What a bullet journal cover is (and which kind you need)
People use “bullet journal cover” for two different things, and it helps to separate them before picking an idea.
- The notebook cover. The outside of the physical notebook. You can leave it as it came, decorate it, or wrap it in something new. If this is what you want, see making notebook covers by hand.
- The cover page. A decorative page inside the journal, usually at the start of a month or a new volume. It often holds little more than a picture and a title such as the month’s name.
Cover pages are optional. They rarely hold practical information, and a monthly calendar can mark the start of a month on its own. What they offer is a visual break between sections, a place to practice drawing or lettering, and a small ritual for starting a new month. If a cover page would feel like a chore, skipping it loses nothing.
Decide how much time you want to spend
A useful way to narrow the field is to choose a time budget first.
- Five minutes: the month’s name in clean lettering, perhaps with an underline or a simple box.
- Fifteen to thirty minutes: a single illustration, a pattern, or a border plus lettering.
- An hour or more: a full illustrated spread, watercolor work, or collage.
A cover page that you can finish in one sitting is more likely to be one you repeat every month.
Cover page ideas by style
Minimalist covers
A small motif and a title with plenty of empty space. Examples include a single leaf, a moon, or a line-drawn flower, with the month written below. Minimalist covers suit anyone who wants the page to look tidy without much drawing.
Lettering-led covers
Let the words do the work. Large block letters, a script word layered over a block word, or lettering with a shadow can look finished without any illustration. To learn the techniques, try journal lettering. For specific styles, see our guide to bullet journal fonts and the ideas for headers and banners.
Themed covers
Many people choose a theme for a month or a whole notebook. Common sources include:
- the season or weather
- a hobby, show, book, or place you like
- a color palette you want to practice
- holidays or events that month
Seasonal themes are a common reason people search by month. For a worked example, see May cover page ideas.
Pattern and abstract covers
Repeating shapes, geometric grids, waves, dots, or color blocks. These need no drawing skill and make good use of leftover pens, since each color can be used in a small block.
Doodle and illustration covers
A cluster of small drawings: plants, mugs, stars, animals (see doodle journal ideas for easy shapes). Doodle covers work well because mistakes disappear into the busy design.
Scrapbook and collage covers
Washi tape, stickers, cut-out paper, ticket stubs, or photos. Check that your adhesive and added thickness suit your notebook, since heavy collage can make pages bulge and the journal harder to close.
If you cannot draw
Many people feel held back here. A few approaches that need little drawing skill:
- Trace or sketch lightly in pencil first. Pencil lets you fix proportions before committing to ink.
- Use simple shapes. Circles, triangles, and rectangles can build a house, a tree, or a mountain range.
- Lean on lettering and borders rather than pictures.
- Use stencils or stickers for shapes you want to be consistent.
- Keep the same layout each month and change only the color and motif. Repetition is a style, and it saves effort.
What to put on a cover page besides a picture
Because the page is decorative, you can add a little function if you like:
- a one-line intention or word for the month (see intentions journal prompts for ideas)
- a short quote
- a small color key for the month’s trackers
- a tiny index of the month’s spreads
None of this is required, but it can make the page feel more useful.
Supplies that work well
You do not need much. Many bullet journalers use a fine liner for outlines, a brush pen or marker for lettering, and colored pencils, markers, or highlighters for color. Before using a new marker or paint on the page, test it on the last page of the notebook, since paper weight varies and some inks show through or bleed. Dot-grid pages can help you keep lettering and borders straight without extra measuring.
Planning and layout tips
- Sketch the page in pencil lightly before inking.
- Mind the gutter. Keep important lettering away from the center fold, particularly in notebooks that do not open flat.
- Choose two or three colors and repeat them throughout the month so the cover sets the tone for the spreads that follow.
- Leave a facing page plan. A cover page is a single page or a spread; decide which before you start so the opposite page does not clash.
Can I make a homemade bullet journal?
Yes. A bullet journal is a method more than a product, so any notebook with blank or dotted pages will do. Some people bind loose paper into a cover they made themselves. If you want a handmade outside cover, the methods in making notebook covers by hand apply to most standard notebooks.
What do people put in bullet journals?
The usual building blocks are an index, a future log, monthly and weekly or daily logs, and collections such as habit trackers, reading lists, and goals. Cover pages sit on top of that structure as decoration. They are one of many optional extras, so add them only if they make the journal more enjoyable to use.
Quick ways to get started today
- Pick a single color and write the month’s name three ways: block, script, and outline. Choose your favorite.
- Draw one object you see on your desk and surround it with a border.
- Fill a page with a repeating pattern in two colors and add the title in a box.
Starting small gives you a sense of what you enjoy, and you can build up from there.