Step #11 - Types of Paper: Newspaper

Yes, you read it right - I use newspaper ALL the time in my art journal. It resembles book paper if used in the right way in an art journal. So, if you can't bear to ruin a book for the pages, then this is a very good substitute. When underneath many or even just a few layers, it looks almost identical to book paper. Plus, newspaper is very common in everyday life. If you don't receive a newspaper, a lot of times cities have free weekly newspapers. They are much smaller but are just about perfect for crafting needs - I can normally stretch the entire newspaper until the next week when a new one arrives. A lot of ladies that I know use newspaper only use the regular wording. They don't even try to use the photographs, which, as a matter of fact, are very nice to use in collage portions of an art journal page or spread. Another section of the newspaper that is my very favorite to use is the Here and Now pages. I love how the words are separated into little blocks of wording - it creates quite a nice pattern when a large piece is used. Almost like a grid. Speaking of grids, lines and grids are very attractive in any type of art. Art journaling or otherwise. A lot of times you really can't tell if it's book paper or newspaper unless you get up close and try to determine which it is. Which people mostly don't do. And plus, even if they did, why would it matter? It looks good both ways and sometimes I even use both materials in the same page or spread. They look slightly different when they are placed side by side, adding variation. Though slight, such variation adds amazing variety to a page. And plus, newspaper is cheap - even if you don't feel like setting up for the free paper, a lot of times your friends and family do receive the daily paper are more than willing to get rid of a few of their old papers. The news in them is since old, and, since you're using them for crafting and a lot of the words will be covered up, it doesn't matter what the words say. So I encourage you to go out and get a newspaper today. Whether it be a free one, a paid for one, or one that somebody gives you - go find one. And use it. Do it. Trust me. I know.