The colors of the rainbow are red – orange – yellow – green – blue – indigo – purple

Writing and collage

1. Find 7 images of objects in magazines: 1 with each color of the rainbow.
2. For example, find a red one and cut the first red item you find in the magazine.
3. Find 1 object for each color and paste them in your diary.
4. Write a piece of story for each object. Can you connect these 7 objects together in one story? Start with the red object with “Once upon a time …”

“Life is like a rainbow: you need both the sun and the rain to make its colours appear.”

What if … you work with a child who cannot write? Then let the child tell the story.

TIP: Indigo can best be compared to apple blue sea green, but then darker. If you find it difficult to disassemble blue and indigo or you can’t find one of the two colors, take something blue and make your story 6 colors.

Important to know:

Working in a Creative Diary is NOT about results, it’s about expressing you inner self. It is NOT about techniques, techniques only help you to express yourself in more different ways. The exercises I give are an INVITATION, not an obligation. You can do the exercise, or not, you can do it differently, it’s at your choosing. The most important thing to remember is that you’re putting yourself and your (inner) world on paper, you are NOT making art. So feel inspired by images, but don’t compare yourself ! Fun and self-expression come first.

What do you need?

• markers
• coloured pencils
• writing materials
• scissors
• glue
• watercolour
• soft pastels
• oil pastels
• some magazines

And of course: a journal/diary. I recommend an 8,3 inches x 11,7 inches notebook (A4 format) with blank paper, but take whatever you find in your house. Blank papier is good too.

More information:

The exercises used in this Creative Diary are based on a method described by Lucia Capacchione, American art-therapist and author of the book The Creative Journal, by Anne-Marie Jobin, Canadian art-therapist and author of the soon to be coming book The New Creative Journal, and myself, Sarah Timmermans, Belgian art-therapist and psychologist (Dutch book: Het Creatieve Dagboek). The method blends knowledge from writing therapy, art-therapy, psychology and basic creativity. It’s a simple method that doesn’t requires any artistic skills and has been used with many ages, many individuals and many groups of people. More questions? Please write me.

Who am I?

I’m Sarah Timmermans, Belgian art-therapist, naturopath and psychologist. I’m trained by Jungian art-therapist/psychologist Csilla Kemenzcei. I work with individuals and with groups. I’m specialised in using diaries, tarot (archetypes) and dreams.