Today we’re diving into a topic that can intimidate even the most seasoned artist: the blank page.
That’s a whole lotta’ white, isn’t it? That vast expanse of nothing can feel paralyzing, but it doesn’t have to be. We can transform it into a playground for your creativity.
The Blank Page Myth
The fact is, we all do this thing where we buy pretty journals with the best of intentions.
But they’re so pretty and perfect that we don’t want to touch them and so they go unused!
But here’s the truth: your art journal isn’t about creating perfect pages. It’s about capturing your thoughts, experimenting with materials, and letting go of the pressure to perform. Each page is a snapshot of your creative process—messy, imperfect, and uniquely yours. Remember, the goal of art journaling is exploration, not perfection. Some pages you’ll love, and others you won’t. That’s okay. Each page teaches you something, whether it’s about a new technique, a color combination, or even just what not to do next time.
Today I thought I’d share a few of my favorite ways for transforming that big blank white page into something less intimidating!
Technique One: Spray and Brush
This is definitely my #1 method. It’s just too easy to avoid!
Spray your journal with spray ink. I used Mister Huey from Studio Calico and Adirondack Color Wash from Ranger for this page.
I like to stick to 2-3 colors for this method, or you get mud.
Now using a wet paintbrush spread that spray ink around and let it blend! (Paper matters here. You’ll get more flow with watercolor or mixed media paper. But you can gesso other papers – and let the gesso dry – to get the spray inks to flow.)
I love the cool way the mist just merges into the next color.
Different mists have different water solubility. So test what you have to see all the different results!
Technique Two: Roll, Roll, Roll
Technique Three: Three Pieces of Collage
Technique Four: Rorschach Test
Technique Five: Add Writing or Doodles
Make Time for Play
If you’re struggling to make time for your art journal, start small. Set aside 10 minutes a day. It doesn’t seem like much, but those small moments add up. Over time, they’ll build a habit that becomes second nature. Art journaling is an adventure, and every page is part of your story.
METHOD ONE: Spray and Brush
METHOD TWO: Two Drips Meet
We’re misting again. This time with Adirondack Color Wash only. I spray a lot of the mist on one edge of my art journal. (Note the scrap paper protecting the page underneath.)
Now tip the page up and spray it with a ton (and I do mean a lot) of water.
Notice all the color collecting in the fold of the book? Tip the book all the way so that the drips continue down the other page.
Now spray the right side of your journal with other colors.
And repeat the tipping and spraying with water!
Totally cool, right?
I think those lines would be great for doing something journaling!
METHOD THREE: Roll, Roll, Roll
I’m using two colors of Golden Fluid Acrylics, but any acrylic paints would work for this! Squeeze some color out onto your journal…
…and now use a brayer to roll over the color and spread it around.
Continue adding paint as desired until you get the look you want!
Be sure to wash your brayer right away so the paint doesn’t dry on it!
METHOD FOUR: Float, Drop & Squash
Grab a spray bottle of water and some re-inkers. Saturate your page with water and drop a few droplets into the watered surface.
If your drops spread, you’ve added enough water. If they don’t (like the top one above), then you need to add a lot more water!
Continue adding droplets of color.
When you’re pleased with the look, fold your book in half. Open it up and you’ll have a beautiful soft looking background!
These detail photos almost look blurry, but it’s just the super soft edges of the color!
METHOD FIVE: Stencil and Wipe
I adore stencils! I’m using a distressed harlequin pattern from The Crafter’s Workshop for this page.
Spray through the stencil with two colors of Adirondack Color Wash. And then move the stencil over and spray again.
For the last part of the page, flip the stencil over and press it down to the page.
This will cause the spray ink on the surface of the stencil to transfer to the page! You get the negative of the stencil!
And because I can’t stand anything that’s perfect, I took a wet brush and messed up the pattern a bit!
So there you go! Five different ideas for mucking up your art journal and getting rid of those scary white pages! It’s time to breathe deep and let go!
Sometimes it’s good to just mess that journal up so you don’t have to feel like it’s sacrosanct. Also, I often start not on the first page. The only journal that I go in order in, is my daily art journal (it’s more diary like). My other art journals start in the middle or the back and then flit around. There are no rules!
Thanks for stopping by!
If you’re interested in more art journaling tips, be sure to check out my art journaling classes:
Too cool! Love them all…can’t wait to try! 🙂
Thanks so much for posting all of these!! You’re awesome!
OMG so simple and yet so AWESOME!!! I am going to try each one of them! Thanks Julie!
Please tell me why this post just about made me cry. I have always been afraid of the blank, white pages! Once I get started, it’s not too bad – but I am just frozen sometimes to begin with. Then when I DO finally start, it’s almost like I do the same ‘ole same ‘ole because I want to stay “safe”. Thank you so much for this post. I am glad to have 5 new ideas!
Hello from France! Thanks a lot for these tips. It does help! And since I am on holidays I will try the five of them. Have a good day.
I follow your blog since one year ago and I’m so happy I found it, you are great!!Each page is amazing, your tecniques seem to be quite easy and the final effect is wonderful!! Thanks for your advice and tutorials, a big hug from Italy Kinà
Yes those white pages really are daunting but with these tips, not any more. Thanks so much for sharing. You are amazing!
I {heart} Julie…thank you for all you instruction & technique. I think I’m ready to start my “BIG GIRL” journal book…since Jan. I’ve been working on small individual pages that I will bind into my very 1st art journal..but I think I’m ready 😉
I know the feeling of starting on a new ‘intimidating’ blank page. Gluing textpages on it helps too (or bind a journal from old bookpages, smear gesso over it and start working.) I also use a lot of methods you show here… I think your tips help a lot of (starting) art journalers today!!! Enjoy your weekend dear!
very cool! You have probably mentioned it before, but what kind of journal do you use for these kind of pages?
Thanks for the reminder to use my brayer!
So true about the perfect journal. When I buy a new one I want it to achieve greatness and treat it like a sacred object. Then when I do one page that I don’t love I feel like I have ruined the whole book. I kinda cheated and bought a journal that allows me to take a page out if I don’t like it, but I really like the idea of messing up the pages to begin with to contnue to learn to let go.
Your analogy to bowling is so true! I’m still working on “letting go” so I can feel more free to “play”. Thank you for all of the techniques for getting rid of those blank white pages…lots of fun there!
This post rocked my world! Thanks so much for the simplest of techniques to “take the first step.” You are a gem!
Thank you so much for sharing these great ideas. I’m a new art journaler (since January) and am spending this week practicing different background techniques. You’ve given me lots of inspiration.
Excellent post! You definitely make a blank page less scary!
Lisa: I use a watercolor moleskine! 🙂
Love your post. Love your blog. Love to Art Journal! So relaxing and inspiring. Thank you!
Awesome post and awesome techniques! Can’t wait to do some. Forgot to “sign up” for this month’s art journaling but I’m still playing along. You’ve inspired me so, so much! Thanks.
Thanks for tips. Sometimes it’s just hard to get started. This will help.
I love this – each technique so pretty. Since I had to unfortunately pack up all my craft supplies, I live through your blog vicariously (and yet, will still attempt to attend Prima’s parking lot sale next weekend).
Your bowling scenario made me laugh. I’m a horrible bowler. Years ago, while I was still employeed, our department went to dinner and bowling. Someone had accidentally put my name on two different lanes, so I bowled one lane right handed, and the other lane, left handed. My final score between the two, was a one point difference!!!!!
Julie, these are great ways to get over the white page! Thanks for the visuals, you rock!
The way you’ve done these artworks seem so easy. And the results are so nice. Many thanks for the ideas.
Thanks, grazie !!
I love all your methods
fantastic!
Sandra
Fabulous Julie! And as always, inspiring!! Thank you thank you thank you!
Thanks for the great tips! I’m still new to art journaling and been trying to figure out how to do neat backgrounds. This was a big help and so simple…now I’m going to take off and do some journal painting on the balcony…
i adore those pages…I know some of those technics and I will try the new one I have discover with you…thanks a lot xxx
I’m just starting art journaling and mixed media stuff. I’m glad to see that I’m not alone in my fear of the blank page. Thanks for these great suggestions!!
This tutorial is fantastic! Thank you soooooo much!
Wonderful tutorial Julie!
I’m just getting into Art Journaling, and I still face the ‘white page’ fear, even when starting traditional SB LOs.
That is so true about psyching yourself out with great expectations prior to beginning a piece.
My favorite LO was done as an accident with no attachment to the final outcome. I just slapped some paint on, and figured I’ll just see where this takes me.
***
Now, can you advise me…
I’m a bit hesitant about using a bound journal, because I like having a larger surface to work on, and I want the page to lay flat (no spine issues to deal with).
I was thinking about using high quality watercolor paper for the pages, and when done with a bunch of them, to bind it using a Bid-it-all. Have you heard any pros/cons, or reviews of people doing it this way?
Any help appreciated!
IrmaPeredne.blogspot.com
Irma: That sounds like a great way to do it! Ive never used a Bind-it-All, so I dont know what the pros/cons are of that system! But I hope youll let us know!
This is awesome ! I do some of these techniques and discover some new ones as well.
What is this gorgeous dark red (almost brownish) spray you used on the last picture, please ? Loving it.
Thanks a lot for sharing <3
Its a mix of orange and purple! 🙂
I don’t journal, but was looking for ideas on making some fun new art and these techniques look amazing! I’m definitely going to try them – I think #4 is my fave and offers some really unique possibilities, but I love #2 and #1 also.
Thanks so much for sharing some great ideas here! Can’t wait to give these a try! 🙂
Thanks so much for removing the fear factor. I start on January 2012 and I am getting excited, again. No fear of blank white pages. I’m diving in!
Thanks a lot for this tutorial, I think I will try all……
In the last example with the Harlequin diamonds, Do you remember which two colors of Adirondack Color Wash you used?!?!?! I LOVE those colors! (and that stencil)
THANK you
xoxoxo
amy
twinreflex@gmail.com
Luv luv this page yeahhhh so cool I have to get some inks as yet we don’t have these in New Zealand as far as i know but you could do the same with acrylics maybe the scrapping i’ve done with an old credit card which was so freeing thanks huny for the demo :O)
Julie, I’m new to all this, so forgive me if this is a dumb question. If you were doing these backgrounds in one of those Strathmore mixed-media visual journals, would you gesso the page first?
Im not familiar enough with the Strathmore books to know how that particular paper will react, but generally speaking gesso will repel spray ink.
Love it! Thanks
Hi Julie!
Just letting you know I have featured two of the images from this excellent blog post in an article I have recently written to help high school Art students excel: http://www.studentartguide.com/articles/inventive-mixed-media-techniques
I have credited these images to you and linked through to this blog post. Please let me know if you are not happy with this image use and I will delete immediately.
Thank you! 🙂
Amiria
Hi I’m staying in South Africa and haven’t seen Adirondack Color Wash in any shops. Anything else I can try?
Great use of the inks. Can’t wait to try it.
Thank you OBI-ONE-KINOBI. I live for your tutorials. You are the best. My creativity continues to grow because you have chosen to share freely, some of your techniques. As an Artist, I thirst for new ideas and techniques to develop! Thank you again and again!!!! A Most grateful student of the arts!!!! Donna ;))
Just found this, thanks for sharing these techniques! The pages I create that I end up enjoying the most are usually those where I was just free and splashed around and created colours/patterns at the beginning stage. If I start with a sketch I often get stuck.
I actually prefer to -not- wash my brayer, because the dried paint creates interesting texture next time.
Awesome post. Thank you Pinterest for the sharing. Thank you Julie for one of the best technique, journal encouragement, graphic clarity demonstrations I’ve come across. Wow.
Hi Julie,
Basic question but: Are you pre-gesso’ing your pages or doing all this straight on the journal paper?
I really appreciate your sprayed ink techniques. I have been doing most of my page bases with watercolors, but I love the look of the ink and the way it blends, should definitely get some! Again great post, I appreciate all the photos! Kind regards! Feel free to check out my work at blockblockgoose.com
i would love to try this
You rock. :d hahaha this is so cool. imma try this. 🙂
these are so simple but such effective techniques! thanks so much for sharing them, as I’m new to art journaling and need some ideas on getting started 🙂
I’m the worst bowler on the planet. You would beat me, I swear! Great tips!