Getting Into Art Journaling

Della Fisher, Staff Writer|June 5, 2020

This is a photo of one of my art journal pages where I only used collage on the left and used a mix of collage, drawing, paint, and sequins on the right.

Art journaling has taken over on social media platforms like Instagram, Tik Tok, and YouTube. Art journaling is the perfect project for anyone who wants to experiment with different art styles.

When starting art journaling, it can look super intimidating, but being brave and trusting the process will help you so much. You can fill an art journal with anything you want–from collage, drawings, writing, and things like paintings. I love finding crazy things to cut out and add to my journal–things like picture books or packaging I have saved. 

You can really make an art journal out of any journal you have, but I recommend the Moleskine Art Collection Sketchbook. This journal is my number one choice because of the hardcover and the quality of the pages. The pages in this journal are designed for anything you want to put on it from watercolor paints to hot glue; it can handle almost anything without causing the pages to warp.

(link to sketchbook: https://us.moleskine.com/en/sketchbook-blue/p1207?ftm=8058341715611&gclid=EAIaIQobChMImYyOxaLV6QIVUL7ACh1CbQEmEAQYAiABEgIlXfD_BwE)

On this art journal page I only used black pen and different colored washable markers.

The things you can create in your art journal are truly unlimited, which is one of the best parts of having an art journal. Some people decide to create journals or journal spreads around certain themes like nature or whatever you’re interested in. I find inspiration for my journal from Pinterest or YouTube. On YouTube, there are tons of tutorials or videos like journal flip throughs where you get a tour of completed journals. These tutorials are super helpful when getting the hang of the art journal.

Having an art journal is not only a fun hobby, but it is a great way of experimenting and growing your art skills. Having an art journal has been really helpful in deciding what art I want to create into a bigger piece. You can use the art journal as a place to think out and test run an idea before putting it into a more serious form. 

Art journals are the perfect hobby for anyone who loves crafts or creating art. Art journals are great for expressing yourself and showing off who you are. Making an art journal really helped me think more creatively and improve my art skills.