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It might be surprising to realize that art journals for beginners are not just for beginners. Do you know someone who creates? They have an art journal, even if they don’t call it that. Almost every creative has a sketchbook where they write down ideas and try designs and colors. An art journal is a great place to try out inspirations before you begin working on an actual piece of art.
The fun thing is that now art journals are an art form all on their own merit. It’s a great place to try new ideas, products, colors, and inspirations. It also has the advantage that if you make a mistake, it’s easy to tear out that page and start a new one.
Where Do I Start?
Art journals for beginners are also a great place to start creating. They are small projects that don’t take a lot of supplies or time. If you really like what you did, you can recreate the project on a bigger, more permanent scale. Then again, you can also just enjoy having some really great pages in your art journal. How To Learn To Be An Artist When You Think You Aren’t Creative
Regardless, the first thing to know is that art journals for beginners are no different from any other art journal. All have the purpose of trying new things, working on a small project, and having a great place to express your inspirations. The “for beginners” part is just knowing where to start. We’ve got that mapped out for you. Just keep reading.
Art Journals For Beginners-Step #1-Pick A Journal.
An art journal can be anything you say it is. Many times, kids will start with a spiral notebook or three-ring binder. The point of the journal is that it holds what you make. However, let’s set you up for success. You will try new types of pens and inks, maybe even paints. So, you need a journal that stuff won’t bleed or leak into your other pages.
Some people like to start with a small journal. Others feel that they need room to try things out. The nice thing about a larger page is if you are genuinely just trying some ideas, you can try a few different things on the same page.
We really like this one. At 8.3’ x 8.3’, it is a nice middle of the way size. It’s bleed-proof, so your work will stay on the page you are on and not bleed into the next page (which is annoying and wasteful). With 60 pages, it is a suitable thickness that will give you plenty of room to play, but also small enough that you can fill this one and start another pretty easily. This is handy when you switch themes, mindsets, messages, or inspirations. Click here to check them out.
One of our other favorite art journals is Distinctively Dylusional: A Guide to Art Journaling by Dyan Reaveley.
Art Journals For Beginners-Step #2-Pick A Theme Or Message.
Art journals for beginners often start as a mishmash of trial and error. That’s not a bad thing. The pages you create with a beginner’s mind may become some of your favorite and cherished pieces. So it’s okay to have entire journals with color swatches, pages with different types of ink, cutouts from magazines, doodles, and scribbles. If that is what your art journal looks like, congratulations! You are on your way to being an artist.
However, you may find a theme or message gathering. You might realize you have made four pages of flowers, and more are coming from your imagination. If that happens organically, let that awesomeness flow! You can also intend a theme or a message. How To Learn To Be An Artist When You Think You Aren’t Creative
In that case, pick what you want this journal to be about. You can create an art journal about a particular trip down Route 66. You can create an art journal about your herb and flower gardens. You can create an art journal of nothing but words and random doodles in different colored ink. What is it that excites you right now? What is it you are trying to express? That’s what that particular art journal is about.
Oh, And Try These.
Just like you want paper that doesn’t bleed, you also want waterproof pens that don’t bleed into your other pages. These pens are a solid go-to every time. They are great for doodling and wordplay. They are also waterproof and great for outlining and defining splashes of color. Try all the different size tips. They will quickly add depth to your work that looks artistic, expressive, and…fun. Click here to check them out.
Art Journals For Beginners-Step #3-Pick Your Tools.
Remember your first coloring books. Part of the fun was new crayons and picking out your colors. It’s the same for art journals for beginners. This is a place where people get stuck because they don’t know what to pick. They are afraid of buying the wrong thing or using the wrong tool. There’s no such thing. Anything you like is okay to use. How To Learn To Be An Artist When You Think You Aren’t Creative
“But I don’t know what I like!” is a common issue. This is where it’s fun to borrow other people’s tools or at least other people’s recommendations. There are all sorts of social media groups that talk about art journaling, doodling, painting, and glue books (which is gluing magazine pictures in journals).
Everyone loves sharing their newest find, and the cheaper, the better. But also pay attention when you meet someone who shows up to a meeting with a pen box or seems to have a big thing for paper. These are your people. Ask about what they like and what else they have used in pens, markers, glues, and maybe even paints. It’s like a favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe. People love to share.
We are excited to give you a few of our favorite ideas here. These brushes are great for beginners who are used to holding a pen and unsure what to do with a paintbrush. They are also great for small detail work. The little nubs make it easy to maintain a steady hand. Click here to check them out.
Art Journals For Beginners-Step #4-Mix It Up And Try New Stuff.
The fascinating thing about art journals is each page is a mini canvas, a new little project. So, it’s the perfect place to try new tools, tips, and techniques. If you like it, do it again, if you don’t tear out that page. It never happened.
These watercolor crayons will open up new worlds for your creative thoughts. First off…they are crayons. Everyone knows how to color…everyone…right? Well, with these, you can just color like you did when you were five. But then you can run a wet brush over that color, and it becomes jewel-toned watercolor paint.
It’s the easiest way to learn watercolor ever. You can draw simple things like a flower or a circle. Outline the flower with the watercolor crayon. Then, brush over your drawing with a wet brush, giving a lovely shadow and light effect. How To Learn To Be An Artist When You Think You Aren’t Creative
You can also put a wet brush directly on the crayon to use them like the professional watercolor you get out of a tube. Faber-Castell is a very reputable company that makes good quality art supplies. Even kids can use these, so they are perfect for beginners, but adult artists also use them. Click here to check them out.
These watercolor brushes are great for beginners and are very portable for taking your art journal anywhere. Just fill the tube with water, and you have a watercolor brush full of water wherever you go. With three sizes, you can make all kinds of cool things. Click here to check them out.
Art Journals For Beginners-Step #5-Find Some Inspiration (Hint: It’s Everywhere!)
Yes, there are times that artists find inspiration in the perfect tree, a sunrise, or their cat curled up on the back of the couch. But often, they are inspired by other people’s work. That doesn’t mean copying what other people make. It means being inspired by what they make and thinking, “But if I made this, I would change this thing and do this color and do this.”
Other artists are a constant inspiration for other artists. They then find a way to create their version of what they observe. These are 2 of our favorite magazines for inspiration. Yes, they are a bit pricey, but they are magazines you don’t just read and toss in the recycle bin. With no ads that aren’t about art (and only a few of those), these take a while to read. Once you’ve taken it all in, you will want to keep these as a reference and inspiration. They make an excellent collection for your art library.
Click here to get Art Journaling by Somerset Studio
Click here to get The Painted Art Journal: 24 Projects For Creating Your Visual Narrative.
Art Journals For Beginners-Step #6- Have Fun And Play!!
As children, we learn that we can’t play until we finish our chores. The problem is that no one told us that in the process of “adulting” correctly, the chores are never done. There is always one more chore that you could finish. If we finish everything on today’s list, we will think about how to get a headstart on tomorrow’s chores. What?!?!
We can’t help but think of a story a friend told us about her daughter. She had previously gone to kindergarten, which only lasted a half day. She was home by lunch with a nap following and playtime after that. This year, she would start first grade, which lasted a full school day.
After the second day of not getting home till the afternoon, she asked Momma when she would return to her old schedule with naptime and playtime. Momma explained that this was how it worked now. She would be at school all day, come home, have a snack, and could play only after she got her homework done. The adorable little girl put her hand on her hip and said with the sweetest little voice, “Who the hell signed me up for this?”
Be Your Favorite Grown-up.
Yes, that is what being a grown-up can feel like. But don’t forget, YOU are the grown-up now. You get to choose and decide what is essential. We hope you can fit some nap time in there, but you must find some playtime. It sounds frivolous and maybe even decadent, but your soul and brain need it.
Schedule playtime, fun time, and creativity time just like you figure out how to get to the gym and the grocery store. You will be amazed how much more you get done in your adulting time. You will be more focused and energized because you fed the part of you that genuinely NEEDS to play.
One of the quickest ways to get most people into a playful mood is color. Sneak in some doodle time or some adult coloring. These pens are a terrific way to play when you don’t have time to play. They are also perfect for art journaling and have so many colors (always good for inspiration). These are also great for adult coloring books, which can also make great pages for your art journal. Click here to get your’s.
Art Journals For Beginners Starts With…Beginning
That means…just get started. Art journaling is about carefree creating without fussing with canvas and complicated materials. Just draw, doodle, paint, color, cut out pictures, and glue them in. Write your favorite quote or your latest life understanding. If you don’t like a page, tear it out. If you love it, turn the page and start another cool one. Everyone can art journal, and You’ve Got This!
Pixi-Pebbles for discovering Art Journals For Beginners…
We’ve used these little Pixi-Pebbles to move ourselves from a feeling we’re not enjoying very much…to a feeling that helps us discover our vision of intention, awareness, and direction.
They lead us to hope, possibilities, and a fire under our butt to live life by design instead of default.
In our blog, You’re Gonna Love Amazing Art Journals For Beginners In 6 Easy Steps, here is a Pixi-Pebble that came to mind…
Just a little inspiration to get you from here to there…
We love nature and watching everything come to life in nature. Its one of the best inspirations for our art journaling. When we can’t watch it in real life we turn to one of our favorite things…4k videos. If you’re looking for some inspiration to get started with your art journal… click here to the Bloom Dance video of flowers doing what they do best…blooming.
