Art journal ideas are one of those things where you start looking for inspiration and three hours later you’re covered in paint with a pile of magazine clippings and no regrets. That’s kind of the whole point. Art journaling is the most freeing form of paper crafting out there – there are genuinely no rules, no layouts to follow, no photos to mat. Just you, some supplies, and whatever comes out.
If you’ve been doing junk journals or scrapbooking and want something with zero pressure and maximum creative expression, art journals are where it’s at. I keep one next to my desk and honestly some of my best pages happened when I was just messing around with leftover kit supplies.
Here’s everything I know about making art journal pages that actually look good (even when you think they don’t).
What Is Art Journaling?
An art journal is a blank book where you create visual pages using any combination of paint, collage, stamps, ink, markers, and whatever else you feel like throwing at it. Some pages have words. Some don’t. Some are beautiful and some are gloriously messy. That’s the whole appeal.
The difference between an art journal and a junk journal comes down to intent. Junk journals lean into found materials and ephemera as decoration. Art journals are more about the process – the act of making something on the page. There’s overlap for sure (mixed media lives in both worlds), but art journaling tends to be more experimental and less about documenting memories.
People come to art journaling for different reasons. Some use it as a creative outlet after a stressful day. Others use it to practice techniques before trying them on a scrapbook layout. And some people just really enjoy the feeling of putting paint on paper without worrying about whether it’s “good enough.”
Art Journal Ideas for Beginners
If you’ve never made an art journal page before, start simple. Seriously. The biggest mistake beginners make is trying to create a masterpiece on page one. Your first ten pages exist so you can figure out what you like.
Start with a Background
Every art journal page starts with the background. Grab some acrylic paint (craft acrylics are fine – you don’t need the expensive stuff) and cover your page. Use a big brush, a brayer, even a credit card. Layer two or three colors that go together. Let it dry. That’s already a page you can build on later.
If paint feels intimidating, start with patterned paper instead. Glue a piece of scrapbook paper across the whole page. Now you’ve got a background and it took thirty seconds.
Collage Pages
Collage is the easiest entry point into art journaling. Cut images from magazines, old books, junk mail, printed ephemera – literally anything with pictures. Arrange them on your page. Glue them down. Add some washi tape borders or torn paper strips around the edges. Done.
The beauty of a collage art journal is that you don’t need any special skills. If you can use scissors and a glue stick, you can make a collage page. Layer things up. Let edges overlap. Don’t worry about being neat.
Prompt-Based Pages
Sometimes the hardest part is deciding what to put on the page. That’s where prompts come in – we’ve got a whole collection of art journal prompts to get you started. Pick a word like “home” or “energy” or “Tuesday” and make a page about it. Use colors that feel right. Add images that connect to the word. Write the word somewhere on the page in big letters. Prompts take the decision-making out of it and let you focus on creating.
Mixed Media Art Journal Techniques
This is where art journaling gets really fun. Mixed media means combining different materials on one page – paint plus paper plus stamps plus texture. It sounds chaotic but that’s what makes it work.
Layering Paper and Paint
Start with a painted background. While it’s still slightly tacky, press pieces of tissue paper into the paint. The tissue wrinkles and absorbs the color and creates this gorgeous organic texture. Once it’s dry, add another layer of paint on top – just partially, so the tissue paper texture shows through. Keep building layers until you’re happy.
Scrapbook paper works too. Tear (don’t cut) pieces of patterned paper and glue them over your painted background. The torn edges blend better than clean cuts. Paint over parts of the paper to integrate it with the background.
Adding Texture with Gesso and Paste
White gesso is your best friend in art journaling. It’s basically a white primer that you can paint or stamp over. Use it to:
- Create a smooth white base on any page
- Partially cover up a page you don’t like (just gesso over parts of it and start again)
- Add texture by applying it thickly with a palette knife
- Tone down busy backgrounds so your focal elements stand out
Texture paste through a stencil creates amazing raised patterns. Spread it on, peel off the stencil, let it dry, then paint over the whole thing. The raised texture catches paint differently and adds dimension you can actually feel.
Stamping and Stenciling
Clear stamps and ink pads are perfect for art journal pages. Stamp a pattern across your background. Layer a stencil and spray ink through it. Use alphabet stamps to add words and phrases. The monthly Hip Kit Club kits often include clear stamps that work brilliantly in art journals – they’re designed for paper crafting so the images are the right scale and style.
Collage Art Journal Ideas
Collage deserves its own section because there are so many directions you can take it.
Magazine collage – The classic. Flip through magazines and tear out anything that catches your eye. Faces, textures, colors, words. Arrange them on your page without overthinking it. Some of the best collage pages happen when you stop trying to make it mean something and just go with what looks good together.
Ephemera collage – Use vintage ephemera and printables as collage elements. Old postcards, ticket stubs, dictionary pages, botanical prints. Layer them with paint and gel medium for a rich, textured look.
Paper scraps collage – Save every scrap from your scrapbook projects. Those strips of patterned paper, die cut leftovers, punched circles, trimmed edges. Keep them in a jar. When it’s art journal time, dump them out and start arranging. It’s the most sustainable form of art journaling and the color combinations surprise you every time.
Fabric and texture collage – Glue fabric scraps, lace, ribbon, or even dryer sheets onto your page. Paint over them. The texture comes through the paint and adds a tactile quality that flat paper can’t match.
Art Journal Prompts to Try
When you’re staring at a blank page with zero ideas, pick one of these and go:
Emotion prompts:
- Make a page about how you feel right now – use only colors, no words
- Create a “joy” page using your three favorite colors
- Make a page about something you’re letting go of
- Illustrate your current mood with torn paper and paint
Visual prompts:
- Fill a page with circles – different sizes, overlapping, in every medium you own
- Paint a background, then draw or stamp one large flower
- Create a page using only two colors plus white
- Make a grid and fill each square with a different pattern or texture
- Use a photo from a magazine as your starting point and build around it
Word and quote prompts:
- Write one word in the center of your page and build a page around it
- Copy a quote you love and make it the focal point
- Write a list of 10 things you’re grateful for, then paint over it so only a few words show
- Use alphabet stamps to spell out a word, then collage over everything except the letters
- Fill a page with handwriting – stream of consciousness, no editing
The best prompts are the ones that get you out of your head and onto the page. Don’t judge what comes out. The page doesn’t have to be Instagram-worthy. It just has to exist.
Art Journal Supplies You Actually Need
You can spend a fortune on art journal supplies or you can start with what you already have. Here’s what actually matters.
The journal itself – You need pages that can handle wet media without buckling. Look for mixed media journals or watercolor sketchbooks with at least 140gsm paper. Strathmore and Canson both make affordable options. If you’re using mostly dry media (collage, colored pencils, markers), a regular sketchbook works fine.
Paints and inks – Craft acrylics from the craft store are perfect. You don’t need artist-grade. Get a few basic colors (white, black, a blue, a red, a yellow) and mix everything else. Watercolor powders like the ones in HKC Color Kits are amazing for art journals because you can control the intensity. Spray inks add color quickly and create beautiful organic effects.
Papers and ephemera – Patterned scrapbook paper, tissue paper, old book pages, magazine clippings, printed ephemera, junk mail. Anything flat enough to glue down. Keep a stash and pull from it when you’re creating.
Adhesives – Gel medium does double duty as both glue and a sealant. Mod Podge works too. For dry collage, a glue stick is fine. For heavier elements, use craft glue.
Tools – Brushes (cheap ones are fine – they’ll get wrecked), a brayer or old credit card for spreading paint, scissors, a heat gun or hairdryer for drying layers fast, and some kind of palette (a paper plate works).
Stamps and stencils – Not essential but they open up so many possibilities. The monthly kits from Hip Kit Club include stamps, stencils, and embellishments that cross over perfectly into art journaling. Most scrapbook supplies work just as well in an art journal.
Art Journal Page Ideas by Theme
If you want to give your art journal some structure (totally optional), try working in themes.
Seasonal pages – Create pages inspired by the current season. Spring flowers in watercolor. Summer beach collage. Fall leaves pressed and glued. Winter snowflake stamping. It gives you a natural creative rhythm throughout the year.
Travel pages – Use maps, ticket stubs, postcards, and photos from trips. Paint a wash of colors that remind you of the place. These pages become more meaningful over time.
Gratitude pages – Paint a background, then write or stamp things you’re thankful for. Some people do one page per week, others do one per month. The regularity of it builds a habit and the journal becomes a record of good things.
Color study pages – Pick one color and explore it. Mix every shade you can from your supplies. Paint swatches. Collage images in that color family. It’s part art, part education, and the pages always look cohesive.
Self-portrait pages – These don’t have to be realistic. Paint an abstract version of yourself. Collage images that represent you. Use colors that match your personality. It’s deeply personal work and usually the pages that mean the most later.
Check out junk journal themes for more inspiration – many of the same themes work beautifully in art journals too.
Start Making Pages
The best art journal is the one you actually use. Grab whatever supplies you have, open to a blank page, and make something. It doesn’t matter if it’s paint or collage or just some washi tape and a Sharpie. Every page teaches you something about what you like and how you create.
If you want a steady supply of papers, stamps, stencils, and embellishments that work for art journaling (and scrapbooking and junk journals and cards), check out the Hip Kit Club monthly kits. New supplies every month means new creative fuel for your pages.
More guides to explore:
- Junk Journal Ideas – Creative projects and techniques
- Scrapbook Supplies Guide – Papers, tools, and essentials
- Card Making Ideas – Handmade cards for every occasion