20 Playful Art Journal Prompts to Kickstart Your Creativity!
If you need to feed your creativity, here is a fun, low-pressure and inspiring list of art journal prompts that are perfect for beginners and experienced journalers alike.
by Andi Vasquez on October 14, 2025
Hello creative journalers!! Have you ever just wanted to use all those unused journals you have piled in a corner of your desk, but can't? If you said yes, you are not alone. We all go through a moment of our creative journey where we just stare at a blank page feeling uninspired. We try everything but we can’t seem to get over that creative block. Those moments can be very frustrating and stressful, especially if you have a totally blank mind. If you are looking for a solution, do not feel hopeless because art journal prompts are perfect to get that creative jump-start for your brain. In fact, here are 20 art journal prompts that are fun, relaxing and low pressure. The best part of all is that no artistic skills are required!
What is Art Journaling? Discover the Power of Art Journal Prompts
An art journal can be described as a personalized space and visual diary where you can mix drawing, writing, painting, collage… you name it, all in one safe book. This journal is all about your journey and process, without having to worry about a perfect final product. Unlike any other type of journal, this one allows you to explore your artistry and creativity through your choice of mediums. The best part of art journaling is that it allows you to focus on self-growth through a creative process. I can say from my own experience that this has helped me reduce anxiety and increased my ability to put my thoughts together.
Overall, it's the best tool for self-expression and the perfect sanctuary from all types of stress, especially academic.
P.S. Found a prompt you love? Share your creation with us on Instagram and tag @yazar_journals—we'd love to see what you make!
How to get started: A simple Art Journal Kit
I know many people can feel discouraged from art journaling because they think they don't have the right tools, but don't worry I’m here to tell you, fancy supplies are never needed. You know what they say, “Great Art Comes from the Artist, not from the Tools”. In that case, I have prepared a simple but helpful list for fellow journalers like you:
Any journal (Hint: one that speaks to you!)
Most importantly: your desire to create !
You can literally use anything you can find around the house. Your goal is to have fun and express your creativity.
The 20 art journal prompts
I’ve created these art journal prompts to help you get started with your journaling process. These prompts will help you get over your creative block so you can finally organize your thoughts and get you to create. I have included a varied selection of prompts which include topics about how you feel, things you love, and things that make you happy. Remember the whole point is to have fun by expressing yourself, not to create a perfect piece of art.
Prompts for self-reflection
Where is your happy place- Draw a picture of your safest and happiest place in the world.
Write a letter to your past/present self- What would you tell your future/past self ?, is there any advice you would give yourself? Use word cutouts from an old magazine to write your letter.
Draw how you feel right now.- Don’t just draw a person or object, use lines, shapes and color to capture your mood. Everyday might look different
Your personal strength- Draw a visual of your strength, what object or symbol can represent it.
Make a “currently” List- What are your current likes and dislikes, make a list and decorate it with cute icons.
Prompts to experiment with fun!
Explore finger painting- Don’t be scared to get messy! use your fingers to create a beautiful background.
One page, one color - limit yourself to using only shades of one color to draw or paint.
Use an unexpected medium- spill some coffee on a page and see what shape it creates- continue the drawing from there.
Doodle Mania- Fill an entire page with doodles, including everything you can think of.
Bring Back Pointillism- who said pointillism was dead? Use the eraser part of a pencil to make tiny points with paint and create a bigger picture
Prompts inspired by the world around you
The direct view from your window- find a window and sketch everything you see.
Get the Texture of Things- trace the texture of different objects around you. For example: a coin, a leaf.
Favorite Song- we all have a song we have on repeat; it's time to draw how it makes you feel.
Daily Meal- sketch what you had for breakfast using a black pen, then add color with crayons or markers.
Scrap portrait- create a face using different pieces of scrap paper. It can be a friend's face, yours or assemble a unique new person.
Prompts for Words and Quotes
Favorite saying- We have all heard different sayings throughout our lives, now it's time to draw what it makes you think of.
A powerful famous quote- Find a quote that truly inspires you and illustrates its meaning.
A poem you love- use the words of the poem to create a shape.
Your name- write your entire name and decorate each letter differently.
Word Association- think of your favorite word and sketch the things you associate it with. For example: Math= Blue
Never forget your true goal is to express yourself and have fun, not to create a masterpiece. Also remember that the best type of art journal prompts are the ones that help you get started so pick one in this article and try it for 10 minutes a day!!
If you are ready to put these art journal prompts to use, check out our Yazar ‘Flow State’ Journal, designed for all types of creative journaling.
I hope you enjoyed reading this article, don't forget to check out our website for more helpful journal prompts.
