Writing and drawing in a journal is a great way to relax and reduce your anxiety during this difficult period.

If you want to keep an illustrated journal, I can help, since I just taught a class for Miracosta on Watercolor Journaling. The class notes are closeby and the topic is fresh in my mind. Its easy to get started watercolor journaling since all you need is a pen or pencil, something to add color to your drawings (optional) and paper.

Keep it simple and make mistakes is the best advice I can give you. If you make things to complicated you’ll never start this journal. If you don’t let yourself make mistakes you will stop or never start. Mistakes are a big part of the learning curve, so make a lot of them.

Here is how to make a very easy journal. Lay 4-6 sheet of paper on top of one and other and fold in half to make a booklet with two sided pages. Either staple your pages in the middle or top or get out a needle and thread and sew it with a quick stitch.

Grab your pencil and draw a border around your page, because journal pages look better and neater with a border containing them. There are some easy border examples posted below.
Put a title on your page in big enough print so it stands out. You decide how big it needs to be, because you are the boss of this page, so use your style and taste. Remember your title needs to be simple, it can be TUESDAY, if its Tuesday …. also add the date including month and year . * If you have one of those date stamps around the house collecting dust, you can use it now!
Decide on how much writing and how much drawing you want to include on your page. Again, this is a personal choice, so if you are a “writer” you can write as much as you like and if you are not a “writer” its fine to write abbreviated thoughts, not even in full sentences, just get something down to record your feelings and or thoughts at this moment in time.
If you give your writing some light pencil guidelines like the guidelines we used in 1st grade, the writing will look neater and better. If you want a more professional handwriting or printing, google a font website and print out the alphabet and use this as a guide for the writing.
To design your page, look at the arrangements below. However, any arrangement is fine, a big drawing in the middle with writing around it, or 2 squares of drawing next to two squares of writing, etc.
Drawing - if you are drawing something you are looking at, the contour or semi blind contour method of drawing is easiest for beginners. Just move your pencil on your paper simultaneously as your eyes move around the object you are looking at. If you like you can look at your drawing from time to time and draw over a line you want to correct, but don’t start erasing. This method of drawing looks “wonky” but it definately records what you are seeing and improves with practice.
If you want to go over your pencil lines with ink and add color, go ahead. If you are using watercolor paint, make sure your ink is waterproof or add it over your dry paint.

The Sunday L.A. Times had two articles about keeping a journal during a time of crisis. The first article talked about several people currently who had started journals to record their experiences with the Corona Virus and their quarantine. The second article was in the Art and Books section and talked about a series of illustrated journals done in Mexico during the 1500’s by people who were sequestered in a convent to record the events.

Example of a free font you can use for journal titles etc.