Create your very own personalised Visual Journal cover!

It’s a fresh new year and who wants the same boring visual diary they had last year? Not us!! That’s why we decided to customise this Reeves Layflat Journal with some collage techniques and paint pens!!

We grabbed a Reeves Visual Journal Layflat Black Cover 30 sheets - A4, Mont Marte Plant Based Glue Sticks 22g 2pc, some Westcott Kleenearth Scissors 229mm and we printed off some collage sheets from Pinterest! Then we picked out some fun paint pens like Mont Marte Signature Marker Set - Dual Line Lettering Pens 2mm 6pc and Mont Marte Signature Dual Tip Paint Pens 12pc to add some extra details. Plus don't forget this nifty little brass stencil set from Portacraft - check it out here! We also had a Spirax Graph Book - A4 handy which we used to add some detail and as a space to hold important information on the bottom of the front cover with the Pentel Energel Retractable Gel Roller Pen 0.7mm - Black

Step 1:

Collate your collage materials and get cutting! Once you've cut everything out, have a play with the composition. A good layout will have a nice balance and an interesting dynamic. 

Step 2:

Once you're happy with the composition, it's time to get gluing! We used a regular glue stick for the ease of use for this project but you could always use something like this disappearing glue, get really serious with Mod Podge 118ml - Matte or even use something like this Krylon Spray - Easy Tack Repositionable Adhesive 290g

Step 3:

Now this is where things get really fun! Using the brass stencil on the section of graph paper, we wrote NAME and SUBJECT. You can either try and line each letter up perfectly or allow for a little bit of wonky aligning to add even more interest to your design.

Step 4:

Then with the Mont Marte Signature Dual Tip Paint Pens 12pc we wrote in our name with the fine tip end of the paint pen and then alternated between pink and green to write the subject.

Step 4:

Then with the Mont Marte Signature Dual Tip Paint Pens 12pc we wrote in our name with the fine tip end of the paint pen and then alternated between pink and green to write the subject.

Step 5:

Now it's time to finish off your design by adding those last little quirky elements. We added some cursive typographic wording around parts of the collage design. We think they look really eye catching and fun!

Now sit back and admire your personalised note book, fresh and ready for a whole new year of new ideas! You'll be the envy of everyone in your class!

*HOT TIP

If your cover starts to curl a bit after drying, stack a heap of heavy books of top of your journal to flatten it out.

We hope you enjoyed following our process in making this project as we really enjoyed making it! As always, stay creative and don't forget to tag us in all your creations on Instagram @artshedonline.