How to draw the Vancouver Inukshuk with black and grey scale drawing inks. Nature Journal. Hobby Artist

Valentine’s Heart Art Journal Pages
Author: Alison Hazel – Updated: February 2025
Valentine’s Day
Origins
Having dug around and done a little research I discovered that Valentine’s Day, which is celebrated on February 14th, seems to have its origins in both ancient Roman traditions and early Christian history. It is believed to be named after St. Valentine, who was a priest who was martyred in the 3rd century.
Legends
One legend suggests that Valentine secretly performed marriages for soldiers who were forbidden to wed under Emperor Claudius II. Another tale tells of Valentine sending a note signed “From your Valentine” to a jailer’s daughter before his subsequent execution.
Celebrate
The celebrated day became associated with romantic love during the Middle Ages, thanks to poets like Geoffrey Chaucer author of The Canterbury Tales. And then by the time we get to 19th century, the practice of exchanging cards, flowers and gifts became ordinary for the common people. This led to the Valentine’s Day traditions that we know today.
Galentine’s Day
Ladies
The relatively new special day of Galentine’s Day is celebrated on the day before Valentine’s Day, so on February 13th, and is dedicated to honoring female friendships. It was popularized by the TV show Parks and Recreation in 2010 when the character Leslie Knope, who was brilliantly played by Amy Poehler, over brunch declared it a day for “ladies celebrating ladies” with the official guide to friendship, fun and cocktails. What started as a fun fictional holiday quickly became a real-life tradition.
Everyone around the world now celebrates Galentine’s Day by hosting brunches, exchanging small gifts and expressing appreciation for their closest gal-friends. If you are in a romantic relationship, then Valentines Day makes sense, but if you are single, you can celebrate your friendships on Galentine’s Day. Many people actually celebrate both days, friends on the 13th and partnerships on the 14th and why not? Galentine’s is a fun, empowering alternative (or addition) to Valentine’s Day, which emphasizes love, support and sisterhood over romantic relationship.
Heart Grid Art Journal Page
Sketchbook
The sketchbook I’m using is my A5 Peter Pauper Press which has quite substantial paper but are not exactly watercolor density.
Heart Template
When I work in my grid sketchbook, I usually do squares or oblongs, but this time I thought I’d look at hearts. Finding a heart template was quite tricky, but then I it occurred to me that I needed to look to my quilt and sewing supplies because I did have heart template in there.
After some rummaging, I found I actually have a pack of three acrylic heart templates which I’ll show you. Due to the fact that these heart templates are not specifically for drawing, they don’t have any measurements on them, but we can just eyeball it and go from there.
Heart Page Layouts
Page Layouts
Now normally in my grid art sketchbook, I can get six small 5cm (2 inch) squares on each page, but because of the shape that the heart is there’s only a couple of ways of doing this. One layout is just to have three hearts straight down vertically. Another way is to lay them in a set of five, which seems to work well. So you’ve got the one heart in the middle, two hearts above and two hearts below.
Three Hearts
For my three hearts that were vertical, I just wanted to have the shape on the page and then be able to put a word in each of the hearts. Of course, these words could be anything you like, but clearly, we’re talking Valentine’s here and so talking hearts. We’re going for themes of love, joy and happiness and these are the words which I used.

Five Hearts
On my 5-heart page I decided to use some phrases and words which I believe are inspirational for my art practice. I have a few main themes, and I wanted to highlight those words.

Process
Pencil
In both cases, I drew the first heart right in the centre of the page. I used to light 2H pencil just to give me the outline of the heart careful to make sure that it was aligned vertically with the bottom point and the top point of the heart to the vertical line in the middle the page. From there I was able to eyeball and position the other hearts leaving a gap of about 5mm or quarter of an inch between each of the hearts.
Word Guidelines
Next, I drew two light horizontal guidelines to line up my words on and to make sure that they were even within the heart. Then I wrote the words.
Pen
At this point I got out my Pigma Micron 0.3mm black pen and went over the words and the actual outline shape of the heart.
Colored pencil
Using a selection of coloured pencils, mainly in reds and pinks, I continued to colour in each of the heart slightly differently. Tending to have it darker on the outside edges and lighter in the middle, so it looks as though the heart was pushing out from the page to give it some dimension. I’m not quite sure how successful I was at this, but I was trying to get some plumpness to each of the hearts.

Where to Use Hearts?
Ideas
Now of course, once you’ve got your heart design going, one of the benefits of using your grid art journal sketchbook is that it triggers ideas that can be used later on. And I was thinking about, well, where could I really use hearts? Because it’s not the sort of image that I would print out and put in a frame and hang on my wall.
Greeting Cards
But these sorts of designs, hearts, would be great to use on items like greetings cards which would be ideal for sale in your art shop, a craft fair or places like that.
Stickers
Heart stickers are also a popular theme for many young people and older people too, but a lot of hearts are loved by young girls, so I thought that was a good idea too.
Overarch
Onwards
Really, this week was an exercise in using different shapes in my grid art journal book. It’s a way to start thinking differently about the shape on the page that you have to work within.
While squares are almost a perfect shape, I do believe that heart is as well. But honestly, it’s not a silhouette that I would use regularly. I’m only really likely to be working with heart shapes in my grid art sketchbooks around Valentine’s Day because that’s when hearts just come to mind.
Let me know what you think about using a heart shape and your grid art journal book. And a Happy Galentine’s and Valentine’s to you!

Save this pin to read later.

Author Bio: Alison Hazel
Alison Hazel is a hobby artist and she shares her ongoing journey about becoming an artist later in life. She creates simple art that anyone can make. She hopes to inspire you to reach your creative potential in the area that suits you. Read more about Alison’s story. Get her newsletter.
Summer Garden Art – Ink and Wash
How to draw an interesting plan/elevation view of an artist’s visit to a friends’ delightful private garden with pen and wash.

Artzlife Newsletter
Author: Alison Hazel - Published: December 2024 Artzlife Newsletter Creative art journal inspiration for hobby artists Welcome to a Place for Passionate Hobby Artists Are you a hobby artist seeking inspiration, connection and gentle guidance on your creative...