This week, I am getting ready to teach a class on art journaling this week at the Rivet in State College, PA! I’m really excited about this class, as I feel art journaling relies on intuition and play, rather than focusing on learning or mastering technical skills.
I journal…a lot. Every day, when I wake up, I try to do something creative before I use my phone or start to get consumed with the tasks of the day. Sometimes my journaling is primarily writing focused, jotting down things I need to get done for the day, recapping my very detailed and bizarre dreams, or just having a stream of consciousness about whatever topic pops in my head.
But sometimes, my journaling includes both writing and creating art. My primary art practice is watercolor, but there is something totally freeing and beautiful about sitting down with a blank journal page and having zero expectations about the end result.
What is art journaling?
Art journaling is a creative and introspective practice that combines visual art and journaling. It involves using various art materials like paints, markers, collage, and more to express your thoughts, emotions, and experiences in a visual format. Unlike traditional journals, art journals incorporate images, colors, and textures alongside written words. It's a personal and flexible form of self-expression that allows you to explore your inner world in a unique way.
To me, the most exciting thing about art journaling is that there are no wrong answers, there are no expectations, and there is complete freedom to create whatever you want. My approach to art journaling is built totally on intuition, using whatever calls to me and doing whatever feels right.
What are the mental health benefits of art journaling?
One of the core values of Kaleidoscope PA is that the very act of creating art is beneficial for our mental health and wellbeing. I'm convinced that art journaling is THE most powerful art creation tool that we have that can improve mental health.
I’m a researcher at heart, so I did some literature searches this morning to learn more about studies that have explored the mental health benefits of art journaling. There are so many! For a future blog, I might dig in a bit more deeply on some specific studies to share. In the meantime, the research supports that visual journaling can reduce stress and anxiety, help with emotional expression, lead to interesting self-awareness, boost self-esteem, and cope with trauma. I was very curious about the studies that show that visual journaling can be beneficial for adolescents experiencing depression and veterans who have experienced trauma.
The very act of creating has power, that I don’t think many people realize.
What materials do I need for art journaling?
You don’t need a ton of supplies to get started with art journaling! You can use absolutely anything you have in your home already, whether it’s markers, crayons, or even just a pencil or pen. Use whatever you have!
That being said, I have a minor addiction to buying art supplies, so I do have some favorite materials that I like to use. First off, you need some kind of paper surface. I have a couple of sketchbooks that I use. But my personal favorite is a mixed media journal that can hold up to a variety of fluid art supplies. The journal that I’ve had the most success with is the Mixed Media Journal by Carpe Diem. The paper is thick enough that paint doesn’t leak through to the other side. I would recommend covering each page with gesso first to make it a bit stiffer and to reduce the absorbency of the paper even more.
You’ll also need scissors or a craft knife. After my son had a minor incident with a craft knife that involved a trip to the doctor and some liquid stitches, I typically opt for scissors. Much less stressful for me!
After you have your journal and a cutting tool, anything goes! Collage, paint, stencils, dried flowers, fabric, stickers markers, pens…you name it! There is freedom to use whatever you want! Sometimes that freedom can be overwhelming to new artists, who prefer to have some structure when they’re learning. For my classes, I focus on one prompt or focus area and learning one art technique. For example, during an upcoming workshop, we will focus on gratitude as a focus area and Lunar Paste as the art technique. What is Lunar Paste? Just the most satisfying paint-like goop (great explanation, right?) to use with stencils in journals! I would say it's a cross between acrylic paint and cake icing!
An example from my art journal!
For my example that I share here, I chose to focus on my gratitude for my own art journey, which has changed my life in the past few years. I chose not to add much text for this particular entry, mostly because I plan to share this in public while I am teaching.
As I scanned through my materials, I was drawn to certain words relating to art and to collage paper that showed a copper teal patina. Teal and orange are my favorite color combination, so this doesn’t surprise me. I think there are some deeper meanings that I have that rust, something that is undesirable most of the time, can be turned into something beautiful...but I’ll save some of my other personal observations for my private journal practice!
My initial layer included some teal ink and some gorgeous metallic rust watercolor by Finetec. I very loosely applied the ink and the watercolor. Pro tip: If you choose to use watercolor, try not to use too much water since we're not using watercolor paper.
I then added some various pieces of torn and cut collage paper, using whatever called to me in the moment. Then I added the icing on the cake, Lunar Paste Traffic Cone and some gold lines and dots. The Lunar Paste does actually feel like icing a cake when I’m using it! It's super easy to apply. Here are the steps I used: 1) Tape the stencil onto the page with washi tape and keep it pressed down as much as possible, 2) apply the Lunar Paste to a palette knife, 3) scrape the paste onto the stencil, and 4) gently remove the stencil from the paper. Pretty easy, right? My only suggestion would be to try not to have the paste get underneath the stencil (been there, done that). It just makes it look a bit messier. Using the washi tape and making sure the stencil is firmly pressed to the paper will help with that.
I think the stencil butter and some gold marks throughout helps to bring unity to the page. See a quick video on the process of stencil butter on Instagram.
Here's the final piece! Is it a masterpiece? Perhaps not. Do I love it? YES! I already can't wait to work on another piece. It took me about an hour to make my page, but it was an hour of joy that flew by.
Interested in learning more about art journaling?
If you're local to central PA, consider signing up for a class at the The Rivet. If you're not local to central PA, stay tuned! I plan to write a few more entries about the benefits of art journaling and some additional ideas for methods. Feel free to send me a note and let me know what you're interested in learning more about!
-Sarah (and Maya the GSP, featured below)
Kaleidoscope PA
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