A blank sketchbook cover is a little scary and a little exciting. These sketchbook cover ideas are here to help: 30 designs, from a wavy checkerboard with smiley daisies to a galaxy, a mushroom forest, sleeping cats and a vintage collage. Copy one by hand, or print it and glue it on.
Every design is also a free printable cover template with a name label, so you can print it on cardstock, add your name and the dates, and stick it on your sketchbook. The PDF has all 30 covers, a sheet of name labels and a blank page for designing your own.
What’s in the PDF
- 30 sketchbook cover templates in six groups: doodles and patterns, nature, sky and space, cute animals, artsy and aesthetic, seasonal and cozy
- A name label with lines for your name and the start and end dates on every cover
- 6 cut-out name labels for any sketchbook
- A blank cover to design your own
- A cover page, all on US Letter paper with a white margin, so they print on a home printer
30 sketchbook cover ideas
Click any cover to open the full-size printable, or use its download link. Each idea also has a short tip, in case you would rather draw or paint it yourself.
Doodle and pattern covers
Busy, all-over patterns hide smudges and scuffs, so these are great for a sketchbook you carry everywhere.
Nature covers
Leaves, flowers, mountains and waves. Nature covers never go out of style and work for every age.
Sky and space covers
Night skies, planets and sunsets. The dark covers look great with a white or gold gel pen for your name.
Cute animal covers
Cats, frogs, pandas and dinosaurs. These are the ones kids pick first.
Artsy and aesthetic covers
Soft colors, line art and collage. These look like something from an art shop.
Seasonal and cozy covers
Snow, strawberries and coffee. Pick one for the season you start a new sketchbook.
How to put a printable cover on your sketchbook
- Print on cardstock (65 to 110 lb). Choose “Actual size” in the print window. Regular paper works too, but it wrinkles when you glue it.
- Fill in the label with your name and the date you start. A fine black marker or a gel pen works best.
- Trim the cover to the size of your sketchbook. Lay the sketchbook on the back of the print and trace around it first.
- Glue it on with a glue stick or double-sided tape. Start in the middle and smooth out to the edges.
- Protect it (optional) with clear self-adhesive book cover film, or slide the print into a clear sleeve if your sketchbook has one.
Sketchbook sizes: the covers are US Letter (8.5 × 11 inches), which fits a 9 × 12 or an 8.5 × 11 sketchbook. For a small 5.5 × 8.5 sketchbook, print at about 65% (choose “Custom scale” in the print window). For a square sketchbook, trim the top and bottom and keep the label in the middle.
Name labels and a blank cover
Already love your sketchbook cover? Print the label sheet, cut out one of the six labels and glue it on the front. Or start from the blank cover page and draw your own design around the label.
Ways to decorate a sketchbook cover by hand
- Doodle it: cover the front with tiny doodles in black marker. Our Christmas doodles and random things to draw pages are full of ideas.
- Paint it: acrylic paint covers most cardboard covers in one or two coats. Seal it with clear varnish when it is dry.
- Collage it: glue on magazine cut-outs, old tickets, stamps, washi tape and scraps of printable scrapbook paper.
- Stamp it: carve a simple shape from an eraser and stamp a pattern all over.
- Mix it: print one of the covers above and add your own doodles on top.
Tips for a cover that lasts
- Use cardstock and a glue stick; liquid glue makes paper bubble.
- Let paint and glue dry flat under a heavy book.
- Clear book cover film keeps a printed cover clean for a whole school year.
- Write the start date on the label; it is fun to look back at old sketchbooks later.
More for your sketchbook: 120 random things to draw, 36 cute Christmas drawings, Thanksgiving drawing ideas and the step-by-step guide to drawing a cat.
FAQ
What should I put on the cover of my sketchbook?
Anything that makes you want to open it: a pattern you love, a favorite animal, a landscape or just your name in big letters. A name label with the start and end dates is useful when you have filled more than one sketchbook.
How do I make my sketchbook cover look aesthetic?
Stick to three or four colors, leave some empty space and add one bold element, like a sun, a wave or a single flower. The boho rainbow, one-line faces and paper cut-out covers above are good examples.
What size are the printable covers?
They are US Letter, 8.5 × 11 inches, with a small white margin for home printers. Print them at actual size for a large sketchbook or scale them down for a smaller one.
Can I print the covers for my class?
Yes. The covers are free for personal and classroom use. Print a copy for every student, and link to this page instead of sharing the PDF file.
What paper is best for a printed sketchbook cover?
Cardstock between 65 and 110 lb. It is thick enough to stay flat after gluing and still goes through most home printers.
