This article is part of my FREE e-course Art Journaling 101 – which has been designed to gently introduce beginners to the basics of art journaling so you can find your way with more ease and less fear. If you’re curious about art journaling or overwhelmed with how to begin, sign up for the full free course HERE.
My journal is a place of self reflection and self discovery. It’s a place to express who I am as a person. So instead of simply recording everyday events, I record feelings, beliefs, turning points, mental shifts, and realizations. If not with words, then with color or imagery.
Each page is like a reflection of who I am at that particular moment in time.
Being able to freely journal in this fashion takes courage, truth, and practice. But with a little help from journaling prompts, you can begin to uncover your true self.
Prompts are simply bits of inspiration or questions to get you started writing. Search through Google and you’d find thousands of sites that offer journaling prompts, but it can be hard to fish through them all to find ones that you actually want to use. In my art journal, I like to use prompts that would get me thinking about who I am, or prompts that would help me dig deep into my memories… something to bring me clarity and a new angle on how I view myself. Sometimes I answer a prompt directly, and other times just reading them sparks something else inside of me.
Here are a few of my favorite journaling prompts:
What would you do if money were no object?
What is something wonderful that makes you different from everyone else?
Describe a childhood memory that you would love to relive.
What is something that you know is true?
If your life story were a book, what would the ending be?
What is your heart full of right now in this moment?
Beyond prompts, some other ideas are to:
- make lists
- write a poem
- record your favorite quote or song lyrics that speak to you
- write about what you’re feeling inside at the moment
But remember, you don’t always have to say a lot for it to be deep and meaningful. Use your art, colors, and imagery to express yourself too!
P.S. If you’re interested in using prompts in your journal, you might enjoy my books: 101+ Journaling Prompts and the Soul Journal Series!
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Congratulations, Kristal!
I am looking forward to it
Great post! And I can’t wait for the e-book… congratulations!! <3
Coooool! I can’t wait!!!!!!!!!!!!
Love it! So glad I found you. Need to journal, need to art journal, get too stuck. this will be a big help to me!
Hi kristal, You have given me a light bulb moment again!lol
Reading your words today really hit home , you make understanding Art Journaling really clear and simple as to what it is really all about!. I love it!
You make me think deeply about what i’m doing with my journal and at the moment, if it were a “Dog” it would be a Heinz57…. ( oh! you don’t know what that is, do you !!!!, oh you might do… but it’s UK slang! lol ha ha hee hee)
it’s a right o’l mixed breed of puppy dog that is not sure what breed he is! Thats My Journal , not sure what it is, Diary , Art Journal, Smashbook or Project Life, what a mix !, but i’m loving creating it, which is the main thing!
congratulations on the book, can’t wait to read it,
got me thinking on your favorite prompts too today, how I would tackle them!!
great post
kind regards
paula
Sound so good…..can not wait for the e-book ….congratulation !!!
Congrats, Kristal!! Way to go and happy for you.
Congrats Kristal, how awesome for you!! This would be great book for me, I like doing jouranl prompts to get my page started. Thanks for sharing a few prompts with us and I love your journal page here. Can’t wait to see more!!
Hello! Thanks for the prompts.. I needed this to begin my journey in art journaling!
I just downloaded the book, which is where I saw the link for this class. Thank you! Love your class and love your book.
Thank you for all the helpful information.
Dear Kristal,
My name is Evelyn and I am form Austria, living near Vienna.
A few days ago i found your website an I’d like to say, that your informations about doing an art journal were very very helpful. Now I know that it must not be perfect (in my opinion everything has to be perfect ;-) )
I’m so glad that I found you site!
Very kind regards from Austria,
Evelyn
PS.:Please forgive my bad english – I hope you can read it nevertheless
This is really helpful. Thank you for all the lessons, you are so kind to share with us all your experience in art journaling.
I have purchased the Kindle version of your book as a thank you for your time, effort and enthusiasm. I am enjoying Art Journaling 101 and feel a part of a wider art community thanks to you!
Thank you so much for sharing this course! It has been so VERY helpful to me!
I just purchased the kindle edition of your book.
Thanks again!
Debbie