Art Journal Every Day

Art Journal Every Day: iPad Journal Pages

ArtJournalEveryDayLogo-150If you're new to Art Journal Every Day, there is a short introduction here.  All of the previous posts can be found archived here.  There is a flickr group for sharing right here.  Remember, it's just ten minutes of nourishing your creative self every day!  No need to finish anything or even like it.  If you've done some art journaling this week and you've blogged about it, or put it on flickr, please leave a link in the linky list at the end of this post.  Thanks!

My sweet friend Nat gave me the best birthday gift: a Sensu Brush!  What is a Sensu Brush?  It's a brush and stylus that can be used with any touchscreen device.  The stylus end is a hard rubber nub.  The brush, looks and feels just like a real paintbrush!  It's pretty super cool.

After opening my gift and squealing with joy, I immediately went looking for apps.  Sadly, I have a first generation iPad and cannot update my operating system to be able to use the app everyone recommends: Procreate.  It actually irrationally crossed my mind that I should get a new iPad just to be able to use that program.  But then reality and the price tag intervened.  So, I downloaded another app that people seem to like: Paper 53.

It's a fun drawing app that allows you to have different journals.  You can even customize the covers of your journals with a photo, as I've done here:

Albums
The journals each open and you can flip through them.

Multipages
You have to purchase each of the drawing tools individually, or in a bundle.  Here is what the screen looks like when you're drawing.

Tools
Lines
You can move the black bar at the bottom with all the tools out of the way, so that you can use the full screen. 

Here are four art journal pages I made with this app and my Sensu:

2figures
2figures
2figures
She
I have some small gripes: You can't adjust the brush or pen tip sizes.  There's no ability to smear.  I don't really get the color mixing thing. It doesn't quite work for my brain.  You can't upload any images onto your pages.  The eraser is very large and doesn't really allow for detail erasing.  There's a slight lag when drawing.

But overall, I'm having a ball playing around with it!  How about you?  Have you done any iPad journal pages?  What programs/tools are you using?

Here is this week's linky list:

Thanks for stopping by!

Julie Fei-Fan Balzer

Based outside of Boston, Julie Fei-Fan Balzer is a painter, printmaker, and collage artist who constructs vibrant compositions. Her artwork investigates the interplay of identity and perception, inviting viewers to take a longer look. Julie works in layers, both physically and metaphorically, exploring what is visible and what is concealed. Passionate about connecting with and inspiring other artists, she shares her expertise through in-person workshops and her online classroom at MyArtPractice.com. Julie's achievements include high-profile clients, multiple publications - including her book, “Carve Stamp Play” - and exhibits in New York City and throughout Massachusetts. She is a graduate of Brown University.

125 thoughts on “Art Journal Every Day: iPad Journal Pages

  • I have an Ipadone and a kindle fire, first gen. Willanything work on the Kindle,or will this really work on an Ipad one?

    Reply
  • I have an Ipadone and a kindle fire, first gen. Willanything work on the Kindle,or will this really work on an Ipad one?

    Reply
  • I have an Ipadone and a kindle fire, first gen. Willanything work on the Kindle,or will this really work on an Ipad one?

    Reply
  • I have an Ipadone and a kindle fire, first gen. Willanything work on the Kindle,or will this really work on an Ipad one?

    Reply
  • I have an Ipadone and a kindle fire, first gen. Willanything work on the Kindle,or will this really work on an Ipad one?

    Reply
  • Julie, have you tried ArtRage?? You can get an app for the iPad. I have the drawing/painting program on my computer and it is GREAT. If you get a chance check it out.
    http://www.artrage.com/
    Have a great weekend 🙂

    Reply
  • Julie, have you tried ArtRage?? You can get an app for the iPad. I have the drawing/painting program on my computer and it is GREAT. If you get a chance check it out.
    http://www.artrage.com/
    Have a great weekend 🙂

    Reply
  • Julie, have you tried ArtRage?? You can get an app for the iPad. I have the drawing/painting program on my computer and it is GREAT. If you get a chance check it out.
    http://www.artrage.com/
    Have a great weekend 🙂

    Reply
  • Julie, have you tried ArtRage?? You can get an app for the iPad. I have the drawing/painting program on my computer and it is GREAT. If you get a chance check it out.
    http://www.artrage.com/
    Have a great weekend 🙂

    Reply
  • Julie, have you tried ArtRage?? You can get an app for the iPad. I have the drawing/painting program on my computer and it is GREAT. If you get a chance check it out.
    http://www.artrage.com/
    Have a great weekend 🙂

    Reply
  • Ha- I don’t have an IPAD,phone or Kindle and tho this looks like fun I know nothing about apps. 🙂

    Reply
  • Ha- I don’t have an IPAD,phone or Kindle and tho this looks like fun I know nothing about apps. 🙂

    Reply
  • Ha- I don’t have an IPAD,phone or Kindle and tho this looks like fun I know nothing about apps. 🙂

    Reply
  • Ha- I don’t have an IPAD,phone or Kindle and tho this looks like fun I know nothing about apps. 🙂

    Reply
  • Ha- I don’t have an IPAD,phone or Kindle and tho this looks like fun I know nothing about apps. 🙂

    Reply
  • I prefer the smell of paint, ink and paper but it seems you have a lot of fun with the app. Enjoy, Julie, and have a great weekend.

    Reply
  • I prefer the smell of paint, ink and paper but it seems you have a lot of fun with the app. Enjoy, Julie, and have a great weekend.

    Reply
  • I prefer the smell of paint, ink and paper but it seems you have a lot of fun with the app. Enjoy, Julie, and have a great weekend.

    Reply
  • I prefer the smell of paint, ink and paper but it seems you have a lot of fun with the app. Enjoy, Julie, and have a great weekend.

    Reply
  • I prefer the smell of paint, ink and paper but it seems you have a lot of fun with the app. Enjoy, Julie, and have a great weekend.

    Reply
  • I think your art looks awesome on this…you make it LOOK easy even if you say it wasn’t !!

    Reply
  • I think your art looks awesome on this…you make it LOOK easy even if you say it wasn’t !!

    Reply
  • I think your art looks awesome on this…you make it LOOK easy even if you say it wasn’t !!

    Reply
  • I think your art looks awesome on this…you make it LOOK easy even if you say it wasn’t !!

    Reply
  • I think your art looks awesome on this…you make it LOOK easy even if you say it wasn’t !!

    Reply
  • This is so beautiful & so cool!!! I received a Bamboo tablet for Christmas and haven’t done much with it. I can’t wait to pull it out and play around with it now. Thanks for the inspiration 🙂

    Reply
  • This is so beautiful & so cool!!! I received a Bamboo tablet for Christmas and haven’t done much with it. I can’t wait to pull it out and play around with it now. Thanks for the inspiration 🙂

    Reply
  • This is so beautiful & so cool!!! I received a Bamboo tablet for Christmas and haven’t done much with it. I can’t wait to pull it out and play around with it now. Thanks for the inspiration 🙂

    Reply
  • This is so beautiful & so cool!!! I received a Bamboo tablet for Christmas and haven’t done much with it. I can’t wait to pull it out and play around with it now. Thanks for the inspiration 🙂

    Reply
  • This is so beautiful & so cool!!! I received a Bamboo tablet for Christmas and haven’t done much with it. I can’t wait to pull it out and play around with it now. Thanks for the inspiration 🙂

    Reply
  • Those look very cool. I’m not a digital gal but it’s awesome those kind of apps are out there.

    Reply
  • Those look very cool. I’m not a digital gal but it’s awesome those kind of apps are out there.

    Reply
  • Those look very cool. I’m not a digital gal but it’s awesome those kind of apps are out there.

    Reply
  • Those look very cool. I’m not a digital gal but it’s awesome those kind of apps are out there.

    Reply
  • Those look very cool. I’m not a digital gal but it’s awesome those kind of apps are out there.

    Reply
  • OH man – I’m just going to have to give up sleep – this world just has too too many toys! Yippee!

    Reply
  • OH man – I’m just going to have to give up sleep – this world just has too too many toys! Yippee!

    Reply
  • OH man – I’m just going to have to give up sleep – this world just has too too many toys! Yippee!

    Reply
  • OH man – I’m just going to have to give up sleep – this world just has too too many toys! Yippee!

    Reply
  • OH man – I’m just going to have to give up sleep – this world just has too too many toys! Yippee!

    Reply
  • I love your digital pages! I’ve been seeing some from other artists too. It’s amazing what you can do with the iPad. Some day I’ll get up the courage to try it.

    Reply
  • I love your digital pages! I’ve been seeing some from other artists too. It’s amazing what you can do with the iPad. Some day I’ll get up the courage to try it.

    Reply
  • I love your digital pages! I’ve been seeing some from other artists too. It’s amazing what you can do with the iPad. Some day I’ll get up the courage to try it.

    Reply
  • I love your digital pages! I’ve been seeing some from other artists too. It’s amazing what you can do with the iPad. Some day I’ll get up the courage to try it.

    Reply
  • I love your digital pages! I’ve been seeing some from other artists too. It’s amazing what you can do with the iPad. Some day I’ll get up the courage to try it.

    Reply
  • I have no idea if anything will work on a kindle.  I have the original generation iPad (no camera or anything) and it works for me.

    Reply
  • I have no idea if anything will work on a kindle.  I have the original generation iPad (no camera or anything) and it works for me.

    Reply
  • I have no idea if anything will work on a kindle.  I have the original generation iPad (no camera or anything) and it works for me.

    Reply
  • I have no idea if anything will work on a kindle.  I have the original generation iPad (no camera or anything) and it works for me.

    Reply
  • I have no idea if anything will work on a kindle.  I have the original generation iPad (no camera or anything) and it works for me.

    Reply
  • I haven’t an ipad, but I do a lot of digital art with photoshop and corel painter (old versions) and love it, so please someone give me an ipad. lol I love the she page.

    Reply
  • I haven’t an ipad, but I do a lot of digital art with photoshop and corel painter (old versions) and love it, so please someone give me an ipad. lol I love the she page.

    Reply
  • I haven’t an ipad, but I do a lot of digital art with photoshop and corel painter (old versions) and love it, so please someone give me an ipad. lol I love the she page.

    Reply
  • I haven’t an ipad, but I do a lot of digital art with photoshop and corel painter (old versions) and love it, so please someone give me an ipad. lol I love the she page.

    Reply
  • I haven’t an ipad, but I do a lot of digital art with photoshop and corel painter (old versions) and love it, so please someone give me an ipad. lol I love the she page.

    Reply
  • I wish I had an Ipad! I would love to do digital journaling!

    Reply
  • I wish I had an Ipad! I would love to do digital journaling!

    Reply
  • I wish I had an Ipad! I would love to do digital journaling!

    Reply
  • I wish I had an Ipad! I would love to do digital journaling!

    Reply
  • I wish I had an Ipad! I would love to do digital journaling!

    Reply
  • I think another great app for art journaling is Art Studio. I have used it for making scrapbook pages because it has blend modes and you can import photos. I used it on my iPad one, but it would crash occasionally.

    Reply
  • I think another great app for art journaling is Art Studio. I have used it for making scrapbook pages because it has blend modes and you can import photos. I used it on my iPad one, but it would crash occasionally.

    Reply
  • I think another great app for art journaling is Art Studio. I have used it for making scrapbook pages because it has blend modes and you can import photos. I used it on my iPad one, but it would crash occasionally.

    Reply
  • I think another great app for art journaling is Art Studio. I have used it for making scrapbook pages because it has blend modes and you can import photos. I used it on my iPad one, but it would crash occasionally.

    Reply
  • I think another great app for art journaling is Art Studio. I have used it for making scrapbook pages because it has blend modes and you can import photos. I used it on my iPad one, but it would crash occasionally.

    Reply
  • I haven’t done anything like that at all. I have issues with technology. I have a Galaxy Tab but only use it to check emails online at Starbucks and to read from the Kindle app. I do like the drawings that you were able to do. I would like to try it
    though it kinda freaks me out. Silly me.

    Reply
  • I haven’t done anything like that at all. I have issues with technology. I have a Galaxy Tab but only use it to check emails online at Starbucks and to read from the Kindle app. I do like the drawings that you were able to do. I would like to try it
    though it kinda freaks me out. Silly me.

    Reply
  • I haven’t done anything like that at all. I have issues with technology. I have a Galaxy Tab but only use it to check emails online at Starbucks and to read from the Kindle app. I do like the drawings that you were able to do. I would like to try it
    though it kinda freaks me out. Silly me.

    Reply
  • I haven’t done anything like that at all. I have issues with technology. I have a Galaxy Tab but only use it to check emails online at Starbucks and to read from the Kindle app. I do like the drawings that you were able to do. I would like to try it
    though it kinda freaks me out. Silly me.

    Reply
  • I haven’t done anything like that at all. I have issues with technology. I have a Galaxy Tab but only use it to check emails online at Starbucks and to read from the Kindle app. I do like the drawings that you were able to do. I would like to try it
    though it kinda freaks me out. Silly me.

    Reply
  • Hi Julie! I discovered this app a few weeks ago and mess with it some nights while I watch TV. There are some shortcomings for sure but I’ve been having fun just messing around with it. I have been looking at stylus and your new one sounds TOO COOL! I’m going to check out Procreate and the other one someone mentioned. Thanks!

    Reply
  • Hi Julie! I discovered this app a few weeks ago and mess with it some nights while I watch TV. There are some shortcomings for sure but I’ve been having fun just messing around with it. I have been looking at stylus and your new one sounds TOO COOL! I’m going to check out Procreate and the other one someone mentioned. Thanks!

    Reply
  • Hi Julie! I discovered this app a few weeks ago and mess with it some nights while I watch TV. There are some shortcomings for sure but I’ve been having fun just messing around with it. I have been looking at stylus and your new one sounds TOO COOL! I’m going to check out Procreate and the other one someone mentioned. Thanks!

    Reply
  • Hi Julie! I discovered this app a few weeks ago and mess with it some nights while I watch TV. There are some shortcomings for sure but I’ve been having fun just messing around with it. I have been looking at stylus and your new one sounds TOO COOL! I’m going to check out Procreate and the other one someone mentioned. Thanks!

    Reply
  • Hi Julie! I discovered this app a few weeks ago and mess with it some nights while I watch TV. There are some shortcomings for sure but I’ve been having fun just messing around with it. I have been looking at stylus and your new one sounds TOO COOL! I’m going to check out Procreate and the other one someone mentioned. Thanks!

    Reply
  • I love Paper and I love working with it but nothing like yours! I’m looking for a different stylus. I’ll check out yours. Thanks as always for the inspiration.

    Reply
  • I love Paper and I love working with it but nothing like yours! I’m looking for a different stylus. I’ll check out yours. Thanks as always for the inspiration.

    Reply
  • I love Paper and I love working with it but nothing like yours! I’m looking for a different stylus. I’ll check out yours. Thanks as always for the inspiration.

    Reply
  • I love Paper and I love working with it but nothing like yours! I’m looking for a different stylus. I’ll check out yours. Thanks as always for the inspiration.

    Reply
  • I love Paper and I love working with it but nothing like yours! I’m looking for a different stylus. I’ll check out yours. Thanks as always for the inspiration.

    Reply
  • I can’t thank you enough for today’s blog. I love your style, and I came to your blog via one of your art journal videos that I purchased and watched.
    I have put the Sensu brush on my wish list, and I have got the Paper 53 app for my iPad. I am brand new to art journaling and was struggling to dive in. But, I am working on my iPad all the time. There is something about that “rewind” option that is so liberating! I am no artist, but I love just doodling and sketching or writing then erasing anything that doesn’t suit me at the end of the day. This is the perfect de-stresser for me, and “decompressing” is the very reason I sought out art journaling in the first place.
    Thanks for using your gifts to inspire the rest of us : )

    Reply
  • I can’t thank you enough for today’s blog. I love your style, and I came to your blog via one of your art journal videos that I purchased and watched.
    I have put the Sensu brush on my wish list, and I have got the Paper 53 app for my iPad. I am brand new to art journaling and was struggling to dive in. But, I am working on my iPad all the time. There is something about that “rewind” option that is so liberating! I am no artist, but I love just doodling and sketching or writing then erasing anything that doesn’t suit me at the end of the day. This is the perfect de-stresser for me, and “decompressing” is the very reason I sought out art journaling in the first place.
    Thanks for using your gifts to inspire the rest of us : )

    Reply
  • I can’t thank you enough for today’s blog. I love your style, and I came to your blog via one of your art journal videos that I purchased and watched.
    I have put the Sensu brush on my wish list, and I have got the Paper 53 app for my iPad. I am brand new to art journaling and was struggling to dive in. But, I am working on my iPad all the time. There is something about that “rewind” option that is so liberating! I am no artist, but I love just doodling and sketching or writing then erasing anything that doesn’t suit me at the end of the day. This is the perfect de-stresser for me, and “decompressing” is the very reason I sought out art journaling in the first place.
    Thanks for using your gifts to inspire the rest of us : )

    Reply
  • I can’t thank you enough for today’s blog. I love your style, and I came to your blog via one of your art journal videos that I purchased and watched.
    I have put the Sensu brush on my wish list, and I have got the Paper 53 app for my iPad. I am brand new to art journaling and was struggling to dive in. But, I am working on my iPad all the time. There is something about that “rewind” option that is so liberating! I am no artist, but I love just doodling and sketching or writing then erasing anything that doesn’t suit me at the end of the day. This is the perfect de-stresser for me, and “decompressing” is the very reason I sought out art journaling in the first place.
    Thanks for using your gifts to inspire the rest of us : )

    Reply
  • I can’t thank you enough for today’s blog. I love your style, and I came to your blog via one of your art journal videos that I purchased and watched.
    I have put the Sensu brush on my wish list, and I have got the Paper 53 app for my iPad. I am brand new to art journaling and was struggling to dive in. But, I am working on my iPad all the time. There is something about that “rewind” option that is so liberating! I am no artist, but I love just doodling and sketching or writing then erasing anything that doesn’t suit me at the end of the day. This is the perfect de-stresser for me, and “decompressing” is the very reason I sought out art journaling in the first place.
    Thanks for using your gifts to inspire the rest of us : )

    Reply
  • I love Paper! The color mixing thing takes some getting used to but basically whatever color you have in the palette well if you click on another color and then back to the palette well you can swirl it around and it will change the color as though you are mixing those together in a palette. Don’t swirl too far…just a little will change the color. Also I don’t know if you found this or not, but you can switch color palette options by scrolling down when you are touching your palette. A better app that doesn’t require buying anything is the Moleskine! I love it and you can import photos! So fun. Thanks for sharing!
    Colleen KG

    Reply
  • I love Paper! The color mixing thing takes some getting used to but basically whatever color you have in the palette well if you click on another color and then back to the palette well you can swirl it around and it will change the color as though you are mixing those together in a palette. Don’t swirl too far…just a little will change the color. Also I don’t know if you found this or not, but you can switch color palette options by scrolling down when you are touching your palette. A better app that doesn’t require buying anything is the Moleskine! I love it and you can import photos! So fun. Thanks for sharing!
    Colleen KG

    Reply
  • I love Paper! The color mixing thing takes some getting used to but basically whatever color you have in the palette well if you click on another color and then back to the palette well you can swirl it around and it will change the color as though you are mixing those together in a palette. Don’t swirl too far…just a little will change the color. Also I don’t know if you found this or not, but you can switch color palette options by scrolling down when you are touching your palette. A better app that doesn’t require buying anything is the Moleskine! I love it and you can import photos! So fun. Thanks for sharing!
    Colleen KG

    Reply
  • I love Paper! The color mixing thing takes some getting used to but basically whatever color you have in the palette well if you click on another color and then back to the palette well you can swirl it around and it will change the color as though you are mixing those together in a palette. Don’t swirl too far…just a little will change the color. Also I don’t know if you found this or not, but you can switch color palette options by scrolling down when you are touching your palette. A better app that doesn’t require buying anything is the Moleskine! I love it and you can import photos! So fun. Thanks for sharing!
    Colleen KG

    Reply
  • I love Paper! The color mixing thing takes some getting used to but basically whatever color you have in the palette well if you click on another color and then back to the palette well you can swirl it around and it will change the color as though you are mixing those together in a palette. Don’t swirl too far…just a little will change the color. Also I don’t know if you found this or not, but you can switch color palette options by scrolling down when you are touching your palette. A better app that doesn’t require buying anything is the Moleskine! I love it and you can import photos! So fun. Thanks for sharing!
    Colleen KG

    Reply

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