Art Journaling

Creating zentangles is very therapeutic and calms the mind. Starting them can be a little intimidating however. If you’d like to know where to start, keep reading this post. I will explain how to start very basic zentangles, and even share images from my journal. 

1. Starting with the right materials. You don’t necessarily need a journal to make zentangles, but you do need a piece of paper that will withstand your writing materials. I use my sketchbook as an art journal because the pages are thick and I like to use Sharpies. 

2. Creating the first shapes. There are many ways to begin zentangles, but I found that this way is so much easier for me. I take my roll of duct tape, a cup, the edges of a book, sticky note pads, or anything that has a defined shape. I outline the object numerous times over the page, or mix it up with different shapes. 

3. Choosing a starting point. Once you have overlapping shapes covering the page, you need to pick a place to start drawing your zentangles. It really doesn’t matter which place you choose. I honestly skip around quite a bit while I do these. 

4. Actually starting to draw. Many people don’t know which shapes to draw when zentangling. (Making up new words for you all.) Here is a [link] to cheat sheets that I use for my art journal. 

5. Go crazy. Let yourself get lost in the drawing. You can use colors if you want as well. I tend to stay with black ink, but I’ve seen some really pretty colorful zentangles.  

If you’ve been curious of how to turn your old journals, notebooks, or sketchbooks into art journals, you’ve found the right post! This is a list of how-to’s when creating a new or first art journal.

1. Supplies

You can use any journal, notebook, sketchbook, or even old books from a thrift store. Once you have something to create art inside of, you need to grab anything that you want to make it shine with creativity. Paints, glitter, magazine scraps, markers, crayons, pencil shavings, flowers, plants, buttons, washi tape, ribbons, etc. will all work to make a wonderful journal. 

2. Find a place to work

When you are creating an art journal, you need a place with two factors; comfortable and easily cleanable. You don’t want to sit in an uncomfortable place because you won’t be able to focus on your art. You also don’t want to spend hours cleaning up after yourself.

3. Get Inspired

It’s easy to look up images of other’s art journals to get your creative juices pumping. You can also listen to some relaxing music or read a book to get inspired. 

4. Just Do It

Art journals can be decorated, simple, planned out, spontaneous, and a great outlet for stress. Here are some ideas for you to add to your own art journal.

1. Collage. Using magazines, newspapers, old books, posters, prints off the internet, you can make fabulously artistic pages.  

2. Sew-on Decor. Instead of using glue, Mod Podge, or tape, try using thread to sew pictures onto the pages. It will give it a vintage, textured look.

3. Tea Stain. If you take a tea bag and steep it in hot water for a little, you can stain the pages to make the pages look old. Different teas make different colors, so experiment!

4. Paint. Water-color painting, acrylic painting, finger painting, or whatever the medium of paint is that you choose. Get in there and paint the pages however you want!

5. Sketch. Not all pages have to be pops of colors and textures. You can have pages of beautiful simple sketches.  

6. Stamp. If you don’t have stamps, it’s easy to make your own. Search for some DIY stamps.

7. Nature. Tape or glue pieces of nature into your pages. Flowers, grass, leaves, or twigs. 

8. Masking Tape. Make a pattern on the page with masking tape and color, paint, or doodle over the pattern. Take the tape off when you’re done to see the amazing pattern underneath. 

9. Doodle. Draw anything and everything. Try using pens or markers instead of pencil. Make mistakes and live with them because mistakes are beautiful.

10. Outline Objects. Take a roll of tape, a phone case, pictures, or anything around you and outline them with pens, markers, or Sharpies. Overlap the shapes for an interesting effect. 

11. Washi Tape. Decorate the pages with borders, wrap it around the edges, or create shapes. 

12. Trace. If you have thin enough pages, you can trace shapes, images, and scenes. Just don’t claim that the tracing was your own art because that’s not cool. 

13. Blow Paint. Glob some paint with some water and use a straw to blow the paint around the page. 

14. Pastels. Experiment with pastels. Mix them with water, rubbing alcohol, or just smudge and mix them together. 

15. Stencils. Use stencils to design pages with shapes and images. You can experiment by using paints or by overlapping. 

16. Stickers. Plaster an entire page with stickers if you want or use them sparingly. It’s your call. 

17. Divide the Page. Use a ruler or a flat edge to divide the page into various sizes of shapes. Color each shape in differently. 

18. Etch. Etching is a technique in which you place an object under the page and shade over it. The final outcome is really amazing. 

19. Sharpies. Scribble, sketch, doodle or experiment by mixing the Sharpies with rubbing alcohol. 

20. Glitter. Throw some glitter (make it rain) on some wet paint, glue, or water-brushed pages. 

21. Scribble. Exactly what it says. 

22. Burn the Page. This one you need to be careful with because you could ruin the whole book. Take a lighter or a match and just gently burn the edges of the page to make it look old. 

23. Outline Your Hands. By outlining your hands, you are making a page that no one else can...unless they have the same size hand as you.

24. Sponge. Dip a sponge in paint and press it on the page all over. 

25. Make A Comic. Who says you have to draw out a comic? Collage it or paint it! Or just draw it because that’s pretty too. 

26. Zentangles. If you aren’t sure what these are, just look them up. They are fun and are said to help people calm down. 

27. Your Own Pictures. Add your own personal images of friends, family, yourself into your artwork. 

28. Quotes. You can write them yourself, print them out, cut them from magazines, or cut them from books. 

29. Maps. This might be difficult for those who don’t have maps or atlases. Mod Podge pieces of maps to the pages.