Four years in, still learning and loving it! This January marked my fourth time participating in Junk Journal January—and it was just as fun and fulfilling as the first.
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| Junk Journal January 2026 |
I did my very first Junk Journal January back in 2023, not really knowing what to expect, but I was curious. I also wanted to get back into making art and thought a junk journal was a good place to experiment—with no expectations or judgement. Fast forward to 2026 and this challenge has become something I look forward to as January rolls around to begin a new year.
2026: more pages with watercolor and drawings
Generally, most of the pages in my junk journals have been collage. This year, I’ve enjoyed responding to a few of the prompts by reaching for my watercolor paints and drawing pens. On Day 5, the “Echo” prompt was illustrated with a wacky mandala (techniques learned in the Artsy Marathon session I attended on New Year’s Eve) and slow drawing patterns.
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| Freeform mandala with slow drawing patterns. |
Day 14 “Morning” was illustrated with an abstract watercolor exercise. Just watercolors and color mixing. So fun!
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| “Morning.” Watercolors. |
Day 23 “Layers” was all about preparing for a predicted major winter storm that stretched from Texas to New England. This journal page has ink drawings of articles of clothing that can be layered to keep warm. The tonal background is a simple watercolor wash.
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| Watercolor and ink drawings. Day 23, “Layers.” |
After Day 23’s watercolor and ink drawings, the Day 24 prompt “Blank” turned a blank white page into a canvas for black and white slow drawing. And Day 25 prompt “Rest” again combined slow drawing and watercolor. All three of these pages were restful and relaxing to create and I enjoyed using my watercolor paints and drawing with ink pens.
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| Ink drawings and watercolor. |
I’m also especially pleased with Day 29 “Wrapping” page for which I painted a small cherry blossoms watercolor composition.
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| Watercolor painting of cherry blossoms with a story about the Cherry Blossom Festival. |
Four years in… why I continue to participate in Junk Journal January
Returning to the Junk Journal January for multiple years has become easy for me because, even though the prompts are different and each journal page is new, the process is familiar.
- Junk journaling doesn’t demand perfection or mastery—you just have to show up and put something on the page.
- Sometimes the prompts are easy to interpret or immediately inspiring. Other prompts require research; a stretch of the creative muscle to interpret them on a journal page.
- The journal is made from recycled papers [aka “junk”] and I get to practice my bookmaking skills with each new journal I make.
- The art supplies can be inexpensive, multiple, and various. A junk journal is also a great place to try out new art supplies.
- JJJ is a solid, creative endeavor to start a new year.
What’s fun about the Junk Journal process?
Using scraps: I save old catalogs, found objects, and fabric and paper scraps, that I think would be interesting for art projects. I get to combine these various bits in new compositions… and get to use the collectibles I’ve been savoring.
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| Two page spread for Day 13 prompt: “Paper trail.” |
Experimenting with art supplies: The small ritual of creating a daily journal page—a small format, inspired by a given prompt—is a great way to experiment with my stash of art supplies and try different techniques I’ve wanted to test. It’s a small investment of time and supplies while still learning something.
Watching the journal grow: Watching the journal “bulk up” with layers of paper, paint, marks, stitching, and ephemera—beautifully imperfect—is exciting to me. Your hands can literally feel the progress made when holding the journal. I add extra signatures to my junk journals so I can continue to add slow drawings, notes, and practice hand lettering, even after the Challenge month has concluded.
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| Day 6 prompt: “Page as object.” |
New prompts, new language: One of the things I was introduced to this year were prompts that were unfamiliar to me. I had to look up the terms “page as object” (above) and “still frame,” and I feel my interpretations were illustratively successful.
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| Day 12 prompt: “Still frame.” |
First Make Nine finish for 2026
This journal is my sixth junk journal and I’m counting it as my first Make Nine finish for 2026. I’m fulfilling one of the Wild Card prompts.
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| Make Nine 2026, January 31. |
I love all my Junk Journals! Paging through past journals, being reminded of different supplies and techniques I used, and reminiscing about the time the page was created, is so inspiring as well.
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| Six Junk Journals so far. |
I enjoy this art practice and it’s a great way to do a creative reset at the start of a new year.
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| Day 4 prompt: “Landscape.” Collage with catalog pages. |
Six journals in. Four Januaries down. Still showing up and enjoying an art-making ritual.
