5 Types of Creative Journals You Should Try
There are as many types of journals as there are journalers, from written diaries to productivity planners to artists’ sketchbooks. For many years my journaling practice has focused on creative journaling, which incorporates visual materials alongside or instead of written content.
My first creative journal was a fabric-covered, ribbon-bound scrapbook that my mother made for me when I was around six years old. I filled its blank pages with scraps cut from old calendars and magazines as well as photographs of my cat. That childhood experience started a lifetime love affair with paper, creativity, and journaling.
In high school and college I loved to journal in Smash Books - a popular line of creative journals produced by the scrapbook supplier K & Company from 2011 to 2022. I would collect museum brochures, movie tickets, maps, and photos to fill the colorful pages of my journals, assembling a playfully chaotic record of my first forays into adulthood.
In grad school I experimented in mixed media visual journals to keep myself grounded while the politics of academia swirled around me. I layered watercolor, acrylics, block printing, photo transfers, and collage in messy volumes that served as private venues for creative experimentation and outlets for artistic inspiration.
In the present, I keep many different types and styles of creative journals. My favorite journal materials currently include floral washi tapes, vintage ephemera, pretty stickers, magazine clippings, and decorative papers. I’m sure my journaling practice will continue to grow and change throughout my life, shifting to meet the new needs of each succeeding version of myself while maintaining a creative through-line of inspiration and exploration.
I believe that creative journaling is a uniquely flexible and accessible creative process that’s open to anyone. To give you a little inspiration, today I’m discussing five different types of creative journals that you can take for a spin, whether you’re new to journaling or a seasoned crafter. These categories aren’t set in stone, and there’s often significant crossover between categories, but these five types will give you a solid starting point for further exploration.
Junk Journals
Junk journals are made from and/or incorporate primarily cast-off or “junk” materials. Anything can be used in a junk journal, but common materials include items like receipts, catalog and magazine clippings, ticket stubs, junk mail, and vintage ephemera.
I’ve seen some people split hairs about whether a journal counts as a junk journal if it uses decorative papers intended for crafting, or if it has to use exclusively (or at least mostly) found/waste/repurposed materials. Personally, I think these categories are most useful for helping you find sources of inspiration and other creators to connect with. There’s no journal police - you can call your journal whatever you want.
Bullet Journals
The bullet journal (often shortened to BuJo) is a concept coined by digital product designer Ryder Caroll in 2013. It typically refers to a dot-grid ruled journal that can be used to organize all aspects of life - from to-do lists to project brainstorming to notetaking - using a combination of symbols, indexing, and graphic notation.
Since Caroll founded the BuJo community, bullet journaling has expanded to include a wide variety of journalers and journal styles. Some BuJo enthusiasts prefer a minimalistic approach that focuses on productivity and efficiency, while others create beautiful and functional spreads that incorporate everything from habit tracking to reading lists to daily schedules.
Scrap Journals & Scrapbooks
Scrap journals and scrapbooks are similar to (and in many cases, overlap with) junk journals. They typically use collaged paper elements and/or photos, and can range from highly finished, formal scrapbooks (like your mom or grandma might have made in the 80’s) to very informal collections of decorative papers and ephemera. The more informal types of scrap journals can have significant crossover with junk journals, especially if they use a lot of found or discarded materials.
Scrap journals are especially great for memory keeping, whether you like to carefully craft spreads with professionally printed photos and themed scrapbooking supplies, or you prefer the immediacy of found materials tipped into messy pages alongside Polaroid photos and handwritten notes.
Visual Journals
Visual journals tend to incorporate mixed media processes, from painting to photo transfers to printmaking. These types of journals can be spaces for personal explorations of thoughts and feelings, in-depth records of creative research and experimentation, chronicles of memories and experiences, or all of the above!
For artistic types who like to get their hands dirty but don’t want to be limited to a single process or medium, visual journals offer an open-ended opportunity to stretch your creative wings. Just remember to select a journal or notebook with heavyweight paper designed to stand up to wet media if you plan to use paints or inks!
Art Journals & Sketchbooks
Art journals and sketchbooks are similar to visual journals but often focus on a specific medium like watercolor, drawing, or illustration. These journals serve as portable studios for creative practice.
I like to keep dedicated sketchbooks for practicing my drawing and watercolor skills, then cut out individual hand-drawn elements to collage in my other creative journals. I also like to use sketchbooks to explore particular subjects in detail, like botanical illustrations or architectural drawings.
No matter your interests or skill level, if you enjoy paper crafts, creativity, and personal expression, you’re sure to find a creative journaling style that suits your preferences. There’s a world of journaling inspiration out there on social media, so it’s easy to do a quick search on Instagram, Pinterest, or TikTok for the type of journal you're interested in to get ideas and tips. Let me know in the comments who your favorite journal creators are and where to find them! And happy journaling!
