Make a Mini Color Journal

Sometimes you want to do something creative, something playful & relaxing, and not too complicated.  

I have the ideal activity -- Create a mini color journal!

With only 4 small pages to cover, it's perfect to fill a summer hour or two.

I made my color journal (see instructions below) out of watercolor paper, then drew designs with a white Crayola crayon.  

It's hard to see white wax on white paper, so just be bold; press hard; and keep it simple.  If you need to double-check where you've drawn with the crayon, hold the paper at an angle to the light, and you can see it faintly.

Over top of the white crayon, I painted a scene loosely with watercolor paints.  Any type of watercolors or watery ink would work.  The waxy crayon repels the watery paint, so your crayon design shows through magically.

After the watercolors dried, I added more designs with alcohol markers & paint pens.

Use whatever materials you have: Sharpies, markers, gel pens, or colored pencils would work well.  You could even use the other crayons in the pack over top of the watercolor paint.

In some places, I didn't press down hard enough with the white crayon, so it was washed out by the watercolors.  I strengthened the line with a white paint pen in these cases.

Ready to make your own mini color journal?

Here's a short video on how to make your own little booklet out of a single sheet of paper. The video uses copy paper.  I used Canson XL 140# cold-pressed watercolor paper. You'll also need scissors and a glue stick or other glue.

I love playing with colors simply for the sake of celebrating color itself. I find it's a great form of relaxation and self care for me.

I hope it does the same for you!