Art Journaling for Adults and Teens

Start Your Art Journaling Adventure!

Beginning June 10! Adults and Teens, join Kreutz Creek Library and members of the community as we sample all that art journaling has to offer: the opportunity to be intentional, to reflect, record, create, and express our thoughts about what is going on in our lives or the world around us.

Each week on Thursday afternoons, a new journaling theme will be posted to the Events Calendar on the York County Libraries website. CLICK HERE to see the latest prompt! These will provide guidance in focusing our thoughts. Then it is up to you to respond how you like and capture your thoughts! All you need is something to write on, and something to write with! (Kreutz Creek Library has a few journals to share if you don’t have one; ask about availability for pickup.)

Get started!

Here is some advice as we begin this activity:

Art journaling is self-directed, so you can do as little or as much to your journal as you would like.
You can always return to a previously designed page and add more; it is never complete until you say it is complete.
If you find that you are having a rough time getting started, just make the simple goal of opening the journal and writing the date/ making a mark on the page. Dating your entries helps if you want to reminisce.
Your journal is in a “no judgment” zone–and all that means!
Give yourself “permission” …to make mistakes …to re-do …to cover up! This is your journal.
Play! Play with lines… play with color… play with other materials, but play!
Collect interesting materials that will add to thoughts and art.
Journaling can include writing a quote or saying, or line from a book or a poem that means something to you. Journaling can be a record of your thoughts at a particular time of day; of “first” experiences–riding a motorcycle or holding a newborn baby or eating new food.
Think about how you will journal: will you sit at home at a table with your supplies in front of you? Does music inspire you? Will you carry your journal with you throughout the day to record thoughts as they occur? How will you add art, doodles, color, material, paper, tags, etc.?
The most important part of art journaling is to be intentional.

York County Libraries has some art journaling books available to check out (see the list below). Searching the Internet for “art journaling” will also offer more information on lettering, techniques, supplies, and lots of ideas! Enjoy!