Resources for Digital Art Journaling | Shops: some brief reviews

[This is one of a series of posts on resources for digital art journalers and collage artists.]

For another project, I spent some time looking at several digital scrapbooking shops, and thought some of my observations might be useful, especially for folks new to digital art journaling or collage, and looking for images to work with.

My comments are very brief, but should serve as an introduction, at least. This post is focused only on shops that provide at least some art journal, altered art, or collage-specific products and activities. There are many more shops that serve the digital scrapbooking world. 

Also, check out this post on Digital Art Journaling Resources at The Daily Digi.

First, some context: 

What's the difference between scrapbooking and art journaling? 

Briefly, scrapbooking usually includes photos, and is often about people and events other than the scrapbooker (though there is much effort to encourage scrapbookers to scrap more about themselves.) Art journaling may or may not include photos, and is about self-expression. Self-expression and/or art and design; art journalers do a wide range of work on this continuum. 

 

Is there overlap between the two? 

Absolutely. It's entirely possible to use scrapbooking elements on an art journal page, or art journal elements on a scrapbook page. Especially with art journaling, anything goes; you may use whatever you like, however you like. 

 

What are forums, challenges, and galleries, and why should I care?

Forums: Most digital shops have an online forum where digital designers and customers interact. Most have a few sections devoted to the shop and its products and designers; tips and tutorials; challenges and contests; and general conversation. Some forums are slow, some are very active. Forum participation is not required to be a customer, or to post to the gallery, but if you are a social person, or even just looking for more information about the hobby, a forum can be a fun place to be. 

Also, this world, nearly entirely female, is a happy, optimistic, supportive one. If you need some relief from the general crankiness of other online places, this will provide it. On the other hand, you may sometimes feel over-dosed on sweetness and  flee back to the darker corners of the interet.

Challenges: Most shops offer challenges to inspire their customers to actually use, not just collect, their products. Some challenges are very specific and require the use of shop products; some are more open-ended. Some offer freebies to challenge participants. I find challenges very helpful in giving me inspiration and new ideas for pages.

Galleries: Most shops provide an online gallery where customers can post their pages, and where designers' creative teams can show off what can be done with a particular kit. Most customers don't post their pages, and I didn't think I would when I began. But I do now. It's very rewarding to get and give encouraging comments, and it's inspiring to see what other folks are doing. 

Every shop has different forum and gallery guidelines regarding products, credits, and linking; be sure to find and read those before jumping in. An "open" gallery means that it's ok to post pages with products from other shops, but within the the guidelines specific to the gallery.

And now the shops, in alphabetical order:

 

Deviant Scrap  No art journaling category in the shop, but then, nearly everything there is usable for art journaling. There are categories for Art Dolls and ATC's (Artist Trading Cards.) Art journaling threads & challenges in the forum and an art journaling category in the gallery. Gallery rule: "ALL layouts must contain at least 50% DeviantScrap product."

Digital Scrapbook Place  This is a shop only, no forum or gallery. Yikes, I don't know how I missed them, but they are there, a forum with an art journaling thread and a gallery. The gallery seems to be open. There is an extensive Altered Art/ Art Journaling category in the shop. This shop is new to me, but the products look interesting. Thank you, Rikki, for the pointer.

e-scapeandscrap  Art journal products, but no forum or gallery? Am I missing it? UPDATED, thanks to Cynthia Taylor: there is no forum, but there is a message board. The board is, um, comatose, and won't load correctly in Chrome, though I got there with Firefox. The gallery (which I've linked since I couldn't find it on my own) has an Altered Art category, also very quiet. Still, these products are worth a look. I have purchased from here and not been disappointed. 

GoDigitalScrapbooking  There is an art journaling section in the shop (37 products today). Tons of challenges, only one (ATC Challenge Swap) seems to be art journalish. No art journal category in the gallery, and a quick look doesn't find any in recent weeks. It is an open gallery. (Note: this is, I think, a site for Christian scrappers.)

Jessica Sprague  Wow! Much more than I'd realized. Shop, gallery, and forum all have art journal sections. An open gallery, which I love; this makes a real difference for me (as a customer) because I like to mix kits & designers. Jessica Sprague is known for her digital skills classes, several of which I have taken and enjoyed.

Oscraps  In the shop, a category called "Altered Art/Collage" has quite a variety of styles; in the forum, Challenge #4 has been an art journal challenge for awhile; in the gallery, no specific art journaling gallery, but specific challenge galleries. Gallery guideline: "All layouts uploaded after February 1, 2012 must contain at least 1 Oscraps product." 

Outside the Box Studio  This is a single-designer shop dedicated to art journaling and faith journaling. The shop offers a wide range of art journaling products, and workshops. Given that it's a one-designer shop, and a fairly new one at that, the forum seems surprisingly active. Gallery rule: "All layouts posted in the OOo & Awe Gallery MUST have a minimum of 50% O.T.B.D.S. products."

Paula Kesselring, a go-to designer for art journalers, has opened her own shop. Paula is a well-established designer with a wide range of styles suitable for both digiscrapping and art journaling: vintage, retro, modern, and grunge. Because she has been designing for so long, I expect this shop to be well-stocked. There is no forum or gallery, but she will be offering challenges on the blog. She's also doing a photo-a-day challenge at Facebook. 

Pixels&Co  Interesting to me because, though there are several designers who make things attractive for art journalers, there is no art journaling category, so it takes some effort to find them. Their challenges (which are different than any I've seen elsewhere) all require use of a template: not so, my mistake. Slim forum, but then it's a new site. So new that I think they haven't found their identity yet. Some of their products make me think art journaling, but everything else says scrapbooking. Only three categories in the gallery: member, creative team, and challenge. Gallery rule: "... all layouts in our gallery must contain at least 25% P&Co products." 

Scrap Art Studio  Fairly new, I think? I like the products, though I tend to work a bit "darker" than this. Art Journaling category in the shop; art journaling challenges in the forum; challenge galleries (non art journaling-specific) in the gallery. Gallery seems to be open. The forum is different from any other I've seen - the software, I mean - so takes some getting used to. This shop is clearly interested in serving art journalers. [UPDATED 3/25/13: The forum has been updated & is now very like the others.]

ScrapbookBytes  There is an "altered art" category in the shop, not a lot there but it may be newish; there is a regular art journaling challenge in the forum; no art journaling category in the gallery, but specific challenge categories including the AJ ones. This may be an open gallery, I can't find anything that tells me one way or another. 

Scrapbookgraphics  The Queen of art journal sites, and not only because it's the home of the Art Journal Caravan. Nearly all SBG designers do at least some work that is usable for art journalers. An extensive Art Journal & Collage section in the shop. Aside from the Caravan, no specifically art journaling challenges in the forum, though some challenges are compatible. (Word has it that beginning in March 2013 there will be regular art journal challenges.) Also aside from the Caravan, no art journal category in the gallery. Specific challenge galleries, and one for "Art Challenges" and one for "Artist Trading Cards." It's an open gallery.

{scrapflower}  No art journal category in the shop, though a quick look shows several products that I would consider art journaling kits. They do five challenges a month, none of which seem to be art journal challenges. A quick look at the gallery shows scrapbooking. Gallery rule: "... layouts must contain some {scrapflower} product." This is a fairly new site (used to be CatScrap) which may be overlooking an opportunity to draw art journaling customers.

ScrapMatters  does have an art journaling category (not much there) in the shop,  but nothing in the forum or gallery. No art journal challenges, no art journal gallery. Kind of odd gallery guideline: "At least half of the layouts in your gallery must be created with at least one SM product." Hard to track, I'd think.

Scrap Orchard  There is an art journaling category in the shop, not a lot there & some is good & some is really scrapping; no art journal challenges in the forum; no art journal category in the gallery (now a "Pin" gallery, for which there is an art journal hashtag - I just searched on that tag and there is one post & I would say that's a scrapbook page.) Gallery rule: "All digital scrapbook layouts must contain at least one Scrap Orchard digital scrapbook product"

Sweet Shoppe  There is an art journal category in the shop, it's much like Scrap Orchard's; no art journal challenges in the forum (I confess that I've never figured out the challenges here); no art journal category in the gallery. Gallery rules: "... ask that you only post layouts on which you've used some Sweet Shoppe products. At this time, we do not have any specifics on the amount of SSD stuff we require."

The Lily Pad  No art journal category in the shop, but lots of art journal-style products. A neglected art journaling category/challenge thread in the forum. Art Journal category in the gallery. Gallery rule: "Layouts must include at least 50% TLP product."

Twisted Scrapper  This shop is entirely devoted to art journaling. There is no forum or gallery, but there are challenges on the blog. Don't overlook this shop, as I did when first writing this post (where is my brain?) I have used many of the products from this site. 

 

NOTE: The existence of an art journaling category in a gallery matters because it makes it so much easier for us to find each other's work. Also, some scrapbookers are quite hostile to art journaling, and consider it an infringement of sorts on their hobby. They are annoyed to stumble over art journal pages in a scrapbooking gallery. This is a long-standing discussion which I will not attempt to resolve here. 

AND ANOTHER NOTE: If I've overlooked a shop that you think should be included, please leave me note in comments and I will pay a visit. 

FINALLY: You really read this far?

[UPDATED 24 February 2013 to add Twisted Scrapper, Digital Scrapbook Place, GoDigital and {scrapflower}, with a few other updates and minor edits.]

[UPDATED 01 March 2013 to add Paula Kesselring.]

 

Graphics made with Spell With Flickr

Comments

[Susan aka suslyn]

Scrapflower which is a new version of Catscraps.

One Story Down if they come back...

[Susan aka suslyn]

godigitalscrapbooking

[Kovaxka]

Great post!

[sbpoet]

Susan, I did try Scrapflower but haven't been able to get to the forum or gallery in the past couple of days. I will add them when I can. Didn't think of Godigital, and will check them out, thanks.

[Vicki]

This was a very helpful descriptions of the available resources! Thanks for sharing!

[MrsPeel]

Sharon, this is a great, wonderful post!!!! some sites I had never heard of, others more familiar, and I love the way you have collected the info and explained in such wonderful manner, LOVE this!!!!!

[Kathryn]

Thanks for a great post. Very helpful, and I'll be sure to come back for more. I see you found the group, Digital Art Stuffage on FB.

[Rikki]

Definitely One story down when they re-open, especially with Fiddlette selling there (under Fiddlette and The Thinking Creative).
Digital Scrapbook Place does have a forum and gallery. They have been around for many years. http://digitalscrapbookplace.com/

[sbpoet]

Thank you, Rikki. I don't know how I missed that! I'll fix the post.

And be assured that I'm keeping an eye on One Story Down.

[Dalis]

I agree about loving the Art Journaling section for the gallery. It's a MUST in my opinion, to find inspiration when I am mojoless!

-- dalis