I am often asked what I use the most when I work in my journals. I admit I have a lot of materials I do not use, but I find I come back to a few basic tools everytime. Here are a few staples I use almost everytime I journal:
Sketchbook -This goes without saying…you need something you can art journal in and a nice sized sketchbook you can take with you is perfect. My favorite is the large Moleskine Sketchbook. The pages are blank and it is a sturdy size for travel.
Black Pen – Sharpie makes a pen I love. It has a fine point and does not stink like a regular Sharpie. A good black pen should not bleed all over your work.
1 1/2” Paintbrush – You don’t need an expensive paintbrush, just something big enough to give your strokes texture when you paint or apply gesso. I have a One Stroke flat brush by Donna Dewberry.
Adhesive – It does not make a difference what you use. I like glue sticks or Duck Brand tape runners. I even have a bottle of rubber cement that works just fine.
Watercolors, Acrylic Paints, Oil Pastels or Colored Pencils – These are all good for getting some color on your pages. I use Prismacolor colored pencils because they are so rich. They are my favorites and I use nothing else but them when I need colored pencils. I also like Staedtler Watercolor Crayons. They are portable and all you need a is a brush and a little water to give them that watercolor look.
Scissors – If you don’t like ripping images out of magazines, a decent pair of scissors can come in handy.
Curiosity – If you want a great journal page, approach your sketchbook with a sense of wonder and curiosity. Art journaling is suppose to be fun and is more about the process than the end result.
As you can see, you do not need a whole lot of stuff to work in an art journal. In fact, I encourage you to not to get caught up in all the fancy tools and gadgets available to creatives. Remember, these are just tools. The real creativity comes from you.
Additional Art Journaling post you may enjoy:
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