6 Art Journal Backgrounds For Kids

When your kids want creative project, it’s fun to make art journal background pages. Then when you have journaling ideas, you already have beautiful backgrounds ready to go.

We use spiral bound journals with mixed media papers because this works for watercolors, acrylics, pen, and pencil such as this journal from Strathmore or this one from Dylusions.

6 Art Journal Backgrounds For Kids

1. Water Colors & Rubbing Alcohol

Paint your page using watercolor paints. Any color.

Then use a q-tip to draw designs with the rubbing alcohol.

Or you can use a q-tip to splatter your page with rubbing alcohol.

2. Acrylic Paint + Sponges

Dab a sponge with paint decorate your page. Get funky and try different color combinations. In the page below, you’ll see blue, green, pink, and purple.

3. Water Colors + Salt

Wet the paper thoroughly before you paint with watercolors. Once painted, shake salt onto the page while it’s still wet. Watch what happens!

When it dries, shake off (or rub off gently) the excess salt.

4. Gesso + Gelatos

We still haven’t gotten the hang of Gelatos but I have an art journaling friend who LOVES these.

First, Gesso your page so the Gelatos go on smoothly. Use your fingers to spread.

However, there are many other ways to use Gelatos — do you have a favorite technique?

6. Ink Spray

Ink spray is an easy and gorgeous way to create a background. All you must do is spray onto the page. Simple and pretty, right?

These inks come in loads of beautiful colors.

If you’re concerned about staining, wear an art smock. These sprays aren’t washable.

6. Collage

Get kids to practice fine motor skills while you recycle your mail. Cut out words, pictures, and patterns from magazines, junk mail, or scrapbook paper. Design a collage that looks pleasing to you — there is no wrong way to do this.

Now you have lots of backgrounds for art journaling!

Here’s a sneak peek at what art journal projects your kids can create on your new, gorgeous backgrounds: (And no, it’s not a ransom note, it’s a favorite quote!)