Starting An Art Journal

THE APPROACH:

Maybe you recognize this story: You want to start a creative endeavor. You see a video of someone (perhaps a trained artist) flipping through their beautiful, colorful, inventive art journal. Page after page there is something cool to look at, something new to admire. You’re motivated to make one of your own, and then confusion sets in about how to even start, followed immediately by feelings of inadequacy and self-doubt in your own ability to make something just as cool. 

The truth is making an art journal can be both easy and tough. This is what makes it a great modality for personal growth. The premise of art journaling is about freedom to express, permission to be messy, make mistakes, explore, discover…. And as lovely as that sounds, it’s not always easy to escape the pressures of perfectionism, excellence, and the judgment of “good” art (if there’s even such a thing).  

That’s why this blog exists, to offer you accessible prompts to guide you through starting an art journal. Because art journaling is not only about making aesthetically satisfying art, it can also be an opportunity to enhance your well-being. The prompts give you a starting point and the art-making process does the rest of the work if you’re willing to be present through the process and reflect on the journey. Together we can be candid about the ways art-making requires us to slow down, pay attention, respond to non-preferred outcomes, creatively problem-solve, and engage our intuition. 

THE SUPPLIES:

Creating an art journal does not require many supplies. Start with the basics and add on as your process and curiosity grow. I suggest starting with: 

• Journal

• Pen/Pencil

• Scissors

• Glue Stick

• Ruler or Straight-edge

• Multi-Colored Mark-Makers (ie: crayons, colored pencils, markers, paint pens) 

• Paper Odds-n-Ends (ie: magazine, construction paper, newspaper, ephemera)

Depending on your style, you may consider adding the following tools: 

• Craft Knife with Cutting Mat

• Liquid Glue

• Double-Sided Tape

• Glue Dots

• Stickers

• Acrylic Paint and Brushes

• Oil Pastels

THE JOURNAL:

Like It, Don’t Love It

When it comes to choosing a journal, the options can seem endless. Find something that inspires you, but be careful not to choose one that you hold too preciously. I prefer to like the design on the front of my journal but if I pick one that I treasure too much, I start to feel the pressure to only make “good” art so as not to “ruin” the amazing journal. Art journaling can get messy, it prioritizes process over product, and you want to give yourself the best shot at approaching your art journaling with openness and courage. So, find a journal design that embraces your playful and exploratory approach, or better yet, buy a plain journal and decorate the cover yourself. 

Paper, Paper, Paper

I suggest choosing a paper quality that is thick enough to contain heavier mediums such as paint and gobs of glue without ripping or seeping through. As a general rule, the heavier the paper (higher the gsm/lbs in weight) the thicker the paper. Mixed media paper is usually as thin as I’ll go. Another thing I like to opt for in an art journal is a dot grid. Even though I end up covering most of it, I like having the option of easily creating geometric shapes. Blank journals are probably easier to find and just as great. 

One Size Doesn’t Fit All

It’s helpful to practice creating on paper of various sizes in order to determine what size art journal you want to buy. Too little space and you may feel constricted and unsatisfied, too much room and you may feel overwhelmed and intimidated. Find a size that is approachable and motivating for you. I’m currently using a 5.5” x 8” journal. 

$ and Environment Conscious 

And if buying a new journal isn’t within your budget right now, no problem— use any paper that you have, cut it to your preferred size, and store them together in a folder or drawer. You can leave them in the folder, stick them in a binder, stitch-bind the pages, or hole punch and tie them together. Use found items from around your house like food packaging or nature items like leaves and petals to add texture and color to your art journal free of cost! 

Tip: Before buying a new journal, check its open-lay to make sure it lays reasonably flat while open. This is easily solved with a spiral binding if you like the look of it. 

Now let’s begin!