Chapters#gmseasonofchaptersThis season’s artwork is created by our guest artists Dear Messy Artist Recently, I was lying on a stretcher in the ER. I...
065 Chapters
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Art Journal Catalysts
1. Spark
Gather, Spark, Create by Felicitas Mayer
IdeasYour challenge, should you choose to accept it: Use your old paper scraps and other crafty left-overs to find new creative ideas for art journaling. Action Steps create something based on this...
Movable Idea Catchers by Kiala Givehand
IdeasYour challenge, should you choose to accept it: Create an interactive way to explore and discover the ideas that live inside you. Part 1Bonus Save this file to your computer, print it out, and...
30 Journal Ideas
Ideas Write your favourite quote ever. Your favourite song lyrics. A sentence from the last book you read. What do you need today? What does life look like right now? What are some of your best...
30 Art Ideas
Ideas Do your go-to technique. Try out a brand new technique.Use your most recently purchased supplies. Use your oldest supplies. Use only one medium. Use as many mediums as you can. Use your...
064 Ideas
Ideas#gmseasonofideasThis season’s artwork is created by our guest artists Dear Messy Artist Being a creative human means having countless ideas. Countless...
From Scrapbook to Sketchbook by Tiare Smith
EncouragementYour challenge, should you choose to accept it: Let this scrapbook sketch inspire your creativity. Use it as a guide to create in your sketch book or art journal. Action Steps...
Your World by Jana Clinard Harris
EncouragementYour challenge, should you choose to accept it: Create a journal that shows what your ideal world looks like. This is a place you wish you could live in all the time. It should...
063 Encouragement
Encouragement#gmseasonofencouragementThis season’s artwork is created by our guest artists Dear Messy Artist If you’ve ever played an...
Messy Recipes: The Overthinker’s Guide to Making Art
Workshop Replay Messy Recipes: The Overthinker's Guide to Making ArtThe workshop is for the perfectionist who chooses mess instead. It’s the perfect, practical antidote to overthinking. I’m a recovering perfectionist myself. Embracing the mess is a...
062 Heart
Heart#gmseasonofheartThis season’s artwork is created by our guest artists Dear Messy Artist Every time that you art journal, you are releasing your heart...
Day 31 Celebration
Remember: Bring your messy self, take what you need (no such thing as being behind), and remember that more than zero is enough. Here's the prompt for today's Messy May:Celebrate your creative month! Write a list of small achievements, add confetti,...
Day 30 Awe
Remember: Bring your messy self, take what you need (no such thing as being behind), and remember that more than zero is enough. Here's the prompt for today's Messy May:Grab a sheet of paper and collage anything onto it that reminds you of the things...
Day 29 Serenity
Remember: Bring your messy self, take what you need (no such thing as being behind), and remember that more than zero is enough. Here's the prompt for today's Messy May:Make your practice today meditative. Some ideas: light a candle, drink some fruit...
Day 28 Self
Remember: Bring your messy self, take what you need (no such thing as being behind), and remember that more than zero is enough. Here's the prompt for today's Messy May:Create a 1 page zine with the theme of your current self. My best advice for...
Day 27 Mindfulness
Remember: Bring your messy self, take what you need (no such thing as being behind), and remember that more than zero is enough. Here's the prompt for today's Messy May:Use a monochromatic color palette to help bring your mind into a calm and present...
Day 26 Failure
Remember: Bring your messy self, take what you need (no such thing as being behind), and remember that more than zero is enough. Here's the prompt for today's Messy May:Go back to your unfinished or "failed" pages and rework them. Cover them up, pain...
Day 25 Bloom
Remember: Bring your messy self, take what you need (no such thing as being behind), and remember that more than zero is enough. Here's the prompt for today's Messy May:Let it bloom: cultivate your creativity through an expressive floral zine. Don't...
Day 24 Magic
Remember: Bring your messy self, take what you need (no such thing as being behind), and remember that more than zero is enough. Here's the prompt for today's Messy May:Take a moment to look around you and find the magic in your surroundings. This...
Day 23 Contrast
Remember: Bring your messy self, take what you need (no such thing as being behind), and remember that more than zero is enough. Here's the prompt for today's Messy May:Explore contrast through value, complementary colors, and paradoxical subject...
Day 22 Love
Remember: Bring your messy self, take what you need (no such thing as being behind), and remember that more than zero is enough. Here's the prompt for today's Messy May:Use gesso, black paint, a pencil, watercolors, and a vintage image to express the...
Day 21 Words
Remember: Bring your messy self, take what you need (no such thing as being behind), and remember that more than zero is enough. Here's the prompt for today's Messy May:Add journaling to your art journal page. What are you thinking? How are you...
Day 20 Nature
Remember: Bring your messy self, take what you need (no such thing as being behind), and remember that more than zero is enough. Here's the prompt for today's Messy May:Take your supplies outside and create inspired by the world around you! Follow the...
Day 19 Less
Remember: Bring your messy self, take what you need (no such thing as being behind), and remember that more than zero is enough. Here's the prompt for today's Messy May:Using a base of neutral collage, add a single block of color to create impactful...
Day 18 Documenting
Remember: Bring your messy self, take what you need (no such thing as being behind), and remember that more than zero is enough. Here's the prompt for today's Messy May:How do you document your days? What are you learning about yourself as each day...
Day 17 Yes
Remember: Bring your messy self, take what you need (no such thing as being behind), and remember that more than zero is enough. Here's the prompt for today's Messy May:What was the last creative impulse you felt? Was it to try a new medium? Attempt a...
Color & Paper Mixing by Roben-Marie Smith
MessYour challenge, should you choose to accept it: Gather papers by color and collage them into your sketchbook for project inspiration. Bonus Save this file to your computer, print it out, and...
Day 16 Belonging
Remember: Bring your messy self, take what you need (no such thing as being behind), and remember that more than zero is enough. Here's the prompt for today's Messy May:"Belonging is being your authentic self and knowing that no matter what happens,...
Day 15 Flow
Remember: Bring your messy self, take what you need (no such thing as being behind), and remember that more than zero is enough. Here's the prompt for today's Messy May:Create with as few distractions as possible to achieve a State of Flow. Just....
Day 13 Home
Remember: Bring your messy self, take what you need (no such thing as being behind), and remember that more than zero is enough. Here's the prompt for today's Messy May:Create a collage house with images filled with the comforts of home. Creating art...
Day 12 Habit
Remember: Bring your messy self, take what you need (no such thing as being behind), and remember that more than zero is enough. Here's the prompt for today's Messy May:Create a habit of seeing possibilities for using recycled materials in your art...
Day 11 Imperfection
Remember: Bring your messy self, take what you need (no such thing as being behind), and remember that more than zero is enough. Here's the prompt for today's Messy May:Make a list of five ways to practice and embrace imperfection in your art. If you...
Day 10 Connection
Remember: Bring your messy self, take what you need (no such thing as being behind), and remember that more than zero is enough. Here's the prompt for today's Messy May:Create a page that connects you to your art process. You can do this by including...
Day 09 Spark
Remember: Bring your messy self, take what you need (no such thing as being behind), and remember that more than zero is enough. Here's the prompt for today's Messy May:Begin to play with a handful of your favorite or forgotten supplies on separate...
Day 08 Mess
Remember: Bring your messy self, take what you need (no such thing as being behind), and remember that more than zero is enough. Here's the prompt for today's Messy May:MESS: Embrace the big beautiful messiness of life! Take old journal or diary pages...
Day 06 Freedom
Remember: Bring your messy self, take what you need (no such thing as being behind), and remember that more than zero is enough. Here's the prompt for today's Messy May:Give yourself the freedom to create the NON-perfect handwriting by writing the...
Day 05 Courage
Remember: Bring your messy self, take what you need (no such thing as being behind), and remember that more than zero is enough. Here's the prompt for today's Messy May:What does COURAGE mean to you? Create an art journal spread with your take on...
Day 04 Adventure
Remember: Bring your messy self, take what you need (no such thing as being behind), and remember that more than zero is enough. Here's the prompt for today's Messy May:Get outside to gather bits and pieces of nature and create a unique fabric using...
Day 07 Cultivation
Remember: Bring your messy self, take what you need (no such thing as being behind), and remember that more than zero is enough. Here's the prompt for today's Messy May:Cultivate your creative voice through experimentation. Create a grid, use limited...
Day 03 Happy
Remember: Bring your messy self, take what you need (no such thing as being behind), and remember that more than zero is enough. Here's the prompt for today's Messy May:Carefree fun. Create with the joyfulness of a child. Don't take your artwork too...
Day 02 Showing up
Remember: Bring your messy self, take what you need (no such thing as being behind), and remember that more than zero is enough. Here's the prompt for today's Messy May:Show up in your journal today, in the easiest way possible. Use a bullet point...
061 Mess
Mess#gmseasonofmessThis season’s artwork is created by our guest artists Dear Messy Artist As the host of Get Messy, it’s assumed that I love messy creating,...
Day 01 Starting
Remember: Bring your messy self, take what you need (no such thing as being behind), and remember that more than zero is enough. Here's the prompt for today's Messy May: Start. Either by opening your journal to a new page or by binding a journal just...
Messy May 2022
Welcome to Messy May 2022, you rainbow-infused space unicorn This digital classroom will remain open to all until 1 July, after which it will go into the Get Messy member library. If you'd...
Words and Lists by Abbey Sy
OKYour challenge, should you choose to accept it: Create a journal spread with a list of things that make you feel OK. Start with the phrase "I feel ok when..." and get creative with your...
Imperfect Face by Iris Fritschi-Cussens
OKYour challenge, should you choose to accept it: Draw and paint an imperfect face with simple raw art journaling techniques Action Steps Bring your imperfect, messy self, take what you need, and know...
060 OK
OK#gmseasonofOKThis season’s artwork is created by our guest artists Dear Messy Artist Okay is my favourite word. There’s just so much freedom in it. Okay is...
Feelings from Music by Anouk Karssen
VulnerabilityYour challenge, should you choose to accept it: While you listen to a song that moves you, that reminds you of a happy memory or simply inspires you. Take a moment to feel what...
Our Archaeological Dig by Lisa Goddard
VulnerabilityYour challenge, should you choose to accept it: Work in layers to express different aspects of yourself and your life. Imagine an archaeologist peeling back each layer in 200...
059 Vulnerability
Vulnerability#gmseasonofvulnerabilityThis season’s artwork is created by our guest artists Dear Messy Artist Working in an art journal is...
Inspiring People Sketches by Shemi Dixon
EnoughYour challenge, should you choose to accept it: Create fun, and messy people sketches to honor the inspiring people in your life. Supplies Journal Paper scraps Washi Tape glue tissue paper...
058 Enough
Enough#gmseasonofenoughThis season’s artwork is created by our guest artists Dear Messy Artist As artists, we’re magpies to shiny new things. We LOVE new...
Week 3 – Twigs + gelli plate + thread
CourageThis season we are collaborating with a partner, or being our own cheerleader. Download the Season Sidekick for a list of prompts to work from. Char and Claudette are choosing three items...
Week 2 – Watercolours + pens + something found
CourageThis season we are collaborating with a partner, or being our own cheerleader. Download the Season Sidekick for a list of prompts to work from. Char and Claudette are choosing three items...
Week 1 – Tea bags + paint + found words
CourageThis season we are collaborating with a partner, or being our own cheerleader. Download the Season Sidekick for a list of prompts to work from. Char and Claudette are choosing three items...
057 Courage
Courage#gmseasonofcourageThis season’s artwork is created by our guest artists Dear Messy Artist You're going to explore new creative territory. You're...
Challenge: Collage Relaxation
Promise#gmseasonofpromiseYour challenge, should you choose to accept it: Relax with your art and get into flow state with this easy art journaling technique. Repurpose scraps...
Challenge: Online Inspiration to Art
We always hear about using Pinterest for inspiration. Let’s make a pin board of things we love and use it to inspire endless journal pages!
Challenge: Three, Two, One
Explore ways to create pages with a simple formula of 3 colors, 2 words, and 1 image. This formula opens us up to endless possibilities to create unique layouts.
056 Promise
Promise
Challenge: The Listening Path
invitation to join the Listening Path
Challenge: Daily Chroma
Look for an inspiring object/s and observe all the colors in it, not simply the main hue, but all the shifts in tone with highlights/shadows, etc.
Challenge: Freedom of Limitations
Create four journal pages, one for each of the following themes: Inspired by a Mess, Out for a Walk, Something Messy Something Clean, and View From my Window. The trick is to make your pages FAST and INTUITIVE! So impose the following time limits: One page should take 5 minutes, one should take 10 minutes, one should take 20 minutes, and one should take 40.
Challenge: Artist Date
Invitation to go on an artist date
Challenge: Collage Lines
Use cut paper lines/shapes to create a sense of motion across two spreads in your journal. Working with lines, colors and imagery will create visually interesting and dimensional art journal pages.
Challenge: Gel Plate Printed Vintage Books
Use gel plate printed papers to collage in AND let’s also use a gel plate to print directly in an altered book.
Challenge: Movement as a Distraction
We constantly are moving, doing, and staying busy in our daily lives. How can we carve away slivers of time for peace and creating? In this journal we will connect to a moment of calm in the midst of the chaos playing on contrast and complimentary colors to highlight this dichotomy in our lives.
054 Renewal
Renewal
Challenge: Repurposed Florals
Create loose, abstract florals with paint, markers, crayons and the magic ingredient – acrylic skins. By repurposing (rather than simply throwing away) old palettes and dried acrylic paint, we’ll add some texture and surprising pops of colour to your art journal.
Challenge: Staircase Dreamings
Draw a staircase and think about your biggest dream. Draw it at the top of the staircase and then fill each step with the “steps” you’d have to take to make your biggest dream a reality.
Challenge: Artist Affirmations
I love to incorporate artist affirmations into my art journal practice. Let’s create a beautiful and meaningful art journal spread to silence our inner critics.
053 Heritage
Heritage
Challenge: The Sticky-Note
Get creative using sticky-notes (post-its) in your journal pages. The humble sticky-note is often overlooked as an art material, but there are lots of fun ways of using them. We’ll share a few of our suggestions and we’re sure you’ll have lots more ideas of your own.
Challenge: Messy and Loose
Have fun with messy lines and loose watercolor using an ink and wash style.
Challenge: Wild Abandon
Moments#gmseasonofmomentsYour challenge, should you choose to accept it: Create with wild abandon. Let go of perfection and expectations and gather things that you love. Art...
Challenge: Transformation
Moments #gmseasonofmoments Your challenge, should you choose to accept it: Create an art journal page using the word Transformation as the theme. Bonus points: Limit your...
052 Moments
Moments
Challenge: Color Interactions
Explore how colors interact with each other. Experimenting with color in your journal helps you find brush strokes and color combinations you may never have thought to try before! Make rainbows, mix colors, and see which new colors you can make from the tubes of paint you already have!
Challenge: Pocket Goodies
Add a pocket to hold tags or other created goodies in any art journal.
Challenge: Starting Points
Select one simple starting point from nature and recreate it several times in different ways in your sketchbook.
Challenge: Rooted
New#gmseasonofnewYour challenge, should you choose to accept it: Go back to your roots.I went back to my roots by going back to old journals. Here are some more ideas: copy one of...
051 New
New
It’s time for us to go back to our roots.
My dear beautiful, beautiful Messy Artist It’s time for us to go back to our roots. Get Messy has always been a place that evolves and adapts and fits around your life rather than the other way around. It’s never been a place where you have to change to be a part of...
050 Mindfulness
Mindfulness
Recipe 24
#getmessyrecipes painted papers floral images circle punch alphabet stamps ink pad glue Punch several circles out of your painted papers and floral images....
Recipe 23
#getmessyrecipes two black and white photographs black acrylic paint white gel pen gesso old gift card small paintbrush large paintbrush stamp and ink pad...
Recipe 22
#getmessyrecipes watercolor floral images word phrase stamp ink pad paintbrush scissors glue Choose three colors of paint that coordinate with your floral...
Recipe 21
#getmessyrecipes Background papers (see the PDF for printable options) Clip art (see the PDF for printable options) Scrap paper, ledger paper, favorite paper...
Recipe 20
#getmessyrecipes Background papers (see the PDF for printable options) Clip art (see the PDF for printable options) Ledger paper or any paper you love to write...
Recipe 19
#getmessyrecipes Background papers (see the PDF for printable options) Clip art (see the PDF for printable options) Scrap paper, ledger paper, favorite paper...
Recipe 18
#getmessyrecipes Art Journal Water jar Brushes, one medium flat, one small flat Colorful, art paper scraps, magazine ephemera, scrapbooking paper, wrapping...
Recipe 17
#getmessyrecipes Art Journal - the paper should be able to withstand watery media (watercolor paper and high quality mixed media paper works well) Water jar and...
Recipe 16
#getmessyrecipes Art Journal - paper should be able to withstand watery media Water jar and brush (any kind) Several watercolor crayons or Stabilo Woody pencils...
Recipe 15
#getmessyrecipes Food packaging, cleaned and cut out (choose the ones that will fit your current journal) Acrylic Paints and brush. Pick your favorite paint....
Recipe 14
#getmessyrecipes Dried and emptied used tea bags, coffee filters, leftover painted papers, magazine cut-outs and security envelope (choose the ones that will...
Recipe 13
#getmessyrecipes Unfinished/ extra tags and magazine cut-outs (choose the ones that will fit your current journal) Any homemade embellishments – I used clay....
Micro Challenges
Showing Up#gmseasonofshowingupMicro Challenge 1 What is your WHY? Why do you art journal? Why is it important to you and why do you keep coming back to it even when life is...
Your WHY
Your Why is the MOST important part of your Get Messy journey and one that you will come back to again and again.
047 Worthiness
Worthiness