Journaling in Your Art Journal

You can add even more layers of meaning by journaling in your art journal.

As well as adding paint and imagery to a page it is worth considering writing. By adding text you create a whole new dimension to your page as you can add thoughts and feelings that aren’t shown by the imagery. Maybe the smell of home baking or freshly cut flowers is part of the memory you are showing on the page. Some things might be difficult to depict, like movement e.g. waves or wind in the trees. Or you can emphasise certain things that are particularly important to you. Or maybe you don’t have space for all the imagery related to your page topic.


In the video above I show some examples of including the written word on your art journal page. There are 4 different sources of inspiration for content and 4 different ways to include it.

Journaling in your Art Journal by Adding Meaningful Words with Stamping

Text can be included as a feature in itself as I have done here with words related to horses. The left side of the page was quite empty and adding the words helps to balance the page. I have used homemade stamps to write the words but you can buy different sets of letter stamps. It means the letters are a consistent size and style and I like the printed look it gives.

Journaling in your Art Journal by Adding Current Thoughts as Decorative Handwriting

I quite enjoy handwriting and have used an exaggerated style with flourishes here enhance the decorative effect. I’ve used metallic Posca pens which give a lovely glittery effect, matching the stencilling I did on ‘Layer 2’. I’ve just written down my current thoughts which included what’s going on with the Corona virus lockdown.

Adding a Quote with Stencilling

Sometimes you might want to add some writing but not have any ideas come to mind. There are lots of quotes out there, either on the Internet or in a book like the ‘Oxford Quotations’ book. Looking for and finding one that resonates with you can be part of the process of creating an art journal page. I have chosen ‘And now in age I bud again’ because, although it is about age, I felt like it relayed the idea that my son is new to me every year.

Adding Memories as Typed Hidden Notes

For me this page is all about hidden meaning, from the texture of the background to the lack of detail in the butterflies. So I wanted the text to also be a bit mysterious. The text is hidden within the folded note and you have to interact with the page to reveal it. For me this adds a layer of interest. Using the computer and printer is a great way to add larger amounts of text because it can be easily readable and in any font you choose. It’s especially useful on a page like this where the texture makes writing with a pen difficult. Also if you’re not a confident hand writer give this way a go!



I hope this has given you some ideas about adding writing to your page and the whole series has given a structured approach to ‘building’ a page that is easy to use.


Hugs, Ceri xx