Perfection Is Not the Point

Do you have an inner art supply monster?

Whenever I visit an art supply shop, this is what happens: 
I forget the world around me completely and I feel the exact same way as I used to feel when I was little, visiting a candy shop or toy store. There is SO much to see, there is SO much I want to try and play with! Suddenly, time doesn't exist and all my focus goes into feeling the structure of sketchbook paper, smelling crayons, trying pens, wondering about techniques and endless possibilities. Sometimes I even start sweating a little just because of all the choices there are. I can't walk out of an art supply shop or stationary shop without buying anything. Even if it's just a pencil sharpener - I will get my fix! But usually, I walk out with a lot more than just a modest pencil sharpener...
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It's even worse when visiting art supply shops in different cities or countries. 
Finding brands that are hard to find in Amsterdam makes me greedy. 
When I visited New York, my suitcase was so heavy when I travelled back home after a few days: I had collected a huge stack of sketchbooks!
Recognize this kind of behaviour? I'm sure you do!

And then what?

Some people find it so hard to start a new sketchbook or art journal. All those sketchbooks need to be filled - and the fact that they are hard to come by and kind of precious because of that, could become a threshold to crack them open. 
Have you ever felt the fear of "spoiling" your nice journals? Or do you just dive in, and see each blank page as a new corner of your creative playground. To make some kind of art everyday, to experiment and to record whatever captures your attention that day?

Is an art journal supposed to be a book full of perfect pages?

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Not much of a view during the 4-hour train ride - still I enjoyed myself thanks to my sketchbook
To me, perfection is NOT the point. Sure, it's great to have a collection of beautiful drawings, but my art journals reflect my days. They contain memories. They help me kill time when travelling or waiting. They help clear my mind. Even a crappy drawing of a fun moment is a well kept memory. Or the other way around: a fun drawing changes how you feel about a boring moment. Perhaps the not-close-to-perfect drawings even have more character as well!

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