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4 Ways to Make Amazing Hardcover Journals

Our new hardcover journals gives your fans (and you) the opportunity to cart around sketchbooks or notebooks with a fully customizable cover featuring your art displayed almost countless ways. In this post, we’ll break down some of the coolest techniques you can use when creating journals by showing off examples of some standout works from the RB community.

But first, the stats:

  • They measure 5.2″ wide x 7.3″ tall
  • The complete wraparound cover measures 3502 x 2385 pixels
  • They come with 128 ruled, graph or blank pages made from 90gsm paper stock

You can customize your journals any way you see fit. But to help you get started, here are 4 different ways artists in the community have created theirs.


Full wraparound design

"Snow White" by Darkalia

"White Socks Series: Bear Under Sakura Blossom" by jjsgarden

"Amazonian Flight" by angelo cerantola

We consider the complete wraparound option to be the most aesthetically pleasing because this allows you to really strut your artistic stuff. Think about how your image will work across the full 3502 x 2385 pixel canvas of your cover, taking into account the front, the back, and the spine.

And if you wan to get really intense, RB community member ifourdezign made a template for creating fancy book covers here.

Upload example: "Self Reflection - Pink and Orange" by tiffanydow


Stick it in the middle

"we used to wait" by Peg Essert

"Space Sloth" by Eric Fan

"Flutter" by angelo cerantola

A variation on the full-on wraparound style, center the subject of your piece so it gets divided by the spine of your journal. This creates a very cool look in which you can split your image down the middle. Again, for best results, upload an image that is at least 3502 x 2385 pixels.

Upload example: "Mother Nature" by tiffanydow


Repeat pattern

"Keeping it Skully" by fixtape

"Tariff Deficit" by pepetto

"Pretty Cacti" by zoel

With this option, you can repeat a single image by using our tiling tool to create a one-of-kind companion for any creative endeavor. Just upload and hit one of the four-squared buttons beneath word “REPEAT.”

For more control, upload your image as a PNG file with a transparent background, and pick the color of choice for your journal cover.

 

Upload example: "Monster Queen" by tiffanydow


Front and/or back

"Moon" by tracieandrews

"Listen to the Birds" by Dan Elijah Fajardo

"No Stopping" by Lara Allport

Upload a design, adjust it so it sits nicely on the front cover of the journal, and manipulate the size by adjusting the percentage under “SIZE ON PRODUCT.”

Smack the magic duplicate button (under REPEAT: the button that features two rectangles). This will pop it onto the back cover as well. Then make sure you select the background color of your choice so the spine matches, clashes, or integrates with your wonderful work of art.

You can also chose to upload an image to only the front or back covers, choose a color for image-less cover, and be done with it, if you so desire. It’s totally up to you.

Upload example: "Monster Queen" by tiffanydow

Download this handy Photoshop template for creating hardcover journals.


Share your favorite hardcover journal designs and tips in the comments.

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