Creating the edges of our pages gives us a great place to begin, but now it’s time to fill those pages in with all our pieces. And once again, just like a jigsaw puzzle, we will turn to all...
The Piles of Pieces
Dig in
Art Journal Catalysts
Tutorial
04 – Drawing Leaves
Let’s use repetition and re-creation in our art practice as a way to lower pressure, explore, and develop an idea. In this session, we will be drawing from observation using a fallen leaf or...
03 – Drawing with Scissors
Firstly, we will prepare our sketchbook page with a nice dark background with either ink or paint and let it dry. We'll then look at our photographs for inspiration to create nature-themed...
07 – Sketching with Thread
This lesson will take you through a simple collaged landscape using painted deli papers as the collage material. On top of this simple and colourful base, we will addd stitched lines...
05 – A Stitched Specimen
This lesson will explore some of the inhabitants of our landscapes. Personally, I find butterflies to be such a source of inspiration and the perfect partner for our stitched meadows...
Step by Step: Media Journal
This lesson walks you through a step by step process of creating a media journal page.
Space
Space refers to the perspective (distance between and around) and proportion (size) between shapes and objects and how their relationship with the foreground or background is perceived. There are different types of spaces an artist can achieve for different effect....
Shape
A shape is a two-dimensional design encased by lines to signify its height and width structure, and can have different values of color used within it to make it appear three-dimensional. In animation, shapes are used to give a character a distinct...
Line
Lines are marks moving in a space between two points whereby a viewer can visualize the stroke movement, direction, and intention based on how the line is oriented. Lines describe an outline, capable of producing texture according to their length and...
Your World by Jana Clinard Harris
EncouragementYour challenge, should you choose to accept it: Create a journal that shows what your ideal world looks like. This is a place you wish you could live in all the time. It should...
Making Moveable Collages by e bond
HeartYour challenge, should you choose to accept it: Explore how to make moveable collages in your art journal. Action Steps Bring your imperfect, messy self, take what you need, and know that more...
Lovingly Stitched by Alyssa Griese
HeartYour challenge, should you choose to accept it: Stitch a love note or kind word to yourself or to someone you love. Action Steps Bring your imperfect, messy self, take what you need, and know...
Imperfect Face by Iris Fritschi-Cussens
OKYour challenge, should you choose to accept it: Draw and paint an imperfect face with simple raw art journaling techniques Action Steps Bring your imperfect, messy self, take what you need, and know...
Gel Plate Printed Vintage Books
Use gel plate printed papers to collage in AND let’s also use a gel plate to print directly in an altered book.
Envelope Pocket Journal
Finishing#gmseasonoffinishingLet's set ourselves up to finish strong this year. I'll be showing you how to create and easy envelop pocket journal that can be accommodated into your workflow....
How to blend acrylics on the page
Hello everyone, Im Tanyalee, teacher of the newest Get Messy ecourse Messy Pages. Thank you for joining me for this guest post for the Get Messy Season of Contrast. It is so great to be back on the Get Messy blog. I am going to share with you a little snippet of my...
3.2 Highest Self
Growth is a marker of life. As we grow, we learn. As we learn, we simplify and purify. This is a transformative alchemical process where our creativity, spirituality and self-awareness...
3.1 Our Transformation
In the next three lessons, we will create a series of windows leading to an ‘altar’ to the divinity present within each one of us. Our altars will be the seat of our highest self - that is...
Steph – Affirmation Zines
We will create and cut out flowers, letter affirmations, and decorate our zine using what you have on hand. There are step by step directions on how to draw flowing flowers, cut them out, and...
Caylee – Reverse Zines
A reverse zine is a zine that starts as a sheet and becomes a mini journal, rather than the other way around. It uses the magical power of cropping to make your art look absolutely gorgeous no...
How to make a zine
Here's a 60 second reference for making your own one-page zine. DownloadDownload the worksheets for this lesson.Want the steps one-by-one without having to pause? Here you go: Start with a...
The Pieces
We live such varied lives, holding so many roles, loving so many different things, and with all of that comes a lot of bits and pieces, many of which we easily overlook when it comes time to...
01 – Making the Journal
In this lesson I will take you through the process of making a simple and scrappy journal using mixed media paper and painted fabric strips as the signatures. The cover is made from...
Value
Value refers to the degree of perceivable lightness of tones within an image. The element of value is compatible with the term luminosity, and can be "measured in various units designating electromagnetic radiation". The difference in values is often called contrast,...
Comfort Zones and Kindness by Risa Iwasaki Culbertson
AweYour challenge, should you choose to accept it: Step outside your comfort zone to build confidence and kindness in your creative practice. Action Stepscreate something based on this...
Color & Paper Mixing by Roben-Marie Smith
MessYour challenge, should you choose to accept it: Gather papers by color and collage them into your sketchbook for project inspiration. Bonus Save this file to your computer, print it out, and...
Transformation
Moments #gmseasonofmoments Your challenge, should you choose to accept it: Create an art journal page using the word Transformation as the theme. Bonus points: Limit your palette...
Recipe 18
#getmessyrecipes Art Journal Water jar Brushes, one medium flat, one small flat Colorful, art paper scraps, magazine ephemera, scrapbooking paper, wrapping paper Gesso Paper towel or wet wipe 3...
Self Love through Collage
Worthiness#gmseasonofworthiness This lesson was originally released in the Season of Kindness. It holds so much value for the Season of Worthiness that - for the first time...
Your Story is Worthy of Being Told
Sometimes, things get in the way of our art making – whether it’s time, emotions or life in general! But I want to impress upon you that you are worthy of taking this time for you, that your story – your journey – is worthy of being told as well.
How to make a zine
A zine is a handmade magazine or mini-comic about anything you can imagine: favorite bands, personal stories, subcultures, or collections. They contain diary entries, rants, interviews, and stories. They can be by one person or many, found in stores, traded at comic conventions, exchanged with friends, or given away for free.
An intuitive approach to building a layered spread
Focus#gmseasonoffocusIn this video I’ll be sharing a layered spread from start to finish in my handmade journal. These spreads used to intimidate me, but not any more. I overcame...
Incorporating your favourite elements into an art journal spread
Focus#gmseasonoffocusIn this video, I’ll take you step by step through my process of creating a spread which combines all the elements of my work. I will show you how I merge...
3.3 You at Your Greatest
In this lesson, we'll wrap up this journey to the divine within. Action StepsWrap up this stage of your journey to the divine within
2.3 Into the Journal
Now that our doll -along with her symbols - is ready and assembled, I will take you through how to add her to your journal as well as how to make a paper shelf/library of sorts to hold all...
2.2 An Articulated Doll
We will start by making our paper doll. For this part, you should – just like LaQuisha did with her doll – draw a representation of you. It’s a representation – it’s not a copy of you. So...
1.4 Windows
Remember those first 3 pages? In this lesson, we’re going to use them to create 3 windows to admire our dolls from. Let's first decide where our dolls fit best.Supplies Art journal &...
Debbie – Instructional Zines
This is a lesson about how to make a one-page zine teaching others how to do something you’re good at.Supplies 1 sheet of printer paper scissors pencil and eraser black pen colored pencils Go...
Warm Up – Creating beautiful organic shapes with water and ink
Learn how to make striking organic shapes with a simple, fun art technique that uses water and ink.Supplies loose paper (thicker paper works best) a container of water a brush a bottle of...
Expanded Spine Art Journal
The incredible Diana was so inspired by Claudette's journal in the Courageous Adventures in Art Journaling class that she played around, figured things out by pausing a video, and made a similar journal. And then another and another. And then we're...
Recipe 21
#getmessyrecipes Background papers (see the PDF for printable options) Clip art (see the PDF for printable options) Scrap paper, ledger paper, favorite paper Glue Stabilo All Watercolor pen or...
Recipe 19
#getmessyrecipes Background papers (see the PDF for printable options) Clip art (see the PDF for printable options) Scrap paper, ledger paper, favorite paper Glue Stabilo All Watercolor pen or...
Your Story is Worthy
Your Story is Worthy of Being ToldHello dear heroines, I feel so lucky to be back with you for a little bonus lesson. When Caylee mentioned that the next Season was that of Worthiness, it sparked some ideas when it comes to this class. The Inner Heroine is quite a...
Choose Your Companion
Free Lesson - Choose Your CompanionThe Inner Heroine class is all about documenting a journey that we have undertaken and that has allowed us to grow. In telling our story through the lens of a heroine embarking on a grand adventure, we can be free of self-censorship...
Painting a ‘scene’ in your art journal
Spark#gmseasonofsparkOk so let’s get started! The goal is to create a ‘scene’ or a full painting spanning 2 pages or a spread in your art journal. Use whatever paint you like best....
Pocket Gratitude
1.6 5-Point Journaling
Since 2016, I’ve followed the same journaling strategy to reflect on my faith and fond daily moments. After showing a group of my art friends on Zoom, they named it the “5-Point Journaling...
1.5 Final Touches
In this lesson, I’ll be showing you some examples of how you can add the final touches to your 4-page sketchbook spread using ephemera, paint splatters, and more.Supplies Art journal...
Bonus – Tag It – Char
Tags are so versatile and fun. I must admit, I never understood the hoopla around tags before I started art journaling. My rationale at the time was because I was primarily...
Bonus – Tag It – Claudette
Tags are such a fun way to add some extra personality to our journals. While making our tags we play with stitching, threads, and fabric scraps. We use quotes, images, and...
06 – Wreck It – Char
The minute I shouted, “Wreck It!” during our brainstorm meeting, followed by Claudette replying with an emphatic, “YES, that’s it!” I knew I was in trouble. Seriously, how could I...
06 – Wreck It – Claudette
During this Wreck It part of our course we are going to be dunking our journals in coffee, closing our eyes so that we can randomly spray spraypaint throughout our journals, and...
05 – Color It – Char
The title “Color It” immediately makes me think of working with lots of juicy colors for a journal spread. Imagine my surprise when I ended up working with a limited color palette!...
05 – Color It – Claudette
In lesson 5 we are going to be making our own handmade stencils, as well as painted tapes and stickers that we can use to add pops of color and interest within our journal spreads....
04 – Explore It – Char
I thought this was a great time to explore and get reaquanted with soft pastels, because while I love them, I hardly work with them and they’re gathering dust. I remembered finding...
04 – Explore It – Claudette
In this lesson, we explore our journals again and have a look at the flow of our journals so far. We harness the energy of being courageous and adventurous as we make some bold...
03 – Grunge It – Char
I would argue that, “Grunge is in the eye of the beholder.” Of course, there are distinct and absolute concepts when it comes to grunge, but for me - and as in everything mixed...
03 – Grunge It – Claudette
One dictionary defines grunge as deliberately untidy and uncoordinated. I couldn’t have said it better. I love the wild freedom that grunge allows us to explore within our journal...
02 – Ink It – Char
I love inks and use them often when making collage fodder and using them in my background pages. They’re also great for adding that extra spark of color to your work. This time, I...
02 – Ink It – Claudette
Inks are such a fun supply to incorporate into our art journaling practice. In this lesson, we take a closer look at the difference between inks that dry to be permanent and those...
01 – Expose It – Char
When Claudette and I decided on “Expose It” as one of our lessons, I immediately knew that I wanted to share one of my favorite techniques: using negative space. It’s the literal...
01 – Expose It – Claudette
To start off this courageous adventure step of starting a new journal we are exposing its bones, examining all of its hidden parts, and exploring unexpected areas of inspiration....
Recipe 24
#getmessyrecipes painted papers floral images circle punch alphabet stamps ink pad glue Punch several circles out of your painted papers and floral images. Choose a few circles and scatter them around...
Recipe 23
#getmessyrecipes two black and white photographs black acrylic paint white gel pen gesso old gift card small paintbrush large paintbrush stamp and ink pad label sticker Apply gesso to the edge of an...
Recipe 22
#getmessyrecipes watercolor floral images word phrase stamp ink pad paintbrush scissors glue Choose three colors of paint that coordinate with your floral images. Dip brush in water and load it with...
Recipe 20
#getmessyrecipes Background papers (see the PDF for printable options) Clip art (see the PDF for printable options) Ledger paper or any paper you love to write on Glue Stabilo All Pencil Waterbrush...
Imperfect brush lettering
Steven#gmseasonofstevenGetting an entire book into a journal I am not going to teach you exactly how to script letters and how to combine them. Please use my own messy lettering...
Quick tip: Processing a book for art
Steven#gmseasonofstevenGetting an entire book into a journal Before we get into the techniques, let's talk a bit about how to process your book.Steps for processing Read the book...
Preparing your journal for art
Steven#gmseasonofstevenPrep Your Journal In the video I'll go through the initial prep for an altered book journal. Remember that your journal is a work in process and that...