Junk Journal Challenge: Doodle or Draw
This challenge encourages you to add a personal artistic touch to your junk journal by incorporating doodles or drawings. Whether you’re a seasoned artist or just someone who loves to doodle, this challenge invites you to express your creativity in a fun, free-flowing way. You don’t need to be perfect—this challenge is about embracing imperfection and using your own style to enhance your junk journal spreads.
1. Why Doodling and Drawing Are Great for Junk Journals
Doodling and drawing are a perfect way to make your junk journal unique. While collaging and using ephemera add texture and depth, drawings and doodles bring personality and a handmade, personal flair to your pages. They allow you to reflect your emotions, interests, or just create abstract designs that enhance the overall feel of the journal.
Here’s why incorporating doodles and drawings into your junk journal is such a great idea:
- Expressive and Personal: Your drawings and doodles are completely unique to you, which adds a personal touch to your journal. It’s a great way to add a bit of your personality, even if you’re not using words.
- No Pressure: Doodling is about being free, so you don’t need to worry about making things perfect. In fact, the imperfection is often what makes doodles so charming!
- Add Depth and Layers: Doodles can be added on top of photographs, ephemera, and other elements to create depth. The act of drawing over or around items gives a new layer of interest to your spread.
- Relaxation and Mindfulness: Doodling can be a very relaxing activity, allowing you to get lost in the process and focus on the moment. It’s a great way to unwind and engage with your journal on a deeper level.
2. How to Start Doodling and Drawing in Your Junk Journal
If you’re new to doodling or drawing in your journal, here are some simple tips to get started:
A. Gather Your Materials
Before you start drawing, gather your supplies. Here are a few things you might need:
- Pens and Markers: Fine-liner pens, ballpoint pens, or gel pens are all great for doodling. You can also use different thicknesses to create variety in your lines. Colored pens or markers can add a pop of color to your designs.
- Pencils: If you want to sketch lightly before committing to pen, start with a pencil. You can also use it for shading.
- Watercolor Pencils: These are a great option for adding a soft, blended color to your doodles. You can draw with them dry and then activate them with a water brush for a watercolor effect.
- Stamps: If you're not confident in your drawing skills, try using rubber stamps to create designs that you can color in or add additional doodles to.
- Washi Tape or Stencils: Use these to outline areas where you want to draw, or create patterns to add structure to your doodles.
B. Simple Doodle Ideas
You don’t need to be a professional artist to add fun doodles to your journal. Here are some easy, beginner-friendly doodle ideas to get you started:
- Borders and Frames: Create simple border designs around a photograph or ephemera, like little hearts, stars, arrows, or geometric patterns. Borders can help frame a section of your page and draw attention to specific elements.
- Florals: Flowers are classic and easy to draw. Whether it’s simple daisies, roses, or abstract flower designs, adding flowers brings an organic and light feel to your page.
- Abstract Shapes: Doodles don’t always need to represent something concrete. Try making abstract shapes like circles, spirals, squiggly lines, or triangles to create texture and rhythm on the page.
- Words and Quotes: If you love journaling, try doodling a quote or your favorite words in a creative font. Play with the size, spacing, and style of the letters to make it visually interesting.
- Patterned Doodles: Create fun repetitive patterns like polka dots, stripes, chevrons, zigzags, or grids. These can be added as backgrounds or used to fill in larger empty spaces on the page.
- Animal or Creature Doodles: If you enjoy drawing characters, consider doodling small animals, birds, or mythical creatures like cats, foxes, or dragons to add a whimsical touch.
- Nature-Inspired: Sketch elements from nature, like leaves, branches, clouds, raindrops, or even mountains and landscapes. These can be drawn in a stylized, abstract, or realistic way.
C. Doodling Over Ephemera
One of the most interesting things you can do in junk journaling is to combine your doodles with the ephemera you’re using. Here are a few ways to incorporate doodling into existing materials:
- Doodle Around Photographs: Adding doodles around or on top of photos can help tie the image into the rest of the spread. You can frame photos with flowers, lines, or simple dots. Try drawing elements that complement the photo, such as a sun doodle on a beach photo.
- Doodle on Old Book Pages: Old book pages provide an excellent canvas for doodles. You can highlight certain words or phrases in the text, turn them into patterns, or just draw around the page to enhance the vintage aesthetic.
- Doodle on Postcards or Letters: If you’ve used a postcard or old letter in your journal, add a little doodle of something that matches the theme—whether it’s a little flower on a travel postcard or a star around a vintage letter’s return address.
- Doodle on Ephemera Pieces: When you use small scraps like ticket stubs, receipts, or tags, doodling on them can elevate the scrap into a unique piece of art. Draw little accents like hearts, arrows, or tiny flowers directly on the ephemera for extra detail.
D. Adding Color to Your Doodles
Doodles don’t have to be just black and white. Adding color can completely transform the feel of your page:
- Watercolors: If you like a soft, blended look, use watercolor paints to color in your doodles. You can paint simple flowers, abstract designs, or even color in the background of your page for a soft wash of color.
- Colored Pencils: For a more detailed, controlled color application, colored pencils work great for shading and adding depth to your doodles. You can layer colors to create gradients and textures.
- Markers: Use markers for bold, vibrant doodles. They’re great for making your designs pop and can fill in large areas quickly.
- Gel Pens: Gel pens are perfect for adding details, especially with metallic, glitter, or pastel finishes. They work well for creating highlights or adding fine details to your doodles.
3. Incorporating Doodles with Other Techniques
You can also combine your doodles with other techniques for even more visual interest:
- Layering with Collage: Combine your doodles with torn paper, old photos, and other ephemera to create a multi-dimensional spread. You can doodle on top of the layers for extra depth and character.
- Stitching: If you enjoy sewing, add stitches around your doodles, or stitch onto your drawings to give them texture and an added tactile quality.
- Mixed Media: Incorporate different mediums like watercolor, stamps, or washi tape along with your doodles to create a rich, layered design. Experimenting with multiple techniques on one page is what makes junk journaling so exciting.
4. Embrace Imperfection
The beauty of doodling in a junk journal is that it’s all about having fun and expressing yourself. Your doodles don’t need to be perfect—embrace the flaws! Every squiggle, wonky line, or imperfect flower adds character to your journal and makes it uniquely yours. Let go of any pressure to make everything "neat" or "pretty." The beauty of junk journaling is that it’s a personal space to experiment, learn, and grow as an artist.
5. Final Touches
Once your doodles are in place, take a moment to assess the overall look of your page:
- Add Layers: If your page feels too empty, try layering some torn paper or ephemera around your doodles to fill in the space.
- Incorporate Quotes: Write a meaningful quote or affirmation around your doodles. This can tie the theme of the page together and enhance the emotional connection.
- Highlight Doodles with Ink: Use a fine black ink pen to outline your doodles, making them stand out and giving them a more defined, graphic look.
Enjoy the Process
Doodling in your junk journal is about being free, creative, and embracing the joy of the process. There are no rules, and the journey is just as important as the finished page. Whether you draw something whimsical or abstract, just have fun with it! This challenge is all about letting your creativity flow and adding a personal touch to your journal.
To start your junk journal adventure head here!
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