How to Use Paint in Your Journals

Hello! I’m Amanda, and let’s talk about how to use mixed media in your journals. I like to paint heavily, I layer, I use my supplies to the max, and my Archer & Olive journals hold up really well. I am here to remind you to not be afraid of using paint in your journals! So I am going to give you some tips on how to prep and seal your pages so you can get the most out of your journaling experience.

By Ambassador TeamPublished March 29, 2026 | 5 min read

Hello! I’m Amanda (@amandaswork)! Let’s talk about how to use mixed media in your journals. I like to put my journals to work, I paint heavily, I layer, I use my supplies to the max, and my Archer & Olive journals hold up really well. I am here to remind you to not be afraid of using paint in your journals! They can get the job done. A frequent question I get asked is how I keep pages from sticking together. So I am going to give you some tips on how to prep and seal your pages so you can get the most out of your journaling experience.

colourful abstract art page made with acrylic paint

Here are the supplies that I will be using:

Journal/Sketchbook - I am using size A6 Blank
Markers - I use Acrylographs
Collage Paper - I use Bonnies Fave Collage Papers
Paint - I use acrylic and watercolor

You can use my affiliate code "AMANDASWORK" for 10% off your order.

Let’s get started!

First you will need to create something, make sure you don’t hold back. Archer & Olive journals hold up really well, they are ready for whatever you have to throw at them.

If you want to focus on the prep part, I would recommend adding a layer of gesso, or white paint. Or even putting a layer of paper down. Little steps like this can help in making sure your work does not bleed through to the next page.

Also think about what you are putting on your pages. Acrylic ink to acrylic ink will stick with each other, or heavy acrylic will stick to heavy acrylics, if you don’t want to seal your pages, planning your projects can help. Something like putting a heavy acrylic paint page beside a pencil crayon page can help prevent sticking.

After you are done with your page you might want to seal it, or put a barrier to prevent the pages from sticking together or transferring.

a variety of collage paper, freezing hair spray, and varnish bottle

There are so many ways to protect your pages, from paper barriers, varnish, to sealants.

blue person in the middle of the page surrounded by a yellow and red background

Interleaving Pages

This is the most basic thing you can do. I use pieces of scrap paper, you can also use things like wax or parchment paper as well. This is kind of the easiest and best defense against your pages sticking together. This is the technique I use the most and is the fastest. A great idea is to put your scrap pieces of paper aside so that you can stick them in your journals. Plus it is a great way to recycle your paper!

Sealants

You can go for a quick reach fix using something like cheap hairsprays, or buy spray on varnish. Use light layers and let everything dry completely before closing the journal. You can also use some matte medium like Modge Podge as well, just be careful of what materials you are using, if you have something water soluble like watercolors, the medium will reactivate the water and leave you with a mess. It is good to be aware of what materials you are using before using sealants. You don't want to mess up all of the beautiful work that you did.

the back a page where alcohol markers have bled through the page

Sometimes you can’t help the pages bleeding through, like when you use alcohol markers. In that case I create with the intention that the next page will need to be covered up. I use collage paper, or paint over it. It is a fix that is totally not a problem, it can actually help you to develop new ideas!

a cat drawn in black ink surrounded by stickers and brown paper elements

With some collage paper, the bleed through page is gone and a really fun page replaced it! Remember it is okay if your pages get wrecked, if your journal falls apart, it is not a bad thing. Sometimes this is the best thing to remind you that you have made art, and your work is fallible. Things will have mistakes and fall apart, but that is part of the joy of creating.

a bright abstract painting page filled with blue, pink, green, white splatters

Remember that the whole point of an art journal is to create something and have fun. If things are not perfect or super aesthetic it is okay! Nothing lasts forever, so sometimes I like to embrace the fact that my art will fall apart, will fade, rip, and will not be perfect.

Hopefully this will be a reminder for you to not be afraid to use paint in your journals and to use it heavily, painting is so fun and holds up great in Archer & Olive journals. They are built great for mixed media, so make sure you go and play with them!

Check out this video if you want to see how I made these pages:

Don’t worry about making mistakes, that is part of the fun!

If you need an idea for a page to cover up a mistake, use this printable. You can start with it as a paint palette and then use it to cover up and paste over a page. Multi-use!