TOP Creative Art Materials for Creative Journaling

A toolkit of art supplies is important; whether you are an artist or a crafter, this essential is like your bag of toiletries when you travel. When I started exploring with creative journaling, I learned to recognise which art material is essential and which is helpful to enhance my artwork. I also learned how to personalize my own toolbox so that I can store my gathered materials.

From vintage toy box into journaling toolkit

There are many ways you can personalize your own toolbox; some mixed media artists even have two different set of tools ready for them- a travelling journal toolkit and the other for basic exploration activities. Some of these mixed media artists use small travel luggage (with wheels) because it allows them to store all the important items they need, and travel with it.

And when I say personalizing, I meant revamping, upcycling, redesigning, redecorate , painting over, etc, etc. You can use any bag or box that you find is the right size for you, and simply personalize however way you like it to be. For instance, (see photo above) I found a vintage plastic toy briefcase and upcycled it into a box for storing materials. I redecorated it with: colourful fabric and denim, and even used Pebeo Vitrail paint for plastic and glass surfaces to paint on the cover of the briefcase. As you can see, there are many ways to create your own storage for your creative journaling activities.

Art materials for Creative Journaling

I remember when I first started creative journaling, my materials were all over the place. And I didn’t even know what was my essentials. As soon as I got the hang of it, I learned to gather them and know which ones are my basic tools that I need to pack it with me in my creative toolkit. The idea here is to make sure that these are your basics, and these materials can help you create and enhance more creative journal pages and prompts too.

Here are my selections:


(from left: clockwise)

1. Sketch Book: I went for a watercolour paper base sketch book, in case I create with water colours.
2. Coloured paper  3. Watercolour paper: cut up into small square pieces.

 

4. Basics: you definitely need a Blade, Scissors and PVA Glue  5. Patterned Scissors 
6. Craft Punchers



7. Markers and pens: various types of coloured pens and markers, for writing and drawing ranging from calligraphy pen, sharpies, illustration markers, artline pens.

 

8. Ready-made stencils or DIY stencils: you can make your own DIY stencils with transparencies.

 

9. Stamps with patterns and designs or with alphabets: there are many types of stamp designs you can get from your local craft store. It’s good if you can have a few with you (I have a box full of stamps, went over board). These stamps can help you enhance your creative pages/prompts. And of course, don’t forget the stamp pad with colour and it would be useful to have a bottle of stamp-cleaner solution with you too.

 

10. Glitter glue  11. Soft Pastels: small and you can pocket it with you when you are travelling.
12. Paints such as Gouache: easy for bringing it along with me, they are small.



13. Embellishments: I use from scraps of colour papers and wrappers that I’ve collected, dried flowers and recycle old playing cards


Now with all the materials set aside for creative journaling work, I stored them away in another briefcase-like box. What’s your preferred storage and what kind of creative journal essentials you use? Feel free to leave me a comment.