Studio Favorites
Below I’ve listed some of the visual journaling supplies I use most frequently. Please keep in mind, you don’t need fancy supplies in order to tap into your intuition. It’s taken me years to gather the supplies I have, many of which I rarely use. These days, I most frequently use magazines, scissors, an Uhu glue stick, and cheap acrylic paint. Some of the most powerful experiences I’ve had were with printer paper and crayons.
I always recommend starting where you are, with what you have.
Basic Supplies
- Blank journal, preferably 9×12 or larger. I recommend 90lb paper or higher. Here are a couple of options: Canson XL, Strathmore Vision, Moleskine XXL (Note: You can use virtually any type of paper, just know that thinner paper has a tendency to ripple/buckle when it gets wet.)
- Magazines, catalogs, or images printed from your computer
- Scissors
- Glue stick (I use this one from Uhu)
- Paint in assorted colors. I use a variety of acrylics, craft paint, and watercolors.
- Paintbrushes in a variety of sizes – start with whatever you have available.
- Palette for paints. (I use a plate from the dollar store.)
- Water container for rinsing brushes
- Crayons, markers, and/or colored pencils
- Permanent ink pen. Sharpie ultra fine or Sakura Micron are good options.
Optional Supplies
- White paint pen and/or white gel pen. I use these: Sharpie Paint Marker and Uniball Signo
- Assorted paint pens. I prefer the POSCA brand.
- Brayer for smoothing collage images
- Matte medium for waterproofing your collage (so you can paint over it)
- Stamps & ink pad (I use this one from Stayz as the ink is waterproof)
- Stencils
- Stickers, washi tape
- Acrylic ink
- Patterned paper & other ephemera