How to Start an Art Journal

In this post, I’m going to share my tips for how to start an art journal! Art journaling has been part of my creative process for years. Today, I’ll walk you through what an art journal is, the benefits of keeping one, and how to start one. I’ll even share some art journal prompts so you can get started right away!

What is an art journal?

Let’s start with the basics - A traditional journal is a place for you to capture your ideas and feelings in writing. Many people keep journals to help them work through their thoughts and emotions. An art journal is a combination of a traditional journal and a place to capture your creative ideas.

Think of it as part sketchbook, part written journal. An art journal gives you space to express yourself and share your thoughts, feelings, and inspiration through words and art. It’s a place to play, learn, and explore without the pressure of feeling like you have to create something perfect.

Keeping an art journal can help you stick to a consistent creative practice all while learning more about yourself. It can be an amazing tool for growth both as a person and as an artist!

The benefits of art journaling

Judgement-free
An art journal gives you a safe space to share your emotions and your creativity without judgment from others. You don’t have to create a masterpiece. The only goal is to create consistently. This helps you overcome the fear of the blank page when you set out to make your next piece of artwork.
Get consistent with creativity
Using your art journal, even if you just make a few doodles or jot down a few notes will help you strengthen your creative practice. It helps you form the habit of creativity and over time your skills will improve as you keep playing and practicing.
Learn about yourself
Art journaling helps you learn more about yourself. Taking time to write down your goals and thoughts will bring more awareness to what you’re trying to accomplish and you’ll be more likely to take action towards what you want!
Find inspiration in yourself
As you start to create more and more, you can start to turn to yourself for inspiration. Most beginner artists gather inspiration from their favorite artists, but as you start to create a body of work in your art journal, you can flip through it for inspiration and use your own creativity as inspiration for future works!

Overcoming the fear of the blank page

I know that it can feel intimidating to start something like this. You may be wondering “What do I even draw or write?!” I totally understand! I’ve been there!

While you definitely can start an art journal in a blank sketchbook, it’s understandable that that might be confusing for some people. Enter, guided art journals. A guided art journal is like a creative workbook with prompts and exercises to guide you every step of the way.

Art journaling has been so impactful for me, that I wanted to put together some of my favorite creative exercises and prompts in one book. And so The Bright Book was born! If you’re struggling to keep up with a creative habit or want some gentle guidance to start your art journaling journey this book is for you!

In this book, you’ll be guided through pages of journal prompts and creative exercises. You’ll even create a vision board and learn how to build your confidence as a creative. If you want an extra helping hand to help guide you along your creative journey, you’ll find that in The Bright Book!

Get the bright book

How to start an art journal

Whether you use a guided art journal or start one on your own, there are a few key things to remember when art journaling.

Embrace imperfection

Set the expectation from the start that your art journal is a safe place. You don’t have to use this to create anything that anyone else will see. Let yourself open up fully to get the full impact of art journaling!

Lean into your curiosity

Curiosity is a great tool for creatives. Staying open-minded and curious has the potential to open up new doors and opportunities. Get curious when you’re journaling. Ask questions, and follow what intrigues you.

Try new things and PLAY!

As you’re following your curiosity, allow yourself to try new things. Your art journal is the perfect place to mix it up. Try new techniques, play with color, and explore how it feels to journal about your dreams and goals. There are so many benefits to playing as an artist. I believe in the power of play so much that I wrote a whole blog post about it!

Art Journal Prompts:

Ready to start your art journal? Use these prompts to kick things off!

Make a list of things, people, and places that inspire you
Journal on this question: What fears are holding you back from expressing yourself?
Create something with a new-to-you medium
Take one small moment of your day and turn it into art (i.e. If you went on a walk and saw a beautiful flower or leaf - capture it in your art journal!)

I hope that this inspires you to start an art journal practice. Remember, if you’re feeling stuck wondering how to even get started, I’d suggest using a guided creative workbook to help you out. This will help you loosen up since all you have to do is follow along with the prompts!

There are lots of books like this that you can choose from, so pick one that speaks to you. The Bright Book focuses on the joy of the artistic process and includes prompts and topics like: