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Here’s a tip nobody tells you when you buy a new sketchbook. Skip the first page for now! Everyone freezes up trying to make page one perfect, so start on page three and work backward, lol!
This list is a little cure for that blank page panic. Hundreds of pins got scrolled through to put this together. Only the ones that looked doable on a random Tuesday made the cut.
No fancy art degree required for a single one of these sketchbook ideas. Some use scraps from your recycling bin. Others just need a pencil and ten spare minutes.
Every idea below works whether your sketchbook is tiny or the chunky these ideas kind that barely closes. Grab whatever art supplies are already sitting in a drawer somewhere.
Under each idea you’ll find the small details that actually matter, plus a link to the full tutorial. Flip through, pick a few. Just start making marks!
Ready to fill some pages? Let’s get into it!
SKETCHBOOK IDEAS
Pressed Flower Sketchbook Page
We’re starting off strong with pressed flowers on a page. I flatten petals from the yard under a heavy book for about a week. Then I glue them down with a thin swipe of craft glue.
Add a little pencil sketch around the edges once they’re dry. She swears the porch ones press flattest.
- The week of waiting is the hard part
- Flowers press flat in about a week
- A heavy book works fine as the press
Watercolor Sunset Practice Page
A watercolor sunset page teaches blending faster than almost anything else. I always wet the paper first so the orange and pink bleed into each other on their own.
This one forgives mistakes better than most techniques, honestly. Even a wonky horizon line still looks like a sunset somehow! Who doesn’t love that?
- Wet paper does the blending for you
- Three colors are plenty to start
- Dries flat in under an hour
Botanical Line Drawing Spread
Botanical line drawing is oddly relaxing once you get going. I trace the shape of a leaf or stem in one continuous line without lifting the pen.
Ferns from the yard make great practice subjects for these these easy enough for beginners. She never even looks down at the page, lol!
- One continuous line, zero pressure
- A fine liner pen works best
- Ferns and eucalyptus are forgiving shapes
Travel Postcard Collage Page
Travel postcards from an old trip make a collage page I keep coming back to. Ticket stubs, maps and little photos all get layered together with glue stick.
This is the page people flip back to most, honestly! It’s basically a scrapbook page hiding inside a sketchbook.
- Old ticket stubs get a second life
- Uses things already in a drawer somewhere
- Glue stick holds better than tape
Hand Lettered Quote Spread
Hand lettering a favorite quote fills a page fast without needing drawing skills at all. I pencil the letters first. Then I trace over with a marker once the spacing looks right.
A small doodle border around the words always seals the deal for me. It turns a quote into something worth flipping back to. How cute is this?
- No drawing skill needed for this page
- Pencil first, ink second
- Any brush pen works fine
Simple Doodle Border Page
Simple doodle borders are some of the easiest these for a beginner on day one. I draw little flowers, stars or squiggles around the edge of a blank page.
Fill the middle later or leave it empty for notes. Either way it looks intentional instead of unfinished!
- Fills the page before you even start
- Ten minutes, start to finish
Basic Fruit Still Life
A bowl of fruit from the kitchen counter makes a perfect basic still life. Apples and bananas have simple shapes, so there’s no shame in starting there.
Shade with a single pencil to keep it simple. This is the exercise my art teacher assigned every single semester. Honestly, it still works!
- One pencil is all you need
- Apples and bananas are the easiest shapes
Easy Cloud Sketch Page
Clouds are shockingly easy to sketch once you loosen your grip on the pencil. I scribble a rough puffy outline. Then I smudge the shading with a finger.
No perfect shape exists in clouds, which takes all the pressure off. That’s exactly why this page works so well for beginners, am I right?
- There’s no wrong way to draw a cloud
- Great for a rainy afternoon
Washi Tape Cover Design
Washi tape covers might be the fastest sketchbook cover ideas on this whole list. I layer strips of patterned tape across the front in any direction that feels right.
The craft aisle at any store has a whole wall of patterns to choose from. Mixing three or four together always looks better than sticking to one roll, lol!
- Zero drying time on this one
- Craft aisle patterns work best
- Layer three or four for depth
Painted Galaxy Sketchbook Cover
Painting a galaxy cover looks way more advanced than it actually is. I blend dark blue and purple acrylic. Then I flick on white paint with an old toothbrush for stars.
The toothbrush trick alone is worth trying this one for! It’s messy in the best way, lol!
- The toothbrush trick makes the stars
- An old toothbrush flicks the stars on
- Acrylic paint dries fast on cardboard
Collage Magazine Cutout Cover
Old magazines finally get a purpose with this collage cover, one of those these cover projects that costs almost nothing. I cut out words, colors and images that feel like me, then glue them into a jumbled mix across the front.
This is one of those cover projects that looks different every time someone makes it. No two ever turn out the same!
- No two of these ever look alike
- Old magazines from the recycling bin
- Mod podge seals the whole cover
Fabric Wrapped Sketchbook Cover
Wrapping a sketchbook in fabric feels a little fancy but it’s honestly simple. I stretch a leftover scrap from a thrift store find over the cover and glue along the edges.
Corduroy and denim hold up the best over time. My first try with tissue paper fell apart within a week, lol!
- A thrift find fabric scrap is plenty
- Corduroy holds up longest
- Fabric glue dries clear
Chunky Junk Journal Spread
Chunky junk journal spreads pack in envelopes, tags and little pockets between the regular pages. It turns a everyday sketchbook into something you can actually dig through later.
This is one of the more satisfying this these since the pages get thicker with every layer. Hers barely closes anymore, haha!
- The pages get thicker every week
- Old envelopes work as pockets
- Washi tape hides the rough edges
Layered Pocket Page Sketchbook
Layered pocket pages hide little surprises behind flaps and folds. I tuck small drawings, ticket stubs or notes inside each pocket for someone to find later.
Cardstock holds up sturdier than regular paper for this one. Mine tore twice before I figured that out. Not in my book was it worth using thin paper again!
- There’s always something hiding in a flap
- Cardstock holds pockets better than paper
- Double sided tape keeps flaps neat
Mixed Media Chunky Cover
Mixed media covers pile on fabric, paint, buttons and paper scraps until the cover has actual texture you can feel. It’s one of those creative these that turns the front cover into its own little art piece.
Nothing needs to match here. I stopped trying to coordinate mine and it instantly looked better, honestly!
- Nothing here is supposed to match
- Buttons from an old sewing kit
- Layers of paint add texture fast
Abstract Shape Art Page
Abstract shapes are one of the most this these because there’s no wrong answer at all. Circles, triangles and squiggles overlap in whatever colors feel right that day.
This page comes together fastest when I stop overthinking it. Turn on a playlist and just move the pencil, lol!
- There’s no wrong shape to draw here
- Markers keep colors bold and clean
- Overlapping shapes add instant depth
Surreal Face Collage Sketch
Surreal face collages mix cut out eyes, magazine mouths and drawn features into one strange new face. It sounds odd on paper, but the results are genuinely striking.
Not every piece needs to line up perfectly. My best one has an eye floating near the chin and I still love it. Same!
- The odd angles are the whole point
- Magazine cutouts add instant texture
- Pencil ties the features together
Welcome Page With Bio
A welcome page with a short bio is one of the classic sketchbook first page ideas for a reason. I fill the space with my name, a favorite quote and a couple facts.
It doesn’t need to be fancy at all. Plain and simple works just fine here. Who doesn’t love that?
- A few facts fill the space fast
- Pairs well with a small doodle
Mood Board First Page
A mood board first page sets the tone for everything that follows. I arrange colors, textures and little images that inspire me on one spread.
This page usually ends up getting redone once the whole sketchbook fills up. That’s honestly part of the fun! Same happens to me every single time.
- This page usually gets redone later
- Old photos work as inspiration too
Hand Painted Name Cover
Last but definitely not least, we have a hand painted name cover. I outline big bubble letters in pencil. Then I fill them in with whatever colors match my style.
This is one of the sturdiest sketchbook front cover ideas since acrylic paint holds up through months of use. Mine has survived two backpacks and a rainy bus stop, haha!
- The letters hold up through months of use
- Bubble letters are easiest to fill
- Acrylic paint resists smudging
Just a little note - some of the links on here may be affiliate links, which means I might earn a small commission if you decide to shop through them (at no extra cost to you!). I only post content which I'm truly enthusiastic about and would suggest to others.
And as you know, I seriously love seeing your takes on the looks and ideas on here - that means the world to me! If you recreate something, please share it here in the comments or feel free to send me a pic. I'm always excited to meet y'all! ✨🤍
Xoxo Lara
