How is an art journal different from a regular journal?

• It contains visual elements, with or without text.
• This could be photos, clippings from magazines, scribbles, drawings, paintings, ephemera etc.
• It is a place to chronicle ANYTHING (current, past, present events, memories, thoughts, or experiments.)

Most importantly…It is a NO PRESSURE creative activity. Try not to go for perfection or second guess. Your art journal is just for you!

There are so many ways to fill your art journal. Here is an exercise you might want to try:

Mindfulness Landscapes

Materials:

• Art journal or paper
• Something to paint, color, draw, or collage with. For my demonstration I used one colour from my watercolour paint set. Have no paint? You can use a dark tea or coffee!

Mindfulness: The quality or state of being conscious or aware of something. – Oxford languages

Landscape: All the visible features of an area of countryside or land. – Oxford languages

Mindfulness landscapes are landscapes that you get to design!

The inner landscape. Think of the landscape your imagination takes you to. A place that makes you happy that it is in your mind’s eye. Take this time to be mindful and aware of it. Is it a place you have been? Or want to be someday? What does it feel like there? What is the air like? Are there plants and flowers? What time of day is it? Is it peaceful? Warm? Quiet?

What to do? Draw, paint, collage how this place looks in your art journal. And if you wish, accompany your image with your written thoughts. I sometimes adhere an envelope with notes or a letter to myself. (See example below).

Need some extra guidance? Please check out my prompts and free printable, which can be viewed here or click the image below:

For the image, a great place to start is with the background. Then the mid-ground. Then the foreground – this is what is closest to you and is usually where more details are placed. Anything goes though, it is your landscape!

To watch my quick video demonstration on an easy mindfulness landscape painting click here or on the image below:

The materials I use in the video are: Watercolour paper, round paint brush, painter’s tape (optional), watercolour (you can use different colours, I just used one to keep it simple), water, paper towel, glue, and scissors. As mentioned above, you can adapt this exercises with your materials of choice!

Have fun discovering your inner landscape! If you wish to share this exercise, I’ve formatted it into a 3 page printable, which you can access here.

Happy journaling!