Intuitive Art Journaling

intuitive art journaling, intuitive art, intuitive painting, fluid art

Dear Wonderful, Creative You:

Intuitive art journaling is one of my favorite ways to work through feelings, let go of stress, and play with art. It’s a journey that started for me in graduate school, as I learned to use my journal not just to write, but to process my feelings through a combination of words and images. I find that I can breathe again after I get things out when I’m stressed or confused. There’s often a sense of adventure when I’m open to the mystery of what can unfold on the page instead of trying to manufacture and control the images. For me working intuitively is like a mindful prayer. It’s contemplative. It’s present. And for those reasons it’s both grounding and inspirational.

In today’s video, I’ll show you how one intuitive art journaling page unfolded. You’ll see how I combine writing about my feelings with an open-ended painting process. Sometimes it’s important to just focus on something simple, like color; that was my focus with this page.

5 Tips for Making an Intuitive Art Journal Page

Start by writing about your feelings.
Cover your writing with a color that feels good to you. Dry your paint.
Make shapes in a contrasting color, and let them vary a bit in tone and size.
Collage with scraps or tiny pieces of your own art.
Stand back frequently to see what your work might want or need and follow your instincts, even if the idea seems “weird,” those are usually the best!

Fluid Art Journaling Supplies:

High flow acrylic paints

Strathmore Watercolor Art Journal

Strathmore mixed media board, cut to 2 inch squares

Art brushes

Water

Paint rag/ paper towels

Parchment paper or wax paper for protecting other pages from paint run off

Intuitive Art Journaling with High Flow Paints

If you are looking for more guidance on how to use high flow acrylic paints in an intuitive, playful way in your journal, Fluid Art can help you find artistic joy with these playful, addictive paints. Learn more about Fluid Art here.

I’d love to know how your intuitive process unfolds in your journal. Will you share about it in the comments?

Creatively Yours,

Amy

*The links in this post are affiliate links. That means that if you choose to click a link and purchase something, at no extra cost to you, you’ll support the work of Mindful Art Studio to empower the artist in all of us. Thank you!

*Mindful Art Studio and Amy Maricle provide information on using art and art journaling for personal enrichment. This is not art therapy. To learn more about art therapy, and find an art therapist in your area who can help you with mental health concerns by working through art, visit: https://arttherapy.org

10 Comments

Beth Perry on July 6, 2018 at 9:50 pm

I like it a lot! It’s got fun, beautiful colors and cool textures and patterns! Great job! Thank you for sharing and explaining your process!
Reply
- Amy Johnson Maricle on July 7, 2018 at 5:53 am
  
  Hi Beth:
  
  I’m so happy you enjoyed the piece and the video. It was fun revisiting Paris through your eyes on your blog. XO Amy
  Reply
Marisa on July 7, 2018 at 7:32 am

Wonderful video, Amy. I too loved hearing you explain your process, and being short on time it was so lovely to be able to have the combination of sped-up videos together with your commentary, allowing me to experience it from start to finish. I have yet to start an art journal for myself yet, but I’m very taken with this idea, especially with the way you bring it together with mindfulness. <3 Thank you!
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- Amy Johnson Maricle on July 7, 2018 at 10:35 am
  
  Marisa – I’m so happy you liked it. I hope you start your art journal. You don’t need much to begin. Even just drawing what you see can be so satisfying.
  
  XO amy
  Reply
Ellen on July 8, 2018 at 6:51 am

I enjoyed the video and seeing the ability to use the high flow acrylics with a paintbrush. Are you just dropping the paints on your art table? What colors did you use? I have only the “basic” kit that you recommended and wasn’t sure if you had some other colors purchased separately.
Reply
- Amy Johnson Maricle on July 9, 2018 at 7:38 am
  
  HI Ellen:
  
  Thanks so much for watching, and I’m so happy you enjoyed! The high flows are super fun this way. Yes, I have plexiglass on my table and use it as a palette. It’s a new thing. I don’t know if I’ll stick with it forever, but so far I like it. I wipe it off with windex and a paper towel, but of course if I’m painting for hours, some dries and stays, FYI. For this spread I was using Napthol Red Light, Hansa Hellow Medium, and Titanium White. I may have also thrown in a touch of Sienna on the edges. I believe that all 3 come in the basic set of 10 high flow acrylic paints I recommend.
  I do have other colors too, but these just happen to be the ones I was using.
  
  Happy creating Ellen! XO Amy
  Reply
Roxanne Russell on July 8, 2018 at 3:54 pm

Love these pages Amy! Can you please tell me what “gel” medium was you used to glue down the separate squares and what paper do you use for the separate squares or is it cardboard?
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- Amy Johnson Maricle on July 9, 2018 at 7:32 am
  
  HI Roxanne!
  
  Oh I forgot to list the gel medium 🙂 – yes, here it is: Gel medium
  And the mixed media board is what I use for the squares. That’s listed in the supplies, but here it is : Mixed media board
  Happy creating Roxanne!
  XO Amy
  Reply
Stephanie Brown on July 11, 2018 at 6:37 pm

Thank you Amy, Just what I needed. I have signed up to your Fluid Art course and as yet have not done anything. This video has given me a kick up the behind to get on and create.
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- Amy Johnson Maricle on July 12, 2018 at 5:44 am
  
  Stephanie! Oh gosh! I can’t wait to see what you make. I’m thrilled that this made a path to the class for you. Once you get into it, I hope you’ll see that it really does help break things into steps for you and working with these paints is just ADDICTIVE. XO Amy
  Reply