I think Soul Journaling is something I made up.

Correct me if I'm wrong and you've actually been doing it too…

I've come to think of it as a kind of sketchbook-meets-nature-journal — a place to explore ideas, feelings, observations and inspiration through words, images, colour and mark-making.

And it came about partly because the blank page has always terrified me.

Despite teaching Art for over 17 years, I've always found that big, pristine sketchbook page strangely intimidating. Perfectionism can be a real creativity killer — and I've seen the same thing happen in countless students over the years.

A couple of years ago, after burning out creatively, I started playing in a sketchbook purely for myself. No project. No outcome. No one was going to see it.

And slowly, I found my way back to curiosity and play.

I realised that I didn't need to make good Art. I just needed to find ways to begin.

So, if the blank page makes you want to close the sketchbook and walk away, here are five things I've learnt along the way.

Filling in the blank fast

The best way to get things moving in the right direction is to start by getting something down on paper. I know that might sound obvious. But it’s true.

If I don’t know what to do I always start with simply laying a wash.

I’ll take a few minutes outside and just observe the colours I see, choose just one, or maybe two and use these to inspire the wash.

A page with colour on it is wayyy lesss intimidating and might actually be the next stage of inspiration for you…

2. Follow curiosity, not perfection

Instead of asking “What should I make?”, try asking:

“What am I curious about?”

Maybe it's a colour you've noticed in nature. A shape that appears in the wash, a phrase that’s been repeating in your head, or maybe a song? You can’t get this wrong, it’s just about noticing.

My intention for this page was to tune into the energy of Autumn as the season begins to shift. When I looked down at my wash, I could very clearly see the shape of a tree - so I just traced it’s outline…like this, do you see?

3. Tracing is a form of drawing, trust me

This one goes out to anyone (and it will be a lot of you I know) who were told by their Art teacher at school that tracing is cheating.

Tracing is not cheating and that bears repeating.

I use tracing in my journals to quickly get down on paper any imagery that’s floating around in my head. This is not a traditional sketchbook, it’s a JOURNAL, so permission to drop any of the old school rules here.

I was tuning into the energy of Autumn and wanted to add the Ogham letter for Oak and a squirrel to my page.

So I traced these two images onto the page using carbon paper and then added a sketch of an acorn I’d found and DREW AROUND a leaf.

And here’s how to page looked next..

4. Ways to include text

Ok, time to add some text.

I like to use a waterproog fineliner to write between the images. I chose to add some research about the symbolism of the Ogham symbol, about the Oak and about the acorn. I even discovered that the squirrel as a nature guide is seen as a shaman. I loved that fact.

I also used my stamp set to add bigger titles to the page.

And here’s how it looked in it’s next stage..

5. Colouring in, just for fun

Once all the elements are on the page, this is the fun stage.

I use watercolours but you could use colouring pencils or watercolour pencils too, to simply add some additional colour to the page.

I tend to just use up paint palettes set up for in person workshops which actually keeps some continuity to my pages..

Adding that last splash of colour is not only fun, it brings the whole page together. You can even use the paint as a highlighter and so your page becomes a study tool too…

Ready to try it?

If you've been longing to use a sketchbook but keep getting stuck at the blank page, perhaps Soul Journaling could be your way in.

You don't need to be an artist. You don't need to know how to draw. And you certainly don't need to know what you're going to make before you start.

You just need somewhere to begin.

I'll be sharing my Soul Journaling practice in my upcoming Autumn workshops, where we'll explore this way of working together through seasonal inspiration, creative prompts, imagery, colour and playful mark-making — all in the cosy setting of the Sussex Country Yurt.

[Explore the Soul Journaling Workshop →]

Filling in the blank fast