How to make an art journal
free tutorial:
how to make an art journal
Hello lovely artist!
Year after year, art journaling has become such an important part of my creative practice. It has made me grow in new ways as an artist, is a wonderful source of inspiration for my other art, and above all, it’s my favorite wellbeing practice! Art journaling is such a great way to express your feelings, your emotions, your stories, as well as nurture your dreams and wishes (and helping them come true!)
Now, the question I get most often about art journaling is: “What kind of journal do you use, and where can I get one?”
Well, to me the best art journal must take wet media well and open completely flat from the first page to the last, but not be spiral-bound, as I want to be able to paint over the whole spread easily. It should also have a size that feels good (I like an A4 or letter-sized one) and a number of pages that feels comfortable and doable. I’m a slow journaler and a journal with too many pages feels like I’ll never finish it, which feels daunting to me!
After searching high and low (and using that as an excuse to procrastinate and not start my art journaling practice), I finally decided to try and make my own journal, from a simple pad of watercolor paper I had lying around. And it worked! Now I have to tell you, I am in no way a book-binding expert, and my journals are never super neat and far from perfect. But this is good thing, because it helps me not get too precious about them, which helps me create!
“Painting is just another way of keeping a diary.”
what you’ll need
This technique requires very few supplies, most of which you probably already have! Here is what you’ll need to make an A4 journal like mine. Once open, you will get A3 spreads to paint on, which is quite a large size. If you like a smaller journal, get an A5 pad and this will give you A4 spreads.
for the pages:
a pad of watercolor paper (200gsm to 300gsm)
a piece of squared paper the same height as your journal (I’m using an A4 sheet)
pencil
awl or needle tool to punch holes in the paper
thread: I like a heavier one like the thread made for denim and upholstery fabrics. Embroidery thread like perle cotton works too.
needle to match (like an emboidery needle)
scissors
optional: large paper clips or clamps
for the covers:
the cardboard backing of your watercolor pad
ruler
utility knife
cutting mat
paper glue of your choice (I use acrylic gel medium, the same I use for collage in my art)
flat paint brush
something heavy to press your journal under as it dries. I put mine under some large, heavy books; a stash of magazines would work too.
I made my very first journal 5 years ago, and I still use the same simple method today. Not only that, but hundreds of my students and followers have created their own journals in this way. One student told me recently she's already made 10, and others have made a brand new journal for the New Year. I bet some are making their own journals right now! It brings me so much joy to imagine these hundreds of art journals coming to life, and the thousands of beautiful pages they will hold. If you haven't already, what if you created yours too?
Any questions? Feel free to ask in a comment below this post. I also have plenty of free art journaling resources, more tutorials and inspiration for you here:
And of course, I would love to be your guide in one of my art journaling classes! I'm so passionate about sharing this magical process that I've created quite a few: The Artist & the Journal is my foundational class, where I share absolutely everything I know about this beautiful practice. And I’ve also created plenty more shorter workshops to help you feel inspired and fill your art journal!
Do you keep an art journal? Or would you like to start one? Have you thought about making your own journal yourself? Let me know in a comment below! And if you give the tutorial a try, I'd love to see! Share a picture on Instagram and tag me @lalymille with the hashtag #artjournalwithlaly so I can find it!
Light and Love,
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