If you’ve ever wanted to create a colorful background without reaching for paint, this tissue paper art journal tutorial is for you! Tissue paper is one of the most versatile (and budget-friendly) supplies in mixed media. With just a few torn pieces, some stamping, correction fluid, and a touch of gold leafing, you can build a layered, textured page that looks like it took hours—but really comes together in no time.

Whether you’re brand new to art journaling or just looking for fresh ideas, this easy mixed media art journal page is a fun way to experiment with color and texture.

Supplies Needed

Tissue paper (any colors plus white)
Art journal, junk journal, or card base
Stamps
Black permanent ink
Gel medium
Paintbrush or waterbrush
White correction fluid (Dollar Tree works great!)
Gold leafing + adhesive

Step One: Build Your Background with Tissue Paper

Start by choosing your color scheme. I went with four shades of blue for an ocean theme. Tear your tissue paper into uneven shapes and use gel medium to glue them to your journal page.

✨ Pro tip: Overlapping tissue layers creates new shades and adds depth. This makes it one of the easiest tissue paper mixed media background techniques!

Step Two: Add Stamped Images Without Stress

I’m always a little nervous about stamping directly onto my page after I’ve created a pretty background. Here’s a trick that works every time:

Stamp your image onto white tissue paper using permanent ink.
Use a damp paintbrush to outline your image, then gently tear it out (jagged edges blend better than a straight cut).
Glue the stamped tissue image onto your background with gel medium.

This is one of my favorite tissue paper art journal ideas because the tissue blends into the page so seamlessly, it looks like you stamped directly onto the background.

Step Three: Finishing Touches

Now it’s time to make the page pop:

Add extra stamped marks for interest.
Use white correction fluid to create bright dashes, dots, and lines. (It does have a slight odor, but it gives such a bold, crisp white!)
Apply gold leafing in random areas for shimmer and contrast.

These simple layers turn your project into a beautiful mixed media art journal page that feels polished and unique.

Step Four: Add a Focal Point

Every art journal page needs a finishing touch. For my ocean theme, I chose a leaf-shaped embellishment that looks like seaweed swaying underwater. Pick a focal point that ties your background together—whether it’s a stamped shape, cut-out image, or even a photo.

Final Thoughts

This DIY tissue paper art journal page is such a quick and easy way to experiment with color and texture without needing paint. Tissue paper, stamps, and a few embellishments can take your background from simple to stunning.

Why not give it a try today? And if you do, I’d love to see your creations—share them with me on social media using #caroladamscreations and #calledtocreate.

If you’d like to see a video tutorial, please check out my latest YouTube Video.