Sometimes all you need to get going in your art journal is one word to inspire you. This list of 365 one-word journal prompts will help you create fun pages all year round!
I love working with these prompts and there are so many ways you can use these!
Want an ad-free printable version of this list? Get the one word journal prompt cards on Etsy!
With just one word, there’s a lot of freedom to do just about anything – you can interpret that one word any way you’d like!
Here are a couple of ideas for how you can use prompts to spark your journal pages:
- Use them as a list for things to draw or sketch
- Use the prompts to find fitting quotes that you like
- Write about your thoughts and feelings related to the prompt in hidden journaling as a background layer.
- Use colors and textures that fit the theme, mood, and feeling of a word
There are truly no limits, so while I might have listed some ideas here and there for different words – it is COMPLETELY up to your interpretation!
Without further ado, let’s get onto the list, shall we?
365 One Word Journal Prompts
Happiness
Beauty
Sleep
Garden
Imagination
Secret
Give
Thankful
Kindness
Inside
Outside
Jump
Friendship
Love
Fire
Believe
Hope
Faith
Focus
Clean
Angry
Work
Music
Mystery
Envelope
Book
Dare
Choose
Beach
Forgiveness
Disaster
Dance
Mistake
New
Yes
Path
Horizon
Mountain
River
Open
Heart
Soul
Tear
Spiral
Up
Go
Be
Seek
Learn
Balance
Grow
Strength
Dream
Passion
Move
Today
Awaken
Angels
Laughter
Listening
Pause
Peace
Relax
Space
Wisdom
Difference
Begin
Time
Brave
Breathe
Childhood
Discovery
Mind
Energy
Flower
Health
Harmony
Recovery
Stand
Nowhere
Soar
Skip
Fresh
Delicious
Power
Complete
Grace
Legend
Ecstasy
Hug
Proud
Simple
Machine
Victory
Vibrancy
Leadership
Alive
Bloom
Fame
Enormous
Independent
Unique
Metamorphosis
Silence
Project
Smile
Miracle
Amazing
Game
Connected
Muse
Dazzle
Determination
Free
Help
Intuition
Smart
Sweet
Honesty
Useful
Safety
Ready
Vision
Cycle
Discipline
Promise
Patience
Destiny
Rejuvenate
Shine
Talk
Stress
Missing
Age
Success
Motivation
Family
Loneliness
Experience
Future
Vintage
Wings
Letter
Wandering
Factory
Rainbow
Ask
Self
Locket
Home
Cloud
Hunger
Possibilities
Boredom
Innocence
Charge
Rhythm
Date
Consequence
Prescription
Goals
Lost
Found
Cry
Parade
Party
Ice
Dragon
Alarm
Understanding
Uncomfortable
Serious
Opposites
Playful
Attention
Caring
Hero
Lace
Clue
Ideas
Junk
Collection
Radio
Interview
Zoom
Puzzle
Landscape
Advice
Memories
Communication
Compassion
Universe
Loyalty
Sharing
Travel
Voices
Sidewalk
Tree
Story
Why
Maybe
Antique
Action
Culture
Fuel
Desire
Weather
Directions
List
Ride
Wish
Breakfast
Touch
Sadness
Comfort
Circle
Reflection
Optimism
Anxiety
Shadow
Spirit
Stretch
Challenge
Five
Messy
Adventure
Fun
Surprise
Illusion
Mischief
Shy
Lesson
Whisper
Fight
Castle
Protect
Shop
Wheel
Pieces
Leaves
Fool
Productivity
Overcome
Encouragement
Watch
Lighthouse
Mild
Mouth
Rare
Target
Boat
Box
Grief
Heavy
Zeal
Color
Brilliance
Enthusiastic
Approval
Enchanting
Attraction
Photograph
Waterfall
Moment
Paradise
Parachute
Social
Zingy
Number
Little
Sound
Reach
Money
Staircase
Lemon
Wood
Try
You
Quote
Weakness
Bridge
Building
Clothes
Prepare
Teach
Window
Drive
Middle
Microphone
Definition
Shout
Catch
Release
Balloons
Sharp
Crowd
Cute
Cheery
Glow
Apple
Pictures
Swing
Wave
Joke
Cope
Accomplish
Special
Neighborhood
Wonderful
Service
Calling
Magic
Spontaneous
Fluffy
Organic
Silly
Thunderstorm
Toys
Butterfly
Buzz
Vine
Shock
Enjoy
Craving
Respect
Abstract
Rainbow
Train
Invention
Perspective
Genius
Circus
Ball
Crystal
Tranquility
Fairy
Cup
Reality
Forget
Priorities
Journey
Hands
Shoes
Television
Newspaper
Radiance
Hidden
Fright
Climb
Guess
Pretend
Turn
Shatter
Together
Adapt
Keep
Closed
Embrace
Blessing
Block
Pizzazz
Breakthrough
Curiosity
Distance
Zen
I hope you enjoy these one-word journal prompts! And of course, if you’d like the ad-free, printable version of this list and the printable prompt cards, visit our Etsy shop.
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#257 thru 266 are missing!
Thank you for the list, I am anticipating on getting started on my art journal and really appreciate what you have done. Although, I noticed on the list that numbers 13. 14. and 15. are repeated, 257. thru 266 are missing and there are actually only 359 word prompts. I only say this in case you wanted to update the list. I’d be happy to help in any way I can.
Thanks for catching my mistake Donna and Vicky! I will try to update today 🙂
Hi there!
I was wondering if I could contact you somehow, to get permission to use these for prompts for a YouTube series I had in mind.
It would be great if you could back to me.
Thanks.
You can contact me anytime here: http://artjournalist.com/contact/ 🙂
This is brilliant!
I really love this idea! I’m so excited to start! However, 13, 14, 15 are repeated, so is the word seek. (53 & 57.) Also, 257-266 are repeated. Thanks for the great idea though! 🙂
What a great idea….I love prompts……and one word will do it….thanks!
Great idea thank you
Hi, I just like to let you know #49 and #54 are repeated, both are ‘seek’. 🙂
These are great ideas for Authors, Artists, and Art Journalists. Great job! <3
very interesting
Thank you for this! You are simply amazing!
I love this idea! And just so you know #147 and #327 are both rainbow, you can switch one of them with truth, idea, or rhyme (I think you don’t have those). I plan on using these words as inspiration for pictures, Ill take one everyday. Thank you!
This is spooky. Saw your prompts and randomly chose 7 numbers. 3, 55, 110, 231, 365, 75 and 111. I looked them up as I had written them down. I will let you know what happens over the next week.
I am going to follow Mark’s lead and choose 7 random numbers. The numbers gave me quite a variety: beauty, friendship, faith, angry, envelope, seek, wisdom.
Thank you for creating these Art Journal Groups and for your generosity in sharing. You have opened up a whole new world for me. Happy Holidays. All the best
My favorite word is serendipity. I am adding to this list. FYI some of the words made me smile. Thank you.
I agree, serendipity is a great word. 🙂
I love this list. When I click on the link to download it gives me a page of characters. Not the prompts. What am I doing wrong?
Try downloading again – it should work – just tested it. 🙂
THANKS A LOT FOR SUCH AMAZING PROMPTS….I EVEN LOVED ART JOURNAL THEME PROMPTS….LOADS OF LOVE FROM INDIA:)
Thank you, I really need the prompts
Thank you for this fabulous boost to my creative efforts. Entries in my 5-minute journal had been fizzling out, I think because of the sameness of pandemic days. Then I saw the one word art journal prompts. Thematic prompts will jump start my process. Can’t wait to get started!
Awesome, I hope you enjoy them!
I love it! Here in Brazil we do not have almost anything related to art journaling, so this is a espetacular thing for us! Thanks!!!!