Art Journal to Face Anxiety
Inevitable Feelings Explored Through Mixed-Media Art Project
What are you anxious about? The feeling of anxiety is inevitable; so let's explore these feelings through mixed-media art in art journals.
Feelings of anxiety can range from being anxious before the first day of work to being anxious to meet someone for the first time. Are you getting ready for a first date? Do you have an important presentation at work to deliver? Are you about to give birth to a baby? As you can see, the reasons for feeling anxious are many. That is the focus of this mixed-media art journal prompt.
For this mixed-media art journal prompt, you will need the following materials:
- Art journal
- Waxed paper
- Ballpoint or gel pen, any color
- Watercolor or acrylic paint, soothing or neutral colors
- Small containers of water
- Paint or sponge brushes
- Collage materials (depicting what you are anxious about)
- Heavy-duty glue stick
- Decoupage or gel medium
- Ephemera (buttons, charms, game pieces, etc.)
Follow these simple instructions to complete this mixed media art journal prompt:
- Open your art journal to the first blank page spread. Add a piece of waxed paper beneath each page in the spread to protect the rest of the pages in your art journal.
- Create a color wash using the watercolor or acrylic paint. This does not have to be one solid color. Use as many colors as you find appealing, but be sure full coverage occurs on both sides of the page spread. Allow the paint to dry completely. Speed up drying time through use of a heat gun or hair dryer.
- Collage over the painted pages leaving some room for text. Create interesting layers, ensuring all the edges are firmly affixed the page using the heavy-duty glue stick. If the glue stick does not create a strong hold, use the decoupage or gel medium instead.
- Add ephemera to the page spread, layered over both the collage materials and the painted areas. Affix these items using the decoupage or gel medium to ensure a strong hold.
- Using the ballpoint or gel pen, write out what you are anxious about in the painted areas of the page. An interesting option is using a white gel or paint pen to write directly over the collaged areas of the page.
- If desired, add another layer of paint over both sides of the page spread.
That is all there is to creating this mixed media art journal prompt. Repeat this mixed media art journal prompt as often as necessary to completely explore what it is you are anxious about. Encourage a friend to work on this art journal prompt with you. Act as a support system to help them through what they are anxious about, and seek the same advice from them.
