How to Start Art Journaling in NZ: A Beginner's Guide to Creative Self-Care

Art journaling has taken off in Aotearoa over the past few years, and it's easy to see why. It combines the proven mental health benefits of journaling with the meditative, stress-relieving power of making art. You don't need to be good at drawing. You don't need expensive supplies. You just need a blank page and the willingness to start.

This is the second instalment of The Kiwi Creative — our series exploring how New Zealanders are bringing more creativity into everyday life.

What Is Art Journaling?

At its simplest, art journaling is keeping a visual diary. Instead of only writing words, you combine text with drawings, painting, collage, stamps, washi tape, stickers — whatever speaks to you. There are no rules. Some pages might be dense with layered paint and torn paper. Others might be a single watercolour wash with a few words. The point isn't to create gallery-worthy art. It's to process your thoughts and emotions through a creative practice.

Why Kiwis Are Embracing It

New Zealand's Mental Health Foundation has long advocated for creative practices as part of daily wellbeing routines. Art journaling fits perfectly — it takes as little as 10 minutes, can be done anywhere, and requires minimal supplies. It's especially popular among people who find traditional meditation difficult, because the act of creating gives your hands something to do while your mind settles.

Getting Started: What You Need

The barrier to entry is wonderfully low. Here's what we recommend for beginners:

A journal or sketchbook — Look for something with thicker paper (at least 160gsm) so paint and glue don't bleed through. A5 size is perfect for portability. Browse our sketchbook range for options.

Basic supplies — Start with what you have. A set of watercolours, some coloured pens or markers, a glue stick, and scissors are enough. You can always add more as you discover what you enjoy.

Collage materials — Old magazines, ticket stubs, postcards, wrapping paper, pressed flowers — anything flat that catches your eye. Many art journalers keep a folder of interesting bits and pieces.

Your First Page: Getting Over the Blank Page Fear

The hardest part of art journaling is the first page. Here's a trick that works brilliantly: cover the entire page with a wash of colour first. Use watercolour, diluted acrylic, or even tea or coffee staining. Once the page isn't perfectly white anymore, the pressure disappears. From there, you might add a quote you love, doodle around the edges, or stick down an image that caught your attention today.

Prompts to Get You Going

If you're staring at a coloured page and still feel stuck, try one of these prompts. They're designed to be approachable regardless of artistic skill:

"Three good things" — Draw or represent three good things from your day. They can be tiny — a good cup of coffee, sunshine through the window, a text from a friend.

"Colour my mood" — Choose colours that represent how you're feeling right now and fill the page with abstract shapes and marks. Don't think about it too much — just let your hand move.

"Word splash" — Write words that are on your mind in different sizes, colours, and angles across the page. Circle the ones that feel most important. Add doodles or paint around them.

"Gratitude garden" — Draw simple flowers (circles with stems work fine) and write something you're grateful for inside each one.

Making It a Habit

The key to art journaling isn't spending hours on elaborate spreads — it's consistency. Even five minutes before bed, sketching a quick doodle and writing a line about your day, builds the habit. Keep your journal and a few supplies by your bed or on the kitchen table so they're always within reach.

Many Kiwi art journalers find that pairing it with another ritual helps — a morning coffee, the kids' bedtime, or that quiet window after dinner. It doesn't need its own dedicated time slot to become part of your life.

Taking It Further

Once you've got the basics down, you might want to experiment with mixed media — layering acrylic paint, adding texture with modelling paste, or incorporating fabric and thread. Our acrylic painting guide covers techniques that translate beautifully to journal pages.

There are also thriving art journaling communities on Instagram and Facebook — search for #artjournalnz to find fellow Kiwi creatives sharing their pages and encouragement.

Frequently Asked Questions