My Favourite Book for Art Journaling
The Hand Book Co. Travelogue Watercolour Journal is my ultimate art journaling sketchbook. Yes, I even make my own sketchbooks, but this will always be in rotation.
It hits all the marks.
Thick paper than can hold a lot of wet media.
Pocket.
Elastic closure.
Bookmark.
Opens FLAT.
Linen cover (easy for painting!).
I love love love this book.
With my art journals, I have loved making a custom painting on the cover, and then a subtle version of that same painting on the spine (plus a date). This way, when they are on the shelf, I can easily identify which journal they are.
Even though I do make my own sketchbooks, I still am quite partial to specific ones I’ve purchased. I love these, because the light grey linen covers, plus my paintings, I LOVE how it looks on the shelf. They are a beautiful size, and really, are cheaper for me that making my own, when I break down the costs of materials.
The Blank Page
When I start a new sketchbook that I’m going to dedicate to art journaling, it can be VERY intimidating to stare at that blank page. One way I like to counter this standstill is to start with 3 different options.
First, I will take a colour or 2 and just do a wash over the page. I don’t necessarily cover the whole page, but break it up enough to just cover some of the white. It helps to start the basis of a composition, and sometimes even a colour palette.
Second, I will glue down some papers. I have quite the stash (so much so, that I have some bundles of my papers for sale here!) and throwing down some collage bits on to my page not only helps me to use up my stash, but also to conquer the fear of the blank page. I love starting with things like. vintages ledgers, sheet music, old letters or maps.
Finally, I love doing some image transfers on the pages. Similar to collage, these are images that are glued down on the page, however the image is embedded in the glue rather than an additional piece of paper being attached to the page. This helps reduce the overall bulk of the book, which sometimes helps so much. I love to use gel matte medium and laser printed images for my transfers.
Want to see my art journaling in action? Check out my videos on YouTube to see my process!