I only recently discovered my love for art journaling – and it was quite by accident. Everyone was journaling in their planners and travelers notebooks, and I loved it, but when I tried everything bled through – so what started as a search for an insert with thick pages landed me in a sea of bookmarks for beginner art journaling tips for art journaling and a few great supplies. If you’ve never tried it, oh do, do absolutely try it – it’s such a stress reliever and I can’t imagine a week going by where I don’t end up with ink stained hands and a new page in my journal.

That being said, I’ve stumbled on a few great beginner art journaling tips that I’d love to share with you here – though remember, a pro I am not – I’m new in this too and as time goes on, the list of tips will grow (on other posts, I’m sure) but until then – if you’re new to this fun creative outlet, here’s a few tips to get you going!

Beginner Art Journaling Tips

Start with the basics

You don’t need a ton of supplies for beginner art journaling. In fact, a good set of markers and a sketch book can go a long way. If you have $50 to spend, I suggest a good art journal with thick pages, a heat tool (for quicker drying) a thing of matte gesso and some of the .79 each acrylic paints. Oh – and a cheap paint brush, but NOT a foam/sponge brush.

Don’t have a plan

Seriously, it blows the whole point of art journaling – just free flow and find out what happens!

Protect your pages

Though art journal pages are thick, the paints do still bleed through in the seems, etc – I use a cut brown paper bag between pages to ensure that there isn’t any mess/bleeding.

Follow the pros

I’d love you to subscribe to me on Youtube, but I’m not a pro – instead, search art journalers and find ones whose styles fit you – get ideas and inspiration but don’t try to copy – again, that just blows the fun 🙂 Find Pinterest boards that inspire you as well – sometimes I look at these when I’m having trouble breaking the page.

Use household items

Toilet paper rolls for flowers, coffee filters and tissue paper for texture…. think outside of the box when it comes to your journaling.

Date it

Creatively or with a stamp, date it – you’ll want to see how far you’ve come on your work. There are two pages I didn’t date and I wish I had, it would have helped me to know when this crazy obsession with art journaling actually started.

Write, if you can

If it’s in you – write! There’s a art journaler on youtube that always writes on her pages and I absolutely adore it. What a way to just leave a little memory or get something from your heart in to print.

Anything goes

Markers, pencils, watercolors, die cuts, magazine cut outs, brads, eyelets and other embellishments, threads, twine, household items. Do not limit yourself. Try something new on every page.

The most important thing to remember about art journaling is that it’s an open time to create without thinking. Whatever color you slap on the page first likely won’t even be able to be seen by the time you finish your creative process so just let loose and let go of the thoughts and be amazed at what ends up on the page.