Do I need art skills to try these techniques?

No. These techniques are designed to be playful and accessible. Anyone can try them regardless of skill level.

What supplies do I need to start art journaling?

A notebook, a glue stick, and any pens or paints you already have are enough to begin. You can always add more later.

What if my pages look messy or ugly?

That’s completely okay. Art journaling is about process, not perfection. Messy pages are part of the practice.

10 Art Journal Techniques That Feel Like Play (Even If You're a Total Beginner)

Hey friend… can I show you something?

I was flipping through my journal last night — the messy pages, the ones with too much glue, the ones where the colors got muddy — and I realized something. The pages I love the most aren’t the “good” ones. They’re the ones where I was just… playing.

No pressure. No trying to make something pretty. Just putting something on the page because my hands needed to move.

So if you’ve been staring at a blank page thinking “I don’t know what to do,” this is for you. These are 10 techniques that feel more like play than art. No skill required. Truly.

1. Messy Watercolor Wash

soft watercolor wash in blues and pinks bleeding into each other on textured paper, organic edges, paint pooling and blending naturally

This is usually where I start when I don’t know what I’m doing.

Pick 1–2 colors. That’s it. Add water. Let it bleed. Tilt the page if you want. Let gravity help you.

The first time I tried this, I kept thinking I was doing it wrong because it looked… messy. But that’s literally the point.

Try this: Don’t stop when it looks “good.” Stop when the page feels full.

2. Collage With Whatever’s Around You

art journal page with layered collage of receipts, torn magazine pieces, handwritten notes, textured overlapping papers

Receipts. Old book pages. A grocery list you don’t need anymore.

Glue it down. Overlap things. Tear edges instead of cutting them.

There’s something about using real-life scraps that makes a page feel honest.

Budget note: Glue stick works perfectly. No fancy adhesive needed.

3. Scribble First, Think Later

chaotic pen scribbles covering a journal page, layered with loose lines and abstract movement

This one feels silly at first. Do it anyway.

Take a pen or marker and just… scribble. Fast. Without lifting your hand too much.

Then look at it. Add color. Circle shapes you like. Write over it.

This is how you bypass the “I don’t know what to draw” feeling.

4. Paint Over Words You Don’t Want to Read

journal page with partially hidden handwritten text under layers of paint, soft muted colors, emotional tone

I’ve made a lot of pages like this.

Write something down — a thought, a worry, a messy sentence. Then paint over parts of it. Leave some words visible. Hide others.

It’s not about making it readable. It’s about letting it exist… without having to stare at it.

5. One Color, One Mood

minimal art journal page using only one color tone layered in different shades, calming and cohesive

If everything feels overwhelming, simplify.

Pick one color that feels like your mood today. Use only that.

Lighter, darker, watered down, layered — but just one.

This always calms me down when my brain is too loud.

6. Finger Painting (Yes, Really)

hands smearing paint across a journal page, tactile messy textures, close-up of fingers with paint

No brushes. Just your hands.

I resisted this for so long because it felt childish. Then I tried it and… oh.

It’s grounding in a way brushes aren’t. You feel the paint. The texture. The movement.

Tip: Cheap acrylic paint works great here.

7. Layer, Layer, Layer

thick layered mixed media journal page with paint, paper, marks, and textures built up organically

This is where pages start to feel alive.

Do a wash. Add collage. Add marks. Add more paint. Maybe even cover something you liked.

That’s the hard part — letting go of earlier layers. But every time I do, the page gets more interesting.

8. Write Without Thinking

stream of consciousness handwriting filling a journal page, overlapping lines and expressive writing

Set a timer for 2 minutes. Write whatever comes up. Don’t stop. Don’t edit.

Then… leave it. Or paint over it. Or circle a phrase that stands out.

Sometimes the words surprise you.

9. Use Found Text

cut-out words from magazines arranged into a poetic phrase on a journal page with mixed media background

Cut words from magazines or newspapers and arrange them into a sentence.

It doesn’t have to make perfect sense.

I once made a page that said “soft thunder inside me” and I still don’t know what it means… but it felt right.

10. The “Ugly Page” on Purpose

intentionally messy chaotic art journal page with clashing colors, uneven marks, playful imperfection

This might be the most important one.

Make a page that you fully expect to be ugly. Use colors you don’t like. Combine things that don’t match.

Take the pressure off completely.

And here’s the weird thing… those pages often end up being the most freeing.

What If None of This Feels Right?

Then try something else.

Or make a page with just one word.

Or close the journal and come back tomorrow.

There’s no rule that says you have to fill every page perfectly — or even at all.

A Gentle Reminder

You don’t need better supplies.

You don’t need more ideas.

You don’t need to be “good” at this.

You just need a page… and a little bit of willingness to make something imperfect.

This page is a mess and I love it.

Yours can be too.

If you try any of these, I’d really love to see. Truly. Messy, simple, weird — all of it counts.

There’s no wrong way to do this.