Paperclip notebooks were one of the first notebooks I bought when I started art journaling. (Art Journal Ideas for Beginners) They’re sturdy, cheap, and look great – a perfect combination of things to help you get started on your art journey. The papers are thin for dry media, ranging from 60 to 100 gsm. They’re perfect for line sketches and for planning your final pieces. I’ve used these as practice journals to get into the habit of creating something every day without feeling the pressure to make it into something perfect. I’ve used one of the journals to collect reference drawings and elements for inspiration in all my artwork.  I’ve used the colourful Play Series to practice lettering and formatting.  These notebooks are also great for their original purpose – taking notes. My husband uses it for his office notes, and my son uses it for his class assignments. The colourful covers not only look pretty but can help you identify the notebook you’re looking for easily. Do you have recommendations for good journals? Let …

I’ve been journaling for about two years now and am loving the experience. It inspires me to create everyday, even if it is a small doodle. On days I am unable to, I can feel the restlessness in my fingers. In the past, I’ve loved the control dry mediums gave me. Colour pencils and markers have been my go to materials for drawing and colouring. But, inspired by my sister’s watercolour journey, I was tempted to try out some wet mediums as well. Watercolours turned out to be too free-flowing for a control-freak like me. Then I tried gouache and I was in love instantly.  Not all art journals can hold the weight of the water-based paint so it took a bit of trial and error to find some good ones. I’ve written about the Kaagazi journals earlier. Today, I talk about another home-grown favourite – Menorah. I’ve used two of their journals and a bookmark pad. Let’s review. Menorah 180gsm 15cmx15cm This was my first journal from them, and I loved it instantly. I wanted …

As someone who loves to draw and paint but hates criticism, I used to think every one of my artworks should be the final piece. I didn’t believe in practice or sketchbooks.  Over time, I learnt that it was too much pressure on each artwork to be perfect. I had stopped enjoying the creative process because I was seeking the end goal of perfection and subsequent monetisation.  I decided to start journaling for myself alone. It has freed me from many of my inhibitions. I’m not afraid to try out new things even at the risk of failure. I also experiment more with my techniques and practice a lot more as well. I had plenty of art journal ideas…from a doodling book to practising elements and patterns. So I decided to buy a whole bunch of journals and sort them into different art journal themes. Their pile on my desk inspires me to use them everyday.  Art journal inspirations can come from many different sources. You just need to experiment and see which ones interest …