Welcome!
Welcome to Digital Junk Journals (formerly azfinch.com), where I (Anastasia “AZ” Finch) show you how to make mixed media-style art using free resources and programs, on the computer!
What’s a junk journal?
A standard junk journal is made from a collection of “junk,” e.g. old paper, cardboard pieces, paper scraps– things you’d typically throw away– mixed with collage and mixed media art techniques to turn it into an art journal.
A digital junk journal take that aesthetic and sense of design, but applies it using digital resources.
Why go digital?
I made the switch partly because I felt like I was drowning in paper clutter. While it’s really fun to use actual paper ephemera, paints, stencils, etc. in my art journals, I had a really hard time keeping everything organized– and I had SO MUCH stuff that I often wouldn’t even use it before it dried up or went bad. It’s much easier to keep all my “art supplies” on my computer, where I don’t have to worry about how much space they’re taking up.
It’s also really enjoyable! Frustrations from making a paper collage or art journal page just don’t show up when I’m making a digital journal, and I can get a lot more done in a much shorter amount of time. Digital collages are perfect for people who don’t have a lot of free time but still want to be creative.
Never made a digital collage before?
How to make a digital collage: Finding a subject
While it’s fun to just slap images onto a background and see what happens, it can be even more satisfying to create something that expresses a specific idea. For instance, lately my collages have been built around inspirational quotes which relate to specific things in my life that I’m concerned with.
Using a Focus Image in a Digital Collage
Centering a digital collage around a focus image is a good way to guide the eye through what can sometimes be a chaotic piece of art. Mixed media style art journal pages have lots of layers, colors, ephemera, and text– all that can be a little confusing to look at if you aren’t used to it. A focus image, as the centerpiece of your collage, can help keep the rest of the piece in focus as well.
How to make mixed media style background pages in Canva
Any good junk journal starts with a strong background . The background sets the style, color, and tone for the rest of the page, so a good background is the key to success. It’s also much easier to make one on the computer because all you need is some images and a few clicks!
Digital Collage with Me – September Junk Journal using Canva
Watch me make a digital collage on Canva in real time!
Read More
www.youtube.com
Free downloadable resources
Where to find modern junk journal ephemera online (for free!)
What do you do if you’re not into the vintage look, or just want to use modern ephemera? Luckily, there’s lots of ways to find modern ephemera online, mostly for free!
Where to find free vintage photos and ephemera for junk journals
The majority of my digital ephemera and vintage photograph collection was actually sourced from online resources that share public domain graphics. It’s a great way to get started building a collection of images to use for digital junk journals.
Where to get free fonts for digital art (and how to upload fonts to Canva)
Normally collages are pretty image-heavy, and don’t have a whole heap of text. But if you’ve started making digital art journal pages (like me), then you’re suddenly including a lot of text in your collages! And obviously you need to use a font that goes well with the rest of your collage.
Free Vintage Photo Downloads: The Archives
All the freebies posted on the blog, mostly vintage image curated from public domain resources!
More help
What is a Visual Journal?
Very simply: A visual journal incorporates visual media in addition to text. It’s an umbrella term for a method of journaling that usually combines writing and art. Art journals, junk journals, and scrapbooks are visual journals created using slightly different methods, for instance.
What is a vision board? Creative planning for artists
Vision boards are visual representations of a particular life goal or dream. They’ve been popular with loads of people over the last 20 years or so: bloggers, business people, entrepreneurs, regular folks who work at Starbucks– they’ve all made some kind of vision board at some point. Having a tangible, daily reminder of the goal you’re striving for can help focus your mind on those same goals.
How to make a heritage junk journal on the computer
Heritage journals or heritage scrapbooks are kind of a new thing, though REALLY they’re just a spin-off from traditional scrapbooks. Heritage junk journals do much the same thing as traditional scrapbooks, but with a more mixed media/junk journal style approach– and focused on family history rather than current family events. They’re a wonderful way to combine family history research with mixed media art.
Featured Post
How to make a travel gluebook for collages on the go
Logging your daily activities on a trip can be a great way to keep track of precious memories. But bringing a full art kit with you while traveling can be difficult. While you may be able to bring a mini art journal kit, what if you’re REALLY short on space? Travel gluebooks are the way to go!
