44 Fun Art Journaling Ideas and Prompts Art Journaling Ideas & Prompts (2024)

Art Journaling Ideas & Art Journal Prompts to Inspire You— Yeppers, it’s true. Journaling is one of the best ways to process your thoughts and emotions. Plus, journals are a super-healthy and highly-accessible space to explore, unload and/or express your feelings and process your daily life.

Wonderfully…

In additional to the more traditional written journals, there are art and visual ones as well.

Best of all, art journals are creative, expressive and so much fun!

So say yes to art journaling ideas now. Take a look, and above all, enjoy your artful journaling experience.

Now, it is well-know that some people struggle to find the words to truly express themselves.

You see…

If the journal keeping experience causes, more stress and anxiety than it relieves, you simply won’t do it, which is totally understandable.

Fortunately…

You don’t have to give up on journaling just yet. Instead, you may want to try your hand at creating a visual or an art journal. This form of journaling is especially appealing to those more artistic and creative types. Read on and you’ll discover more about this fabulous form of journal keeping.

Yes!

Art Journaling with Visual Journals

Unlike writing journals, when you create a visual or art journal, you don’t necessarily have to find the words to describe how you’re feeling.

You can instead let out your thoughts and emotions through whatever medium speaks to you in the moment.

Plus…

Art journaling is a wonderful creative tool for non-writers and writers alike. Oh yeah.

An art journal allows you to express yourself in different ways than a traditional journal—you can draw, paint, collage, stamp, sketch, and more in your sketchbook, journal book, or elsewhere. In other words, you are creating a visual journal filled with your creative work, rather than a writing journal.

Check out a few of our favorite art journaling ideas below…and then read on for 44 fresh art journaling ideas and prompts you can use for inspiration! they a lot of fun and very inspiring.

Four Fun Art Journaling Ideas

1. Use a Variety of Materials

Whether you’re a beginner or have created oodles of artwork, the possibilities are endless when it comes to what type of art you include in your art journal.

Now I’ve seen beautiful art journals that incorporate materials like: markers, paints, stickers, newspaper clippings, tissue paper, pages from books, photographs, and even beads and sequins. Use mixed media paper, a special art notebook, or anything that ignites your art journal inspiration.

The bottom line is you should use whatever speaks to you and don’t be afraid to try something new.

2. Create As You Go

As you begin journaling, try to ignore any voices in your head that might be judging your art or telling you that you aren’t artistic. There are no rules when it comes to art journaling, and even people with no artistic experience can create beautiful expressions!

Let your mind wander and create as you go.

3. Set a Few Boundaries

On the other hand, you should also try imposing limits on occasion. Though the general purpose of an art journal is to be as free and creative as you like, sometimes it’s actually helpful to set a few boundaries before starting an entry.

Try challenging yourself to create something using only three colors or to express your feelings in the form of a cartoon strip. Setting a few parameters can actually inspire new forms of creativity.

4. Don’t Be Afraid to Write Sometimes, Too

Of course, an art journal doesn’t have to only include drawings and images…you can also make your words into art.

Try writing a traditional journal entry and then creating art around it on the page. For another fun option, find a few words, a favorite quote, or write a few random thoughts that inspire you and then create an artistic piece incorporating them.

Okie dokie, now for those art journaling ideas.

44 Art Journaling Prompts to Inspire Your Creativity

1. Choose one word that defines your current mood. Then, create a collage of photos from magazines or newspapers to illustrate that word.
2. Make a list of things you’re grateful for and use your art journal to explore them.
3. What is your favorite place in the world? Use your favorite artistic method to describe it.
4. Create a page in your art journal based on your favorite hobby.
5. Draw the outline of a symbol (such as a heart, raincloud, party hat, or stop sign) on the page. Then, fill it with words that describe how you’re feeling.
6. Create a mantra or affirmation for yourself and designate a special page in your art journal for it.
7. Illustrate a famous quote or a song lyric.
8. Ask a friend to give you a random word—and then use it to inspire a page in your art journal.
9. Create a page in your art journal to depict your goals for the rest of the year.
10. What is your calling? Use your art journal to explore your thoughts and feelings.
11. Draw a map that shows places you’ve been.
12. Draw a map that shows places you’d like to go.
13. Create a two-page spread in your art journal to illustrate who you are.
14. Using an artistic method of your choice, journal about something that happened to you today.
15. Find a photo that speaks to you and tape or glue it into your art journal. Decorate the rest of the page to show what the photo represents.
16. Choose two colors that you don’t normally use and decorate a page in your art journal.
17. Use an artistic method of your choice to depict the feeling your favorite song evokes.
18. Decorate a “permission slip” for yourself in your journal that allows you to do (or not do!) something.
19. Use your art journal to showcase a person you love and what they mean to you.
20. Try drawing or writing something without looking at the page. Then, go back and add illustrations to create something new.
21. Write down a negative thought you have about yourself. Then, draw or write something else on top of it until the original thought is no longer visible.
22. Illustrate your thoughts on what the universe looks like.
    
23. What piece of advice would you give to your younger self? Use your art journal to reflect on it.
24. Create a page in your art journal based on your favorite quality about yourself.
25. Fill a page completely with lists of words. Try not to write in sentences and allow your train of thought to run freely, writing down any word that comes to mind or strikes an image in your head.
26. Use an artistic method of your choice to develop a list of acts of kindness you could perform for others.
27. Choose something to draw—and then draw it in one continuous motion, without lifting your pen from the page.
28. Choose a metaphor (like a mountain, an unending staircase, a set of weights) to depict something you’re struggling to do and illustrate the challenge you’re facing.
29. Draw or paint a background image and then carefully write a favorite poem, song, or book passage on top of it.
30. Using an artistic method of your choice, journal about something that made you angry.
31. Create a mood board in your journal to reflect an aesthetic you particularly love.
32. Use a page in your art journal to simply draw colorful lines and shapes. Don’t think too hard about what you’re doing and see what comes out.
33. Illustrate your inner self.
34. Explore an area of your life you’d like to improve in through your art journal.
35. Create a page in your art journal based on a special memory.
36. Take a page out of a favorite book—literally! Paste it in your art journal and decorate on or around it.
37. Use photos or cutouts to illustrate something you wish existed in the world.
38. Using an artistic method of your choice, journal about something magical.
39. Create a page in your journal that imagines what your life would be like if you lived in a different era.
40. Choose a random object. Then, draw it in several different styles.
41. Designate and decorate a page in your art journal to record compliments you’ve received.
42. Sit down and turn on a favorite show or movie. Doodle in your art journal as you watch.
43. Create a page in your art journal inspired by your favorite type of weather.
44. Make a collage to illustrate the story of your year.

I hope you enjoyed this list of art journal prompts and visual journaling prompts. Now check out these art-related blog posts…

• 33 Awesome Art Writing Prompts and Journal Ideas
• 27 Inspiring Ideas for Creative Writing About Art
• 15 Inspiring Drawing Journal Ideas
• 20 Magnificent Music Journal Ideas
• 12 Incredible Picture Writing Prompts
• How to Make a Video Diary + 15 Bonus Prompts

Alrighty…

Whether you use watercolor paint, acrylic paints, pencils, crayons, inks, brush pens, washi tape, stencils, or any of your other favorite art supplies, you’re sure to create incredible art journal pages with these art journal prompts.

Ooooh… and check out one of my favorite Youtube art journaling channels.

Art journaling is a powerful tool for self-expression and self-care. So get to it and make art journal keeping a regular practice and part of your routine. I know you’ll be glad you did.

Until next time, art journal on…

If you enjoyed these Art Journaling Ideas and Prompts,
please share them on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and/or Pinterest.
I appreciate it!

Sincerely,
Jill
journalbuddies.com
creator and curator

Check out this art journaling ideas resource —> How to Combine Drawing and Writing into Deeply Personal Art Journals