Harness your creativity by expressing it on the page. An art journal is a fun way to hone your drawing, writing, painting, or collage-making skills. And it’s a piece of art all your own! It can be as neat or as messy as you want. Invest in a notebook or make your own. Let’s explore some of your options right now—here’s the beginner’s guide to starting an art journal.
Gather Your Tools
What kind of artist are you? Different supplies and types of paper serve you in different disciplines. For the detailed illustrator, a basic sketchbook will give you sturdy paper to practice with. If you like to get messy when you’re creating, watercolor paper is a safe bet. It’s designed to stand up to lots of moisture.
Grab your favorite supplies, too. If cutting and pasting pictures from magazines is therapeutic to you, keep a pair of scissors and high-quality glue in your kit. Dress up your collages by securing them with colorful washi tape.
Make It Yourself
For additional customization, look into bookbinding techniques to make your own journal. When you bind your own book, you can mix and match colors and styles of paper. Create your journal from the ground up, so to speak. Each page will be its own masterpiece.
When you bind your book, think about how you’re going to use it. If you’re the one-page-at-a-time type, choose your pages and have them spiral-bound. But if you’re creating landscapes and interactive pages, try stitching them together along the spine. That way, your journal will lay flat.
Create a Routine
Art journaling can be therapeutic for many people who struggle with stress. Decompress after school by opening up your art journal and filling in a few blank pages. Get into the habit of journaling every day! Whether it’s a detailed comic or a page spattered with acrylic paint, creating something on a blank page is good for your mental health.
Do something in your art journal every single day. After two or three months, the habit will be automatic—and your journal will probably be full. Start anew by returning to step one and picking up or creating a whole new book.
Keeping a journal of any kind is good for your mind. Whether you keep a detailed bullet journal or a splashy art journal, fill up at least one blank page every day. Take pride in your masterpieces! With this beginner’s guide to starting an art journal, you’ll pick it up quickly. Soon, you won’t be a beginner anymore!