33 Inspiring Art Journal Ideas for Beginners to Explore in 2024

If you’re new to the practice of keeping an art journal, this guide offers 33 creative and aesthetic art journal ideas to help you get started.

Even though ideas for art journal pages are truly limitless, sometimes that wide array of options can leave you paralyzed and unsure of what to do in your next journal entry. 

Don’t let the blank page make you freeze! Art journaling is a fantastic way to cope with stress and anxiety, and it can also help you grow in your skills as a painter, collage artist and more.

This comprehensive guide explains what an art journal is, how to start one and provides plenty of creative art journal ideas for your first (or hundredth) entry!

Jump to Section 

• How to Start an Art Journal for Beginners
• Essential Art Journal Supplies
• 33 Most Inspiring Art Journal Ideas

How to Start an Art Journal for Beginners

What is the Purpose of Keeping an Art Journal? 

Journaling as a practice has long been recognized for its positive physical and mental health benefits. According to the University of Rochester, keeping a journal has been shown to decrease stress and anxiety, as well as increase positive self-talk and mental health.

Even if you’ve been a long-time diarist, you may still be wondering, “What is the purpose of keeping an art journal?” While many of the health benefits are the same, art journaling gives you an extra level of creativity when it comes to writing or drawing in your journal.

The sky really is the limit, as you can use whatever tools, supplies, words or images speak to you, which is why more and more people are being drawn to exploring art journal ideas as a way to explore their art style and get creative.

What Do You Put in an Art Journal?

There are many different types of art journals, from themed journals to random journals and everything in between. If you are wondering what to fill the pages of your journal with, the only rule to remember is that there are no rules!

You can incorporate photographs, clippings from magazines and newspapers, sketches, your thoughts and dreams and more. You can also use your art journal to practice your drawing or painting skills if you are an aspiring artist.

Even if you aren’t an aspiring artist, exploring art journal ideas is a great place to practice a new hobby or even practice the skills you can learn in an art class.

If you are interested in growing your art skills or finding inspiration for art journal ideas, you can find plenty of art classes in Chicago, art classes in Los Angeles, art classes in Boston and art classes near you to teach you the basic skills you need to start your journey as an artist. 

Essential Art Journal Supplies

How do you start an art journal? Well, no matter which types of art journals you are interested in creating, you’ll need one important ingredient: a journal! Choose a style of notebook that works well for you.

Some artists choose spiral-bound sketchbooks that allow them to turn the pages easily, while others opt for notebooks with stitched pages and leather covers for a more aesthetic look to hold their finest art journal ideas.

You could even use an old-fashioned composition notebook if that’s your style. Whatever notebook you select, just be sure it’s one you’ll feel comfortable updating as your journaling practice grows. 

Aside from the essential notebook, the only thing limiting your choice of art journal supplies is your imagination. Try pen and pencil for a classic black-and-white approach to art journaling, or get creative with paints like acrylics or watercolors.

You could also incorporate other materials like newspaper clippings, stickers, scrapbooking notions or photographs into your art journal. Whatever materials you choose, remember that you’re always free to switch it up as new art journal ideas come to mind.

33 Most Inspiring Art Journal Ideas

1. Start With Words

If the “art” part of art journaling is what’s holding you back, don’t let it! Start out your journal with a regular journal entry detailing your goals and reasons for starting an art journal.

Then, fill the margins with doodles or sketches to warm up to the idea of including art in your journal.

2. Doodle

While there are plenty of ambitious art ideas that would work perfectly in an art journal, you don’t have to be that fancy! Simply take your art journal along to classes or meetings and use it as a space to keep your hands moving so your brain can focus on retaining information.

3. Track Your Habits

Art journaling is an incredibly therapeutic practice, so why not combine it with tracking your habits and emotions throughout the week?

You could create a spread of pages where you use different colors to represent your emotions or habits. This is a creative way to combine your goals with stress-management techniques. 

4. Practice Your Painting

A great way to learn to paint is by keeping an art journal. Fill your pages with acrylic paint swatches, or even dip into this list of watercolor painting ideas to take your art journal to the next level.

5. Use a Single Color

For some aesthetic painting ideas, try limiting your art journal ideas to one color and see what inspiration it brings. You might be surprised how your artistic style changes when you limit yourself to only using blue one day or yellow the next. 

6. Create a Copybook

Schoolchildren in early America used to learn to write by copying out passages from assigned texts. You can take this art journal idea straight from the schoolroom and copy in your favorite quotes, poems or paragraphs.

Use creative calligraphy or just keep a reading journal, whichever fits best with your journaling practice. 

7. Include a Beloved Landscape

Feature your favorite spaces and places with this peaceful art journal idea. Include photographs, sketches or paintings of your favorite places and write your journal entry around them.

This works especially well if you are using your art journal as a travel log, or enjoy trying new landscape painting ideas. 

8. Write a Poem 

There are many different types of art journals, but one popular one is to keep a record of your poetic attempts. You can illustrate each poem or simply let the words speak for themselves. 

9. Press Flowers

Using your art journal as a place to preserve flowers or leaves is a great aesthetic art journal idea. Save a daisy from your morning walk, or press the first fall leaf you found on the ground. 

10. Make a Collage

Use pictures from magazines, ticket stubs, photographs or other paper memories lying around to create a sweet collage for your next art journal idea that captures special memories.

11. Include Your Pets

Get your furry friends involved in the process of creating an art journal by memorializing their paw prints or nose prints in ink. You can also fill pages with sketches or actual photographs of your furry friends.

12. Make a List

For this art journal idea, make a list — or maybe a bunch of them! Use your journal to keep track of your favorite books, movies and more. You could even create an illustrated bucket list as part of your art journal.

13. Add Stickers or Use Gel Pens

Don’t limit yourself to using pens and pencils. Try using other materials like stamps or stickers to add a unique touch to your art journal. You could also use a needle and thread and practice your embroidery skills for a mixed-media art journal idea.

14. Get Messy

One of the fun things about an art journal is that it doesn’t have to be pristine. Try out some messy styles of art, like splatter painting or finger painting for a fun, hands-on art journal idea. 

15. Take Your Journal With You

Taking the subway to work? Going on a hike over the weekend? Take your journal with you everywhere you go. You never know when new and exciting art journal ideas might strike!

16. Make a Self-Portrait

Use different methods and art supplies to create a series of self-portraits throughout the year. You might even dedicate an entire art journal to only self-portraits. Imagine the nostalgia you’ll feel looking back at all those different images in a few years’ time.

17. Play With Patterns

Another great art journal idea for beginners is to doodle or draw repeating patterns like waves, checkerboards or polka dots. Filling an entire page with different doodle ideas is a great way to get into a zen-like state.

It also helps you when you’re stuck, wondering, “What do you put in an art journal?” or if you're into experimenting with some unique trippy painting ideas.

18. Paint and Sip

Art journaling isn’t something you have to do in isolation. Invite your friends to go to a paint and sip class together, and let the art from the class inspire your next art journal ideas. There are plenty of sip and paint ideas to keep the pages of your journal filled for a while.

19. Inspirations and Affirmations

Capitalize on the mental health aspects of journaling with this art journal idea that spreads positivity. Use your art journal to write positive affirmations or inspirational quotes that will keep you motivated to accomplish your goals.

20. Keep a Dream Journal

If you are looking for art journal ideas for beginners, keeping a dream journal can be a great option. Keep your journal near your bed, and start a habit of writing down what you can remember about your dreams as soon as you wake up in the morning.

If you want to be even more artistic, try illustrating or sketching your dreamscapes. 

21. Make a Pretty Planner

If you are still in school or if you are looking for great art ideas for teens or college students, why not combine art journaling with keeping a planner or daybook?

You can list out your tasks, homework or other important notes while also beautifying the pages with calligraphy and illustrations.

22. Write a Story

Use your art journal space to create an entire world of new characters and places. You can use the pages to write and illustrate your story. Who knows? It might turn into a publishable book.

23. Take Notes Throughout the Day

Take your art journal with you throughout the day and keep track of things that interest you as you encounter them. You can use this art journal idea to turn your notebook into a stockpile of inspirational art journal ideas. 

24. Make a Meaningful Gift

Most people keep their art journal ideas for themselves, but you could also create one as a stunning gift for someone. Make a journal to keep track of a year in your relationship and give it to your partner on your anniversary.

You could also do this for your children by keeping an art journal for them as they grow up.

25. Create a Scrapbook

Keep track of important memories and events by creating scrapbook-style pages. Incorporate photos, memories and keepsakes into your journal to create a portable time capsule.

26. Cultivate a Personal Style

If you’re looking for aesthetic art journal ideas, try thinking about your art journal as your own personal mood board.

Keep track of the images and ideas that inspire you. Use your mood board to plan home decor choices, travel bucket lists or even outfit and style ideas.

27. Be Thankful 

Art journaling tops the list of creative hobbies, but you can also use it to keep track of your blessings. List out things you are grateful for each day or make a weekly gratitude spread of pages for an art journal idea that encourages you to appreciate the little things. 

28. Keep Your Eyes Open

One of the best, simplest art journal ideas is to keep your eyes open for inspiration wherever you go. You never know when lightning might strike and you find a great art journal idea while going about your everyday routine.

29. Go Digital

Save paper and go digital with an art journal that lives on your tablet, phone or computer. Design your own graphics, doodles, lists and labels with online tools that let you create anytime, anywhere. 

30. Write Letters

Use your art journal as a place to write letters to a myriad of people. Try writing to your past self or future self. You could write letters to loved ones or to people who’ve made you angry. This is a great way to get emotions out onto the page. 

31. Take Inspiration From Nature

Go outside for a walk and stop to sketch or paint the interesting plants and animals you find along the way. Flower painting ideas make for excellent ideas for art journal pages. 

32. Try New Techniques

If you are wondering how to find your art style, this art journal idea is for you. Use the blank pages to try out methods of art that you might not be familiar with.

Feel free to experiment with pastels, watercolors, oil paints, colored pencils and more in the pages of your art journal.

33. Practice Pretty Calligraphy

There are lots of different arts and crafts for adults, but calligraphy is probably one that has the lowest barrier to entry. You can find tutorials online and fill your art journal with beautiful hand-lettering art journal ideas.

If you’re still asking the question, “What is a good art journal?” the answer is simple. A good art journal is the one you use! This fun, creative mental health activity is a good way to manage the stresses of everyday life while also growing your skills.

We hope this list of 33 different art journal ideas has inspired you to get out there and start journaling.

For even more fun art ideas, check out other experiences happening on Classpop!