Supplies

Before viewing the videos posted on this site, it may be helpful to gather supplies and to begin thinking about your creative space. This information is meant to give you ideas, though you can dive right in without purchasing any supplies. There are no rules in art journaling, and I provide these as suggestions only.

• A journal (or not): If you like the idea of a journal, then starting with a journal with thick paper pages is nice. Here is one suggestion. If you don’t want to buy a journal, that’s fine too! You can use a blank card or piece of watercolor paper.

• A product that allows for adhesion and durability: I have used this product—a gel medium, similar to mod podge—since I was encouraged to buy it for my first art journaling class, and I think it’s worth the $10-13. It also lasts for a good long while, and this is what I’ll be using in our class—applied with a wide paint brush. However, if you are just getting started and want to use a heavy duty glue stick (like this one), that will work as long as you are working on a nice thick paper!

• Ephemera: Old magazines (gather several for variety), old coffee table books (if they are headed to the trash otherwise…), scrapbook or patterned paper, cards, postcards, ticket stubs, quotes, brochures or printed photographs, etc. Whatever you like. Gather materials you would otherwise discard or no longer use, so that you don’t mind tearing them up for reuse.

• Paint (and different size paint brushes): I use acrylic paints in red, blue, yellow, white and black. You might also want a place to mix them—like a shoe box lid or palette.

• Wax paper and/or baby powder: This helps prevent pages from sticking together as they dry.

• Whatever else that is your jam: Markers, gel pens, black pen or marker, charcoal smudging—anything that you enjoy!

A Personal Space for Creativity

Identify a place where you can get in touch with yourself and get messy. Pick a private spot or corner of your pad. Maybe you will light a candle or incense. Maybe you have a nice window with natural light. Maybe it’s your bedroom or a favorite chair where you feel most comfortable. I recommend having a hard surface to work on, but I have used a lap tray as well. You also want to be able to get a little messy. Set yourself up for easy clean up with a table cloth, wax paper, or a surface that’s already used for messy, crafty projects.

Other Resources

For more information about art journaling, this website is a great resource.

For more art journaling classes, an artist bybun has classes available for purchase on etsy and I enjoyed the one called “lyrical”.