You know the kind of journalling where you pour your heart out onto the page, all your thoughts, feelings, and worries in ink - well today, I’m telling you about my world of creative art journaling—a mix of media, line, shape and colour and self-expression that goes beyond words. If you're imagining yourself doodling in a notebook and wondering how on earth that counts as self-awareness or therapy you're on the right track! First, let me share what I believe is creative art journaling... and what it isn't.
What Creative Art Journaling Is (and Isn't)
Creative art journaling is a process that combines traditional journaling with the creative elements of line shape, colour and collage. It’s about letting your creative side loose on the page, using visual elements to express emotions and thoughts that might not come easily with words alone.
Now, what it isn't is a masterpiece-in-the-making. Forget perfection, forget what you think "art" should look like—this is about open, honest expression, not creating a piece to hang in a gallery. And, no, you don’t need to be an artist to benefit from it. This is about the process, not the product.
Why Creative Art Journaling?
For me Creative art journaling is like therapy with an extra splash of colour and play. It taps into different parts of the brain, which helps to uncover emotions and insights that might be buried or fast asleep. Think of it as a tool that can help your subconscious speak in shapes, colours, and textures—especially helpful if you find it hard to articulate feelings with words. But it’s also so much more than that… you get to know who you are, what you like, and don’t like, release perfectionism, understand your expectations, and have unadulterated fun - just playing.
Here are some of the benefits:
Unlocking Creativity: It’s not just about dealing with your emotions; it’s also about unleashing your inner creative genius. Creative art journaling helps you think outside the box.
Stress Relief: Like traditional journaling, it provides a space to vent but adding a creative spin allows you to externalise your stress visually, which can be incredibly cathartic.
Enhanced Self-Awareness: Engaging with a journal in this way can help you notice patterns or offer insights you might not have reached with words alone. Personally I think it’s a pretty powerful way to help you to see yourself more clearly and know more of who you are.
Problem Solving: Sometimes, simply writing about a problem doesn’t help you find a solution. But when you draw it out, using shapes, colours, and lines, you might see it from a new perspective - literally – think mind maps.
Tips for Making Creative Journaling a Habit
Building any new habit can be tricky, but creative art journaling is so freeing that once you get going, it often becomes something you look forward to – well at least that’s how it is for me. Here are a few strategies to keep it going:
1. Set Aside “Creative Minutes”: Start by dedicating just five minutes to it each day. You could even turn this into a creative exercise by drawing windows of all shapes and sizes in your journal and seeing what time (five minutes at lunch time – 20 minutes after tea – 2 hours on Saturday) you can fit into those different windows - a small window makes it easy to fit into your routine without feeling like a huge commitment. Over time, you may find you naturally want to spend longer on it.
2. Keep Your Journal Visible and Accessible: Leave your journal out where you’ll see it daily—whether that’s on your desk, your bedside table, or with your morning cuppa. Having it in sight makes it easier to pick up on a whim.
3. Make It Personal and Flexible: Some days, you might just jot down a word or scribble a shape, while other days you’ll have the energy for an elaborate collage. Let your journal adapt to what you need in the moment rather than feeling like it has to look a certain way each time.
4. Create an ‘on the go kit’: Have a few of your favourite supplies handy so that you don’t have to rummage around trying to find stuff. I have things like a couple of mini acrylics, a water fillable paint brush, a cheap and small tin of watercolours, a few collage papers, some printed words and some coloured paint pens. Oh and my must haves which are a white and black pen. I keep them all in a small bag next to my journal so that I have something available whenever I need it.
5. Try Weekly Themes: If you enjoy a bit of structure, consider setting a theme each week. For instance, focus on colours that represent “calm” one week, or explore “gratitude” using shapes and doodles the next. Weekly themes can add a fun touch to the practice without boxing you in.
6. Embrace Imperfection: The point of creative art journaling is to let go of perfection. Some pages will look chaotic, random, or half-finished—and that’s the beauty of it. Embrace the messiness, knowing it reflects your ever evolving self.
Why Stick With It?
Creative art journaling is a practice that grows with you. For me, as I’ve kept at it, I’ve noticed subtle changes in how I connect with myself and process my experiences. This method has helped me to find new perspectives, release tension, given me lots of fun and has even brought out creative insights that have surprised me. It’s like giving your subconscious a way to “talk” without words—a space to explore, play, and understand yourself on another level.
So grab that notebook, get a few colours, and get started. You don’t need a masterpiece—just a page, an open mind, and a willingness to let your inner world spill out however it wants.
Happy journaling!
Jules
P.S. Sometimes the act of putting our thoughts on paper whether it's written or creative, can stir up difficult feelings. If you find yourself facing such hurdles, remember that you’re not alone. Don’t hesitate to reach out for support, perhaps to a trusted friend, or even consider a few sessions of counselling.
📞 contact me on : 𝟬𝟳𝟰𝟳𝟴𝟳𝟱𝟰𝟴𝟯𝟵 and we can have a chat.
It won’t cost you anything, there is no pressure, there are no expectations and you can ask me any questions you might have.
𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙙𝙤𝙣’𝙩 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙪𝙜𝙜𝙡𝙚 𝙖𝙡𝙤𝙣𝙚!
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