The Beginners Guide to starting an art journal
“Why would I want to start an Art Journal?” was the first question my daughter asked when we started homeschooling, the one thing we did every day and in every class was to add a journal, this allowed us to keep track of our thoughts and progressions through the weeks.
I noticed that when my daughter could get things out of her head she wasn’t thinking, mulling over or stressing about it for the rest of the day. As we moved along on our journey our journals become more ARTY we doodled, we sketched and we mind mapped and we truly had fun.
Not only did we do it for classes, we added a daily gratitude an dreams and goals journals.
“This post contains affiliate links, which means I receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you, if you make a purchase using this link. Please see my disclosure for more details.”
What is Art Journalling.
Art Journals are a combination of ART and Journals, it is as simple as it sounds. Anyone can do it! There are no rights or wrongs.
You can take 5 minutes a day or as long as you wish to spend on your art work, it doesn’t need to use loads of equipment and you certainly don’t need to write pages and pages.
How to get started with ARt Journals
Grab a book, it can be a simple notebook or a beautiful watercolour journal. We make our own with our favourite papers and I have an altered book! What’s an altered book I hear you ask? It is an old book I found in a book exchange and I then alter the pages to suit….
Start an Art Journal practice daily
2. Decide what you are going to use – collage papers, drawing with pens or pencils, watercolour, acrylic paints or gouache. There are so many options!
3. Gather your supplies together- pens, paints, papers, crayons, pastels, inks
4. Create a beautiful space so you can relax and enjoy the process and keep all your supplies together for easy access. Your space could be a desk in the corner of your bedroom or sitting under a tree in the garden. Where do you feel safe and calm.
5. Create a background on your page – you can use papers as a collage or paint the back ground.
6. Add your next layer – marks, shapes, words and date the page.
It really is that simple…….. Just remember there are no rules!
Tips for Success in Art Journals
The best tip I was given when I first started was journal daily.
Five minutes a day is better then an hour per month.
Common Questions About Art Journals
It is so expensive having all those art supplies
You don’t need any special art supplies you just need a book and pencil to start. Some of the doodle pages I have created are my most magical, Minimal Magic!
how old can the kids start
My 2 year old grand daughter loves to paint with her GG! I just help to write dates on the page.
What if I am not arty
The best thing about a journal is that you are not creating an Art piece to go on the wall, you are letting the flow just flow. It really does not matter what the journal looks like as it is for you and you don’t need to show anyone if you don’t want to.
i really have no idea what to write about
You can start with a Who, What, where, When or 3 things I am grateful for today. Go on a walk and see, hear, smell and touch when you return or sit under a tree and draw it. To do list, bucket lists, the books you want to read or the movies you want to watch. There are no rules and no secret formats. You can do what ever makes you happy today. We have an online course called The Art of Authenticity to dig deeper into journals
can i buy a ready made ART journal
There are so many out there already to buy and waiting for you, one of my daughters favourites is from Big Life Journal.
Another option is a digital planner to start with and then branch off into the decorating.
taking a walk in nature sparks interest for our Nature journal.
The Last Thing You Need to Know about art JOurnals
The amazing benefits of the mind and body I have received since beginning my daily journal practice are truly beneficial. I was so stressed and my mind never stopped, simply sitting taking a few slow breaths in and out and then picking my paintbrush up gave me the peace and calm I needed to then attack those emails and phone calls again.
Join us for our 30 day Art Journal challenge it is a great way to start, we start on August 1st.
Comments