Art journaling is the simple concept of keeping a regular journal or diary, but adding to it with any kind of art medium you like. Some art journals are heavy on the words with smatterings of art throughout, while others are the opposite. Others still are a mix-and-match of both, which is the kind that I’ve been keeping myself.

As artists, we are not limited to a single field; any Julia Cameron tome will explain how everyone is an artist, and how the painter can often write—and vice versa. Why limit your self-expression to a single form of art when you can weave in all sorts of the things you love?

Some things that I like to use in my art journal include the basics—colored pencil, crayon and glitter pen sketches, event tickets, glued bits of origami, confetti and tissue paper, collage materials, etc.—as well as more novel items, such as things I find in the road on a walk (gum wrappers?) to cool stamps or art sent on birthday cards.  You can really use anything you like—photographs, copied quotes and poems from favorite authors, magazine cutouts, jar labels, fast food bags, etc.

One tip that I’ve found very handy in creating my art journals is going for a sketchpad with a good thickness—plenty of pages that aren’t too thick—and tearing out a few here or there. Use them for other projects, to be sure—don’t waste!—but take them out so you’ll have room for all of your additions. I’ve broken the bindings and stretched out pages to where they tear by filling up journals before. Spiral works better for me, I have learned; but feel free to experiment until you find what you like.

There are also plenty of books and resources out there to help you get some good ideas flowing. For example, I just got my copy of Journal Revolution and find it to be incredibly helpful and inspiring. One idea that I’ve taken from it is to print out a very plain, basic calendar—I actually just tore a page from an extra one we had lying around—and decorate it each day with something that represents that day—as well as adding to the edges until they are full, as well. I’ve been cutting out pictures from magazines to start and think it’s going to be a lot of fun. This is a great project for people who crave to be artistic every day but who are also short on time.