Wreck This Journal by Keri Smith

This isn’t my usual sort of book review and whilst I would never advocate the wrecking of a book, this one is an exception.

‘Wreck This Journal’ is a brilliant concept that has really caught the imagination of teenagers and adults alike. It’s been about for a few years now, the idea being that on every page there is a different instruction which is open to individual artistic interpretation. For example, one page says, ‘Draw A Never Ending Line’. This may seem quite a boring thing to do, but once you let your imagination take hold, the possibilities are endless.  To truly appreciate it, I would recommend you have a look at some of the examples on YouTube, Tumblr, Twitter, Flickr Instagram, Pinterest, blogs and Google images for all the creative, whacky and crazy things people have done to ‘Wreck This Journal’.

This is my daughter’s page for ‘Trace Your Hand’

Here’s the official description from Amazon

Think of Keri Smith’s Wreck This Journal as the anarchist’s Artist’s Way – the book for those who’ve always wanted to draw outside the lines but were afraid to do it.

For anyone who’s ever wished to, but had trouble starting, keeping, or finishing a journal or sketchbook comes Wreck This Journal, an illustrated book featuring a subversive collection of suggestions, asking readers to muster up their best mistake – and mess-making abilities to fill the pages of the book (and destroy them).

Through a series of creatively and quirkily illustrated prompts, acclaimed artist Keri Smith encourages journalers to engage in ‘destructive’ acts – poking holes through pages, adding photos and defacing them, painting with coffee, colouring outside the lines, and more – in order to experience the true creative process. With Keri Smith’s unique sensibility, readers are introduced to a new way of art and journal making, discovering novel ways to escape the fear of the blank page and fully engage in the creative process.

So for anyone feeling remotely creative and who is in it for the long-haul, then this is a great project.

There are lots of other books in the series from Keri Smith, I quite like the look of ‘F_NISH TH_S B__K’ but maybe I should actually finish my own WIP first!

All books available through Amazon UK and US and local bookshops

To find out more about Keri Smith visit her website and blog

www.kerismith.com