How to Decoupage in an Art Journal

Have you ever tried decoupage in an art journal? If you have ever felt blocked trying to figure out where to start a new project or page, decoupage is a great technique to try. Today we will be discussing how to decoupage in an art journal and some of the techniques to get consistent results.

Decoupage in an art journal is a very simple technique but it does require a few materials to get started. For years I did not try decoupage because I was uncertain of the materials to use and how to apply them. Today we will be touching on the paper, gels and mediums that can be used for decoupage.

Materials for Decoupage

Decoupage Paper

You can use almost any type of paper for decoupage in an art journal. It can be items from around your home such as newspaper clippings, found paper or images. There is a variety of patterned papers including rice paper, gift wrap and scrapbooking paper that also works well for decoupage.

But my favorite paper to use for decoupage in an art journal is my own Gelli Prints. If you have never tried Gelli printing, I would suggest checking out my article and videos about Gelli printing here.

Gel Medium

For most paper, a gel medium is the best glue for decoupage. Gel mediums come in a variety of finishes including gloss, semi-gloss and matte finishes. This gives you control over the final look of your project as every finish has a different level of glossiness.

Gel mediums also come in a range of thicknesses from soft gel to extra heavy gel. For most papers that are cardstock weight or lighter, soft gel or regular gel should work well for adhering the paper. It is important to realize that the heavier the paper, the heavier the the gel will be needed to adhere it to your project.

For successful decoupage, the paper needs to be easily adhered to the paper using the medium. If the paper is not sticking immediately to the page, use a thicker gel medium.  

Paint Brush

As the gel mediums work as a glue, try using an inexpensive paint brush. By using a paint brush that also has shorter bristles, as will makes the brush easier to clean.  

As soon as you finish the decoupage, wash your brush immediately. My personal practice is to wash the brush immediately and then also wash it with hand soap and water. I generally do not use soap with my brushes, but in the case of gel mediums, I make an exception. If the gel medium stays in the brush and hardens, it will glue the bristles together and ruin the brush.

How to Decoupage in an Art Journal

Tear Up and Arrange Your Paper

Start by tearing up pieces of paper into smaller pieces to use on your journal page. How big or small the pieces are depends on the final look you want for your journal page. This is a great way to use up scraps of paper and other materials that you may have in your home.

If you have a desired look in mind, arrange the paper onto your page. If the idea of a blank page is overwhelming, just start randomly adding pieces to the page and see what happens.

Add Gel Medium to the Paper

For successful decoupage in an art journal and to get proper adhesion, the gel medium will need to be added to the journal surface as well as the paper.

Add gel medium to the journal surface. Then add gel medium to the back of the paper to be added to the surface. Press the paper down onto the journal and apply more gel medium on top of the piece of paper with a brush.

This will cocoon the paper between layers of gel medium, sealing in the paper and making it archival. Continue to do so until you fully cover the surface. This can be done in a random manner. Don’t be afraid to overlap papers and add additional gel medium to get a good seal to the page.

Set the journal aside to dry fully before adding other layers on top of the decoupage.

Other Ways to Use Decoupage

There are a variety of ways to add decoupage in an art journal besides tearing up paper.

Decoupage Die Cuts or Stamped Images

Adding die cuts or stamped images that have been cut out is another way to use decoupage in an art journal. By adding these randomly on a page, this can be a great start to a mixed media piece.

Decoupage in a Grid Pattern

By adding decoupage in a grid pattern, this can create some fun geometric interest to your page. You can choose to overlap the images or lay them side by side. Either way leads to an interesting result. In the picture above, using the decoupage as a grid can not only be a design feature but also make the composition of the painting easier.   

Why Decoupage?

Why would you want to start with decoupage in an art journal? It is a great way to get out of a creative block. For many of us, the blank page of a journal can be so intimidating. By adding decoupage pages throughout your journal to be used later, this is a great springboard for new ideas.  

Decoupage will work as an isolation layer. By adding a layer of gel medium, this creates a barrier between the layers that you have added below and the layers above. When adding paint washes, oil crayons and other mediums on top, the gel medium seals the colors and paper below so they will keep their color integrity. By sealing the papers with gel medium, this gives a completely different feel and new options for creativity for the layers to be added on top.

What Do You Think?

What do you think of adding decoupage in an art journal? Is this a technique that you would use or attempt to try? I would love to hear what you think and if you have any questions about what I have shared today. Please comment below or you can contact me directly. I hope that you have a creative weekend and some time for personal self-care!