bethutch ❀️#neocolor2 
There's something about a new set of crayons that is magical! (Plus if you see my most recent post, you can tell that I'm working with pieces parts big time!)
I'm re-reading @gregorymckeown 's Essentialism. I I'm re-reading @gregorymckeown 's Essentialism. I totally forgot about the chapter on our inner childq. So good. ​​​​​​​​
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Today I misread my calendar and got to my meeting Today I misread my calendar and got to my meeting spot an hour early. The angels must have known how much I needed to just sit and journal. β™₯️ What a gift of unstructured time ​​​​​​​​
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When I'm given good advice, I have to write it dow When I'm given good advice, I have to write it down. #yourvisualjournal #journaling #artjournal #bujo
I have two sets of @Tombow brush markers. The firs I have two sets of @Tombow brush markers. The first is the Dual. It has a thin marker at one end and a juicy brush marker at the other. It is so fun to play with and probably my favorite when it comes to serious sketchnoting. ​​​​​​​​
The other set is the Tombow Fudenosuke. It's also brush, but smaller, thinner, and more portable. ‒​​​​​​​​
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When you add color and simple drawings to your jou When you add color and simple drawings to your journal it engages more parts of your brain. That makes the ideas easier to process and the information more engaging. ​​​​​​​​
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It feels great to be back with the @smpsdallas and It feels great to be back with the @smpsdallas and @smpsftworth people today​​​​​​​​
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1. Open your journal.β €β €β €β €β €β €β €β €β € 2 1. Open your journal.β €β €β €β €β €β €β €β €β €
2. Pick up your pen and journal a response to: "The story I most believe to be true is..." Don't overthink it. Go with your gut and write stream of consciousness. β €β €β €β €β €β €β €β €β €
3. Leave space to draw a little doodle to go beside your words.β €β €β €β €β €β €β €β €β €
4. Feel happy in your heart that you journaled today.β €β €β €β €β €β €β €β €β €
Post your journal entry and tag me! I want to see!! β€’β €β €β €β €β €β €β €β €β €
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#yourvisualjournal #journaling #journalprompt #artjournal #journalprompts
There is something about getting a gift that makes There is something about getting a gift that makes you feel seen and deeply understood. Like my friend who gave me a gift card to @starbucks this week so I could escape and create. ​​​​​​​​
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When I try to create at home I often wind up prioritizing other things. It seems there is always something that needs to be cleaned, cooked, fixed, or taken care of. (As if all of those things are more important than creating!) ​​​​​​​​
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But if I pack up my journal and a few art supplies and escape to my local library or coffee shop, all I do is create. It’s the only thing there to do. ​​​​​​​​
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My lifeβ€”just like your lifeβ€”is full of demands. ​​​​​​​​
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Capturing a couple of hours of freedom restores my soul. ​​​​​​​​
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Having someone notice and help me prioritize that? Well, that’s the most special kind of friend. <3​​​​​​​​
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My new practice is trying to capture people I see My new practice is trying to capture people I see in public places. True story, while I was drawing these two teens, I hadn't gotten very far when they came over to tell me how cool it was that I was drawing in a coffee shop. ​​​​​​​​
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Being part of @samaxamen s fan club includes cool Being part of @samaxamen s fan club includes cool real random printed delivered-in-the-mail perks!!! #arteveryday #cartoon
Need an invitation to journal? ​​​​​​​​
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Here it is. ​​​​​​​​
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Grab a pen. ‒​​​​​​​​
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Disclosures

Some links on this site are affiliate links and as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. The author receives aΒ  small (really small) commission if you happen to buy something.Β  Funds are used to support journaling supplies & four crazy sweet Aussies who bark for treats every time I come in the door. (To be fair, I have a pattern of giving in to them.) I write about all kinds of journaling, and if Bullet Journaling is your thing, I’m here to support you. But if you want to go deep, go to the original source–Ryder Carroll, who created the system, and started it all at bulletjournal.com. I use the method daily which is why I started writing about it here.
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