By Anna Berends van Loenen

TROEPboek: your playground for creativity

You want to be creative, but you don't have the time. Then when you finally make time, you don't know where to start. You keep staring anxiously at that blank page. Recognise this?

Lower the bar

Perfectionism and time are often excuses to not start or not face the fear. But did you know that we have all experienced this at one time or another? Even the great artists and illustrators, especially them. Only children don't. They just start. They usually don’t even care about the result but just enjoy experimenting and playing around. They don't have such a high bar yet and just go for it.

You can do the same by lowering the bar. That sounds easier than it is, which is why I will help you with the "TROEPboek" method (this Dutch word literally translates to junk journal). Using a junk journal has given me space in my head, room for creativity, lowered my fear of a blank page and has returned the joy of playing to my life.

What is a junk journal?

A junk journal is a type of sketchbook that is dedicated to making art without thinking: an accessible way to let your creativity flow again. Really, anything goes in your junk journal. There is room for every creative indulgence or doodle.

A doodle is often seen as those little scribbles you make during a phone call or a boring meeting. But actually, any form of mindless creativity can be considered a doodle. So it's not just scribbles with a pen on paper. Paint, markers, pencils, scissors, glue, even tea and much more will eventually find their way into your junk journal.

Why is it called a junk journal?

Why is it called a junk journal, when sometimes very beautiful doodles and experiments can emerge? By calling it a junk journal, you assume that it's okay to make a mess. That lowers the threshold and gives you the space to be creative, seek inspiration, store motivation for later, clear your head, or try out different materials. That way, you do indeed create a lot of messes, but you also find the gems you would never have found without your junk journal. If you were too focused on making a pearl, you might clam up. The main thing is to have fun!

A junk journal is for everyone

Make no mistake. A junk journal is not just an easy and fun method for beginners. Do you work in a creative profession? Then it is a great method to find inspiration. Are you a creative person with ambitions for a creative business? Then it is the perfect place to experiment with new materials and get experience.

What do you need?

All you really need is a sketchbook and materials you can doodle with.

A nice sketchbook is the one by Talens Art Creation. Not too expensive so you feel less like you're wasting it which keeps the bar low. The sketchbooks are perfect because the paper is thick enough to work with different mediums like gouache, pencils and markers.
For drawing, you can use a pencil, but I recommend fineliners like Pigma Micron. For me, it prevents erasing all the time and helps me embrace my "happy accidents".
Want to add colour? Consider the Ecoline Brush Pen, acrylic inks, or a box of watercolour. The possibilities are endless. You will find many examples on the @troepboek instagram account.

Eager to get started?

Go ahead and fill your junk journal! Share your creations with the hashtags #troepboek #royaltalensathome, and follow me via Royal Talens because I would love to keep inspiring you. I hope you pass on this inspiration to others. That's how we make the world a little bit more beautiful, more creative and especially a little bit more fun!

This blog was created for Royal Talens by Anna Berends van Loenen. Find Anna on Instagram via @annabvl_official and her TROEPboek via @troepboek.