A list of 25 new journal prompts to inspire your sketchbook and art journal.
Which of these 25 fun and exciting art journal prompts will you use?
Take your pick, as is, or tweak the suggested directive to your liking. These prompts are meant to jump start your own ideas for sketching, drawing, and creating.
If you haven’t started your art journal yet, you can find out how to start your first art journal in this post.
Before we get to the list of prompts, let’s talk about journaling in general.
The most important thing to remember, in my opinion as an art therapist, is that your art journal is a personal thing. Your drawings are unique like you are.
That’s why you don’t need to follow any rules. You can draw whatever makes you feel good, and definitely avoid judging the results.
This is not about perfection. Your journal will not be displayed in a museum. It will not be graded. So, don’t be hard on yourself.
If you are used to art being an exacting science, you might be asking “What IS this about, then?”
Art journaling is an opportunity to express yourself, your inner world, your fantasies and your fears. It’s about being creative and having a good time. It’s about doing new things. Experimenting with art supplies. It’s about going with the flow.
So, whatever it looks like, love it! Embrace it, because it’s a reflection of you!
Some people like to do spontaneous art in their journal, and other prefer ideas and prompts that get them started. For those of you who prefer the latter, I put together this list of 25.
Are you ready to get picking? Skim over the list and see what catches your eye.
Whether you’re an experienced art journal-er or new on the journey, I hope you’ll enjoy this fun list of 25 art journaling prompts!
- Draw/design your name in a style that reflects YOUR personality.
- “Today I’m wishing that…” What it would look like if your wish came true.
- Where is your favorite place to be?
- What emotion are you feeling right now? Draw that emotion as a cartoon character.
- Your family tree. Instead of names, draw an image that reminds you of each family member.
- A challenge that you are facing.
- Your biggest fear.
- Something that happened to you today.
- Important people in your life.
- “The road to…” choose a goal and draw the road to that goal. What do you encounter on the sides of the road as you make your way towards your goal?
- Draw yourself as an animal.
- How you see yourself in the future.
- The meaning of love.
- Choose a color that represents an emotion you want to feel. Make a drawing entirely in that color.
- A treasure that you’d like to find.
- What art means to you.
- A timeline of important events in your life.
- Your ideal day.
- Your typical day.
- Yourself as a superhero.
- A strength that you’ve discovered.
- Your childhood home.
- A favorite memory.
- One of your zaniest experiences.
- Your most beloved object.
A final tip: Even though you might be able to do a quick journal drawing in a couple of minutes, I recommend that you put aside a chunk of time that will be meaningful. When you set aside time and focus on making art, you’ll find yourself gaining insight about yourself through the process of drawing.
When you carve out enough time for journaling – you are making time for YOU!
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