If you’ve been anywhere on social media the last few years, you’ve probably seen the gorgeous journaling layouts that sometimes look like they belong more on the walls of a gallery than in a personal journal. From skilled mixed-media collages, to perfect calligraphy and beautifully illustrated spreads, art journaling seems to have become more mainstream, and I love it! As I started seeing more of these creative journaling pages, I wanted to try it myself, except I struggle to even draw a convincing stickman. The good news is that even if, like me, you are not artistically inclined, you can still make your own creative journaling pages—no fundamentals of art required 🙂 Here are a few creative journaling techniques for non-artists to get you started, plus four different types of journals you can start and make your own:
(N.B. This post contains affiliate links. If you use these, I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for your support!)
Creative Journaling Techniques
1. Use layouts (also called spreads)
A journal layout (or spread) describes the way a page is designed and structured. This could include headings, images, boxes, dividers, and more. Even the simplest layouts can add creative flair to your journaling and it is amazing what you can create with a few boxes. The best part of layouts is that they allow you to customise your journal page and truly make it yours. You can use different layouts for many different kinds of journal pages—truly the sky is the limit! If you’d like some inspiration to get started, here is a great book of journaling layouts. You can also find 49 ideas for bullet journal spreads here.
2. Include photos
If you don’t have the time or desire to improve your art skills, why not try adding a few photos to your journaling? Photos are excellent ways to record memories of special days and events. You can also use them as springboards: visual prompts to inspire and guide your writing. If you use a digital journal, importing photos from your phone usually takes just a few seconds. For pen and paper journaling, you might find a pocket photo printer like this or this handy.
3. Decorate favourite quotes, sayings, poetry or lyrics
Words that hold meaning or significance for you are an excellent gateway into creative journaling. Experiment with writing them in different styles, surround them with doodles or images that visually represent the words, or simply write a few reflections on why they are meaningful to you.
4. Experiment with zentangle and mindful doodles
Zentangle is a relaxing and easy-to-learn drawing technique based on simple, repetitive patterns (“tangles”) that are some combination of dots, lines, curves, and orbs. It was created by Rick Roberts and Maria Thomas as a way to practice mindfulness through art. You don’t pre-plan your design, but create patterns in small sections and let them unfold as you go. Similarly, mindful doodling is free-form drawing, without a specific goal or design in mind. It’s less structured than Zentangle, but can be just as relaxing.
5. Make a collage
Gather magazines, old books, or printed images and create collages in your journal. This can be themed or random, focusing on colours, moods, or specific topics. Collages are an excellent creative journaling technique as they allow for creative expression without the need for drawing skills and there is also something quite satisfying about making them 🙂
4 Types of Creative Journals
1. Keep a scrapbook
Artist Margarete Miller describes a scrapbook as something you use to tell a story, for example of a holiday, relationship, or other period of time in your life. Scrapbooks can include images, writing, or any pieces of ephemera that help you craft a narrative and go on a visual journey.
2. Try junk journaling
Junk journaling is similar to scrapbooking, except you use found and recycled materials to make and decorate your journal. You can source items to include, design and make your own from scratch, or use one of the many junk journaling kits available online.
3. Start a glue book
As the name suggests, a glue book is quite literally a book you glue things into. Unlike scrapbooks, which have a linear beginning-middle-end progression, glue books don’t have to tell a story. They can be based around themes, topics, letters, numbers… anything. You could glue labels from tea bags, candy wrappers, train tickets, stickers, anything you want!
4. Create a treasured trash journal
I first heard about the concept of a treasured trash journal through Austin Kleon. Combining elements of all of the above, a treasured trash journal includes items that might be trash to others, but are treasure to you. Ticket stubs from memorable events, a receipt from a lovely meal, something your kid picked up off the ground and presented to you (eek), all these things and more can go in your treasured trash journal.
I hope these ideas help you get started with your creative journaling. Enjoy!
Photo by Rachael Gorjestani on Unsplash
