Are you longing for a creative practice that will support your dreams, make you grow as an artist and bring you joy month after month?
Are you excited to fill your journal with beautiful, meaningful pages that truly feel like YOU, like your very own, magical storybook?
In “The Artist & the Journal”, you will find everything you need to make art journaling a life-long, soul-nurturing creative practice!
“As a self-taught artist, I began my journey by taking classes with other artists; however these classes almost entirely led to me painting like the teacher rather than in my own style.
It wasn’t until I discovered Laly Mille and enrolled in “The Artist and the Journal” that my own style began to emerge. Not only have my mixed media skills improved, but my creativity has flourished! Not to mention how much I adore Laly and her light. I can’t recommend this class enough!”
a creative practice for life
• What if you had a creative practice that’s fun and forgiving, no matter your “skill level”? What if you could make art just for you?
• What if you had a place to freely play, practice and experiment, which is the key to developing your personal artistic style?
• What if you had a positive, soul-nurturing outlet to express your stories and emotions, as you navigate the ups and downs of life?
• What if the magic of art could support your dreams and wellbeing day after day, year after year?
this class is for you if…
• You are looking for a creative outlet that allows you to create with more freedom and joy, without pressure or judgement.
• You want to explore a creative practice that will allow you to make more art, more often, and most importantly, art that is more YOU.
• You long for some soul-nurturing time to express your emotions and tell the stories you hold within, in a safe and gentle way.
• You are anywhere between a complete beginner and a professional artist: art journaling is for everyone! This class will give you the tools & inspiration you need to build a fulfilling, life-long creative practice (and no, you don’t need to know how to draw).
support & community
It can be so motivating to not feel alone on your creative journey. I’m walking just a few steps ahead, to light the way for you and thousands of like-minded creatives. Join us!
• You’ll get access to our private community forum where you can ask me questions and share what you create. I check in every week to cheer you on, as you grow your beautiful artist wings!
• You will also be invited to join my students’ private Facebook group and connect with creative friends from all over the world.
• We also have an Instagram hashtag: #artjournalwithlaly for you to share pictures. Art in progress pics and happy messes welcome!
In The Artist & the Journal, I share absolutely everything I know about art journaling. I hope it will inspire you to build your own creative practice with joy and confidence, with your own favorite techniques and personal style!
The class is 11+ hrs long & is organized in 3 parts:
This first part of the class is your foundation for art journaling: learn the basics + a ton of fun activities and techniques, including:
Making your own journal
Getting to know your art supplies
Creating unique collage materials
Getting rid of the blank page with easy starting points
Playing with words & finding inspiration for journaling
Found poetry with words from books & magazines
Embracing your own handwriting!
You will be right by my side as I share everything that's going on, both in the journal and in my heart, as I create two pages from start to finish, including:
Working in mixed media with collage, paint, inks, crayons etc.
Creating intuitively, or with a bit of a plan… or both!
Developing personal themes
Embracing & expressing emotions
Composition tips and techniques
Challenging yourself in ways that feel good and fun
Beautiful finishing touches!
Now that you have everything you need for art journaling, it’s time to fill those pages! This final part of the class is a well of inspiration, including:
3 stand-alone lessons where we will create more pages with different themes, techniques & styles (including abstract!)
Flip-through videos of my journals
Bonus time-lapse videos
Dozens of page examples from me and the students of my classes
“I’m absolutely loving this course. Finally being guided in the right direction in my creative journey. Feeling free to let go, explore, & embrace imperfection. Thank you!”
The elements of your creative practice
Invite your muse to play! This first part of the class is a treasure box of inspiration with lots of tutorials to give you a solid foundation for your art journaling practice.
My best tips to make your creative space work for YOU!
YOUR Art supplies
Make friends with your tools and materials, get clear on the basics + discover some fun options.
your art journal
Make it from scratch with my inexpensive & easy technique that students love, or get a good store-bought option.
set up for travel & small spaces
Learn plenty of practical tips to keep art journaling anytime, anywhere.
Quickly build a whole stash of unique collage materials that you won’t find anywhere else. No shopping needed!
Paper treasure hunt
Discover hidden treasure in old magazines: patterns, text, imagery… it’s all there for the taking!
Paint over paper
Learn plenty of fun ways to customize a variety of papers (magazine pages, tissue…) to make your stash colorful and personal.
Lovely neutrals
Customize book pages, teabag paper and more, to add plenty of beautiful (and useful) neutrals to your stash.
Never feel intimidated again by the scary blank page! Learn my 10 favorite starting points, including (but not only):
Collage
If there’s one way to quickly get a page started with interesting layers, this is it!
Book pages + gesso
My go-to technique to create beautifully layered, “not-so-blank” pages.
Try out new supplies
Use your art journal as the playground it’s meant to be!
journaling
That’s half the joy of art journaling! Breathe, relax & let it go on the page.
painterly mess
Making a mess, especially if it’s not pretty, is a great motivation to keep going!
stencils & stamps
These are some of the most fun creative tools, especially when you embrace imperfection!
Doodles
You don’t need to know how to draw to have fun and unleash your imagination!
water-soluble scribbles
A joyful way to fill the page with a colorful first layer!
“bundles of joy”
Learn how to gather bundles of collage material in advance, by theme and color palette: that’s instant starting points for your pages, and a relaxing activity to do when you don’t have the energy to make art. Then watch as one of the bundles becomes a gorgeously layered page…
In art journaling there’s art and… well, journaling! Discover how satisfying and liberating it can be to combine words and art, when you dare to unveil the stories that await in your heart.
Embrace your handwriting
Let’s play with plenty of fun exercises to make friends with your handwriting. Believe me, it’s perfectly imperfect, and authentic is better than pretty every single time.
writing prompts
Unveil the stories you hold within and decide what to journal about. Discover how to use quotes and affirmations as creative prompts, and enjoy a printable card deck!
“poetic secrets”
Embrace the magic of “found poetry”! Discover three different ways to play with printed words to invite serendipity and unexpected stories that will always delight and surprise you. Then watch as imagination takes over and the story unfolds into a magical art journal page!
It’s time to start creating your pages! The creative process is a dance between working intuitively (letting your inner artist lead the way!) and more intentionally (having a bit of a plan). We’re going to explore both through the making of two pages: a completely intuitive and spontaneous one, and a more intentional one.
Art journaling is an intimate & personal practice that’s as much about wellbeing as art-making. So you’ll be right by my side as I share every little detail of my creative process, including the vulnerable parts like sharing personal stories, getting stuck and dealing with emotions as they arise. Let’s do this together!
art journaling with intuition
This first page is all about intuition, following impulses, feelings, ideas and words as they show up, responding to what’s happening within you and on the page. Then we will bring it all together, into a beautiful, cohesive whole.
art journaling with intention
In this second page, I’ll show you how to start with an idea and work from there to select your color palette, composition and the elements of a story. We’re going to start with a super quick sketch and I will also share my favorite technique for translucent portraits!
“Laly does not mask her emotions for the sake of looking good. She shows up to her table to create and play by being vulnerable and real. With every paint stroke and piece of collage she works through whatever she was feeling or what may have been blocking her at the time. In doing so I find her sense of strength and courage so encouraging and empowering.”
This final part of the class is all about helping you fill your journal from the first page to the last! By sharing a whole variety of styles, themes and techniques, I want to encourage you to practice and find your own unique voice as an artist. Get ready for:
3 stand-alone lessons with different themes and styles (including an abstract page!). Find out more below.
Flip-through videos of my art journals, to motivate you to complete yours (and the next one, and the next one!)
Dozens of page examples from my own journals + a selection of student art, to light up your creative spark!
embracing the joy of nature
Art Journaling is such a wonderful way to express our dreams and emotions, and to record key moments in our lives. In this session, I'm sharing the first art journal page I created after we moved into a lovely old home that has such a beautiful garden. I felt so happy and inspired by my new surroundings that I wanted to capture this moment in my art journal!
an abstract art journal page
An art journal is a wonderful playground to explore and experiment. For instance, something I’ve always been fascinated by is… white! How about exploring this magical color in a beautiful abstract page, full of texture and translucent effects? There are so many nuances to white. Combined with subtle neutrals and some dark for contrast, let’s find out how it might evoke emotions and nurture the soul with its unique, ethereal and soothing light.
celebrating the everyday
Sometimes we might overlook the little blessings of everyday life: a nice meal, a comfy pillow, reasonably good health, a ray of sunshine... But what an amazing gift, to have good things we can count on day after day. So let’s express gratitude in our art journals! In this project, we will start by making a list of favorite things. Then we will celebrate three of them in a joyful and whimsical art journal page. Bring on the happy vibes!
“I’ve gained so much confidence as an artist through this class. Thank you, Laly. I trust myself so much more as a result of your lovely teaching.”
“Laly, you inspire me to go beyond my personal expectations! Thanks for your honesty & trust in your process...it allows me to do the same! ”
“Laly I cannot thank you enough. You have inspired me to get back into my art journals. I finally got out some watercolor paper and put together a journal using your video, got my space cleared out and cleaned up, and sat down to journal. You have inspired me to keep on going! Thank you thank you!”
what’s included:
Over 11 hours of detailed video lessons. I share every little detail of my process so you will feel like you’re right next to me in the studio.
A whole palette of hands-on tutorials, from making your own journal to creating unique collage papers, and all my favorite mixed media techniques!
Journaling prompts, creative tips & starting points to overcome the fear of the blank page and find endless inspiration.
Plenty of insights about the creative process to help you find your unique style of art journaling and create beautiful, meaningful pages that feel true to you.
Five in-depth art journaling sessions where I take you along as we create our pages from start to finish.
Plenty of bonus videos, extra resources, downloads and additional page examples to inspire you!
Lifetime access to the class and all future updates.
Private community forum with weekly support (and lifetime access too!)
Optional private Facebook group.
Class is in English with closed captions available.
Here is a short list of my favorite supplies for art journaling. You will get a full video demo and a more detailed list with optional shopping links after you join the class. Remember that these are only suggestions!
Basic supplies:
An art journal (I will show you an easy way to make one out of a pad of watercolor paper)
Matte gel medium or other glue of your choice (Modpodge, PVA etc.)
A few paint brushes in various sizes, including a flat one for collage.
White gesso and/or white acrylic paint
Acrylic paints in colors of your choice
Pens & pencils of your choice.
Water & rag
A variety of papers for collage. Don’t go buy anything! We will create our own custom papers. Look for:
Book pages
Magazine pages
Black & white prints/photocopies (text, sheet music…)
Printed napkins and tissue (from parcels, shoe boxes, sewing patterns…)
Teabags (emptied and dried)
Other papers like junk mail, vintage ephemera, library cards, paper doilies, restaurant placemats, wallpaper leftovers, wrapping paper and anything else that catches your fancy!
A few extra items you might enjoy:
Mark-making tools like bubble wrap, stencils & stamps
Acrylic and/or alcohol inks
Watersoluble pencils/crayons like Neocolor 2, Stabilo All, Stabilo Woodies, Inktense…
Permanent pens & markers: Pitt Artist pens, Posca/Molotow pens
Strong paper clips to hold your pages open
Parchment/baking paper to place under your pages so they don’t stick together
Spray bottle
Craft heatgun to dry your pages
If you don’t find an answer below, don’t hesitate to reach out by email at admin@lalymille.com. My husband William & I will do our best to help!
+ Is this class suitable for beginners?
- Yes, for sure! This class has been designed to give you all the tools, tips and techniques you need to make the practice of art journaling yours. I'm covering all the basics and much more, so you can go back to the class again and again while you grow your artist wings.
+ I'm not a beginner and have been art journaling for a while, will this class be too basic for me?
- Definitely not. The class is for all skill levels and we have many advanced journalers among the students. Some have been art journaling way longer than me! In the class I really share my personal way to do art journaling. I not only share the basics, but above all a deep dive into the creative process, as well as exciting mixed media techniques and a whole variety of themes and styles (even an abstract page!). My goal is to make you fall in love with art journaling all over again.
+ What art supplies do I need?
- Take a look at the "What you'll need" section above. After you sign up, you will get more detailed information, including a supplies list with shopping links. These are only suggestions and I always recommend using what you already have, love and feel comfortable with.
+ I don't have an art journal, do I need to buy one?
- In the class I will show you how to make an art journal like mine from a pad of watercolor paper. If you prefer to purchase a ready-made one, you. will find a link in the supplies list provided in the classroom.
+ Where will I access the lessons?
- The class is hosted online on a dedicated teaching platform (Kajabi). Once you're a member, you will get an individual, private account to access the lessons.
+ Are the videos live or prerecorded? Do I need to get online at specific times?
- The videos are prerecorded so you can watch at your own pace, no matter your time-zone.
+ Are the videos downloadable?
- No, they're not. Before signing up, please make sure that your internet connection allows you to smoothly stream high resolution videos online. Refunds will not be made after registration.
+ How long will the class and videos be available?
- You get lifetime access to the classroom and videos. "Lifetime" technically means for the lifetime of the program. This class has been a favorite of my students for years and it's not going anywhere, it only gets better and better!
+ The price of the course is in Euros and USD, how much is it in my country's currency?
- You can check the price conversion with online tools such as xe.com. It fluctuates slightly from day to day. You will see the correct price in your own currency at the checkout on Paypal or Stripe.
+ Do you offer refunds?
- Due to the nature of online classes, once you sign up you immediately get access to all the contents, therefore we don't offer refunds. We do our best to provide all the information you need on this page and if you have additional questions, don't hesitate to reach out by email at admin@lalymille.com before registering.
+ Once I sign up, when will I receive my login?
You will first receive a confirmation email as soon as you sign up. Then you will receive your login instructions shortly after registration, together with an invitation to join the Facebook group.
Please make sure to add laly@lalymille.com, admin@lalymille.com and lalymille@c.kajabimail.net to your email contacts, to make sure that messages for the class safely reach your inbox.
+ Do I have access to you? Can I ask you questions?
Yes, you can ask me questions in the Classroom Community forum. I usually check in once a week, often on Tuesdays. The other participants will also be able to help you.
The Classroom Community Forum is accessible directly from the sidebar menu of the class.
+ Can I connect with other members?
Yes! And I warmly encourage you to. We have the most vibrant, positive and encouraging online community, we can't wait to welcome you!
You can share photos of what you create, and connect with others in the Classroom Community Forum within the classroom site.
You will also have access to a private, optional Facebook group to connect even more with fellow participants.
+ I already signed up for this class in the past, but I can see that you've updated it with new lessons. How can I get them?
- Good news: with lifetime access you automatically get any updates I make to the class... FREE! Log into the classroom and you will find the new lessons there. Enjoy!
“Wow! Amazing! What a fabulous class! I have taken a lot of classes, and this one was spectacular! Not only did Laly go over so many materials and usage... but the thoughts and process to really make you think about how it translates to your own art making. Not just here’s a project, this is how to do it. Laly talks you through her thoughts and shows you where she gets inspiration. I am so ready to start creating and see what becomes in my studio after watching this class. So Inspiring!”
your guide for this creative journey
I'm so glad you’re here! I’m a mixed media artist from France, and I’m here to help you grow your artist wings! I have been art journaling for many years now and it’s become my favorite creative practice. Plus it has made me grow as an artist like nothing else!
My art journal is my secret, sacred place, a magical portal, a trusted companion and a wonderful playground all at the same time. I can’t wait to share the joy of art journaling with you!
What if you listened to your creative longings? What if you dared to follow this little spark? I believe with my whole heart that YOUR ART MATTERS. It is your gift to the world, and now is your time to let it shine!
You may have seen me in...
kind words from the students
“Best course I’ve ever taken. Calming and exciting all at once, and so very generous. Laly’s soulful approach is a gift.”
“I have found a whole new level of how to BE and how to make MY art. I always enjoy the place that creating art takes me, but this is taking me somewhere much deeper into my soul. I love the way you teach, you have shared so many tips, your techniques, your supplies... I have also discovered that I enjoy using my fingers more than a brush! I am looking forward to doing more of your courses.”
“I loved the class and am still experimenting in my journal and proud of the results. This course has re-opened my interest and developed my skills in mixed media.”
“This is my second feedback of this class, I loved it all so much! I think the most exciting part for me was re-learning the joy of handwriting. I find it so freeing to just write, whatever is in my head, not worrying about what it looks like, whether words are spelt correctly, or missing words, writing over sentences. Such a great feeling, like I am a little girl again making up stories. Rediscovering the joy of spontaneity and playing!!”
“I’m discovering new nuances to this art every day I come back to the videos and my journal. I trust myself so much more as a result of your lovely teaching. You really possess so many lovely gifts and I’m so glad you followed your impulse to share them in this way. I don’t have the words to express my gratitude for all I’ve learned in this course, Laly. It has been transformational. Must be all the butterflies!”
“My heart and soul have been touched in a way I wasn’t expecting. The course is impacting me far more deeply than just art technique. I can’t quite explain it. The timing for my life right now is unbelievably perfect. Thank you for putting so much of you into it.”
“I really enjoyed the class, it inspired me to have so much fun and just play without limits. The hours of videos, just watching the process and every step that you took, was so inspiring. I never got tired of just watching, absorbing and dreaming about my own creation. I also really enjoyed the spiritual aspect, using light and love to build the layers with so much positivity and joy. I felt that I was healing myself in the process, reinforcing the ideas of magic, wonder and love. Just the research for words and phrases alone was so motivating and positive for me. I have learned so much Laly. You are truly a wonderful teacher and I cannot thank you enough for your work and for sharing so openly.”
“I loved this class so much... watching and listening to the lessons, it feels like you are right there guiding me through a page or a spread. I refer back to the lessons often even though I took this class last year! Thank you Laly.”
