It’s no secret that I love teaching art journals, also known as junk journals, visual journals, and altered books. I am often asked how I implement them in my classroom, ideas for inspiring students, and why I am so passionate about them. Here are five reasons why I teach art journaling and why you should consider it for your high school or middle school art classes.
1. A BREAK EVERY FRIDAY
One of the best aspects of teaching art journals is the personal connection and experimentation they offer students. However, a favorite reason for many teachers, including myself, is the break it provides every Friday. In intro level classes I take 5-15 minutes at the start of class to introduce a technique, pass out a guide, and then students work independently. For upper-level art classes, students simply come in and work on their projects. If they want to try something new, I help them look up tutorials and find supplies. The best part? No need to plan anything for Friday, making Thursday evenings more relaxed.
Want an even bigger break on Fridays? Let me teach your class every Friday for an entire school year. Check out my visual journal course here. Play my demo video at the start of class, pass out project guides, and let students work independently. Or grab my page guides with all the info but without the demo videos here.
2. CATCH UP DAY
Art journal Fridays also serve as a flexible catch-up day. If students have been absent or need extra time to work on a project, they can use this day to get back on track. This flexibility ensures that everyone has the opportunity to complete their work without feeling rushed.
3. FREEDOM TO EXPLORE
Teaching art journals in a flexible way allows students the freedom to explore their creativity. While I teach various techniques, students are not required to use them. The project requirements are minimal: in a semester course, I ask for 12-16 completed pages (this varies based on how many Fridays in a semester your classes meet), at least two different materials, and a reflection of creativity and craftsmanship. This approach reduces pressure, encouraging experimentation and the freedom to fail without significant grade penalties.
Most of my students love this freedom and run with it! Only about 10% of students will LOVE this project more than anything else, take their art journals home, and have incredible works of art. 50% will mostly just mess around and won’t create display worthy art, but at least they are trying something new. The remaining 30% falls somewhere in the middle. But, that 10% is what it’s all about! I can’t emphasize enough that this project is NOT about the end product but more about the process. Encouraging students to play with and learn new materials is the focus.
4. FAST FINISHER & SUB PLAN
Art journals are an ongoing project, ensuring that students always have something to work on if they finish a project early or need a break from their current work. This project is also my go-to sub-plan. Since all classes work on art journals, it’s easy to send prompts for the substitute teacher to pass out or simply require one completed page by the time I return. It’s a plug-and-play solution for any unexpected absences.
5. PERSONAL CONNECTION
I strongly encourage students to explore personal topics in their journals. The freedom to choose their subject, materials, and style allows them to tailor the project to their interests. I typically check their journals once or twice during the course and am always amazed by the quality and depth of their artwork. For many students, art journals become a safe space to express themselves, knowing that their work is private and not meant for display.
ART JOURNAL IDEAS FOR MIDDLE & HIGH SCHOOL ART
High School Art Journal Ideas:
- Personal Themes: Encourage students to explore topics that are meaningful to them, such as identity, dreams, or personal struggles.
- Mixed Media Techniques: Introduce techniques like collage, watercolor, image transfers, and combining techniques to expand their creative toolbox.
- Art History Integration: I generally don’t assign topics, but if you need a more solid prompt assign journal pages that respond to different art movements or famous artists’ styles, blending history with personal expression.
Middle School Art Journal Ideas:
For middle school artists you may need to lean more into structured assignments for students to be successful in their visual journals.
- Prompt-Based Entries: Provide prompts like “Draw your dream city,” “Illustrate a favorite memory,” or “Create a comic strip of your day.”
- Texture Exploration: Use materials like fabric, sandpaper, or leaves to add tactile elements to their pages.
- Collaborative Pages: Have students swap journals and add to each other’s work, fostering a sense of community and collaboration.
By integrating art journals into your classroom, you provide both yourself and your students with opportunities for creative freedom and personal growth. Whether it’s for a break on Fridays, a flexible catch-up day, or a personal project that encourages self-expression, art journals can transform your art class into a dynamic and engaging learning environment.
Don’t forget to follow me on Instagram and TikTok for weekly visual journal demos and other project ideas. Subscribe here to get freebies, project tutorials, and more straight to your inbox. Until next time!
3 responses to “5 Reasons Why I Teach Art Journals”
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Hello-
I’m positive that at some point you created a video for how to prepare a book to create a Visual Journal- I’ve seen it before… I want to start this project with my students, and I can’t find that video. Is that only in my purchased Visual Journal pack?
Thank you!
Rebecca Sirevaag
Alaskan Art Teacher
Hi, Rebecca! I did share a video on my Insta and TikTok on how to prep your visual journal here: https://www.instagram.com/reel/C8Mv2fMR20V/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
Hello-
I’m positive that at some point you created a video for how to prepare a book to create a Visual Journal- I’ve seen it before… I want to start this project with my students, and I can’t find that video. Is that only in my purchased Visual Journal pack?
Thank you!
Rebecca Sirevaag
Alaskan Art Teacher
Addition:
THANK YOU so much! I appreciate you following up. =)