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16 visual journalists to follow on Instagram for awe-inspiring layout inspiration

Last updated on April 12th, 2022 • Motivation and Inspiration

These inspiring visual journalists will light you up inside with their creations. Here are 16 visual journalists to follow on Instagram for inspiring Bullet Journal layouts.
These inspiring visual journalists will light you up inside with their creations. Here are 16 visual journalists to follow on Instagram for inspiring Bullet Journal layouts.

You know that using a journal to track habits, plan your days, and get things done is effective, but whenever you sit down in front of yours you get stuck.

That blank page just stares back at you.

So, how do you get from blank paper to something that is artistic and functional?

After all, you can pull off the minimalist version, but what about the beauty that attracted you to this practice in the first place?

How do you pull that off?

Sometimes it’s easier when you can actually “see” it.

Here’s a list of 16 artistic journalers who show their work on Instagram. Follow so you can get inspired to take your journal to the next level:

1. Kim Alvarez (@tinyrayofsunshine)

Kim Alvarez is a Bullet Journal™ pro who creates inspirational content for the official social media sites in addition to her personal practice. Kim’s instagram feed goes deep on layouts for everything you could possibly use your journal for, like day planning, food logs, books you’ve read (and books to read), gratitude journaling and—of course—basic bullet journaling with a little bit of flair.

While Kim’s layouts are beautiful, they are also accessible—even if art isn’t your thing.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Kim • Tiny Ray of Sunshine ☀️ (@tinyrayofsunshine)

2. Stacy S. (@stacysplans)

Stacy S. shares her love of journals and notebooks on instagram. One of the things I love about Stacy’s layouts is the way she integrates photo stickers from a mobile phone printer (like the HP Sprocket).

One of the most fun parts of following Stacy is that she shares her real life notebooks. While her Instagram posts are beautiful, they also feel super authentic.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CbU-T2IuZyU/

3. Allycia Lee (@hopedreamjournal)

Allycia Lee shares journal layouts that incorporate watercolor and stickers to add depth and texture to the practice. If your lack of drawing ability frustrates you (or if you simply don’t have the time), Allycia’s layouts can give you a path to beauty and creativity without using a ruler or drawing a doodle.

Allycia’s practice is focused on the heart, and she journals about faith in addition to dayplanning and habit tracking.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Allycia (@hopedreamjournal)

4. Emily Coates (@emily_studies)

If you are in school at any level, Emily Coates is the person to follow. Her layouts include dayplanning and the loveliest study notes you’ve ever seen. She elevates the day-to-day of chasing a degree to an art form.

Emily’s website encourages other students to Instagram their studies as a focused practice to get the studying done and to craft more effective study notes.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Emily ✨ (@emily_studies)

5. Nicole Annette (@JournalJunky)

While some of Nicole’s Instagram feed is dedicated to journal layouts, for the most part, it is designed to inspire you to start journaling. Her steady stream of placemaking photography punctuated by serene settings, notebooks, and cups of coffee encourages you to just sit down and get to it.

Nicole also features quotes from other journal enthusiasts building the community and connecting us all.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Nicole | Journaling Ed + Coach (@journaljunky)

6. Michelle Marie (@seaweedkisses)

Michelle’s journal of choice is her Midori Traveler which she features in standard and passport sizes. The photos are full of texture and a palette of supplies. (Seriously, you can almost smell the ink.) She also posts quick flip videos.

Michelle’s content is rich with inspirational notes to herself—a constant reminder to take the next step with your dreams, no matter where they take you.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by paper bender (@seaweedkisses)

7. Helen Colebrook (@Journalwithpurpose)

Helen favors the A5 journals with dots on the pages resulting in articulate layouts that are lovely, while remaining ordered and easy to navigate. Helen’s layouts are a mix of journaling and planning with watercolors, inks, ephemera and sketches added to make journalphile’s hearts melt.

Helen goes deep with artistic craft and collaging to create fresh designs that hint at an earlier time.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Helen, Journal with Purpose (@journalwithpurpose)

8. Rachel Watts (@planning mindfully)

Rachel shows a variety of layouts–both simple and complex–for almost every context in which you can use your journal. With a focus on planning, Rachel shares calendars and to do lists designed to keep you on track, with a healthy dose of art to make it mindful.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Bullet Journal and Journaling (@planningmindfully)

9. Dani Hawks (@daniplanibee)

Dani’s Instagram account focuses extensively on planning. She even shows monthly flip throughs to talk about layouts. Her style is a combination of stickers, washi tape and hand lettered headings.

If you want to enhance your off-the-shelf planner and make it more personalized to you, Dani is a great person to follow.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Dani Hawks (@lifeofhawks)

10. Sara @mylittlejournalblog

Sara’s use of handcrafted letters and brush marker craft results in a highly feminine approach to journaling. Many of her pages feature quotes with floral borders. Her calendar layouts include tumbles of soft, watercolor florals on the edges.

Following Sara will make you want to create your own signature header font to bring continuity and beauty to your pages.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Lettering • Watercolor • Bujo (@mylittlejournalblog)

11. Lucie (@journalsanctuary)

Lucie is an artist whose journal pages are themed with inspiring women, lyrics to songs, and tumbles of thoughts. The art is the dominant work on the page with words and ideas flowing in the margins.

If you are an artist who wants to leverage your talent more frequently in your journal, Lucie is the person to follow.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Lucie Ell (@lucieell.art)

12. Jennifer (@journalbydesign)

Jennifer has a great way of maximizing a page while adding artistic headings to navigate the content. She takes an experimental approach to page layouts which produces interesting and visually engaging designs.

Jennifer is a fan of the Hobonichi and has layouts that show it off.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Journal By Design™️ (@journalbydesign)

Lars (@plslars)

The designs Lars posts are all about hand lettering and beautiful borders. He creates continuity of design by using a contiguous color pallet across pages.

Designs are whimsical and illustrated with brush markers.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by 𝐋𝐚𝐫𝐬 | 𝐁𝐮𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐭 𝐉𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐥✨ (@plslars)

14. Kat (@showmeyourplanner)

Kat is the curator of images from a collection of planner and journal artists. She started the #showmeyourplanner hashtag, and her feed has breadth and depth with a variety of designs.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Planner Of All Things (@showmeyourplanner)

15. Aida (@planneraida)

Aida uses hand-drawn bold graphics and large headings in her planners. Her Instagram feed shows off to-do lists, calendars, habit trackers, and year-in-review designs along with snapshots of stickers and washi tape.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by @moon____aida

16. Notebook Therapy (@notebook_therapy)

We’ve focused most of our article on individuals. Notebook_therapy is a business account, but their content is just so inspiring. Many of their posts are mini-tutorials, so you not only see the finished product, you see it being created.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by NotebookTherapy.com | bujo 💕 (@notebook_therapy)

Inspired to take your journal to the next level?

16 Visual Journalists To Follow on Instagram

The best part about loading up your Instagram feed with design ideas is that you never know exactly what will spark you to start creating.

After all, your journal is just an experiment for you, so you can dabble in watercolors, go wild with stickers, roll out some washi tape, or play with artistic headers.  

The best part? There will be no more blank pages staring back at you.

And not only will you start creating more beautiful journal pages, but if you decide to show them off on Instagram, then people will start following you too!

Learn more about visual journaling in our online course:

How to Start (and Keep) a Visual Journal

How To Start (And Keep) A Visual Journal

Want a quick tutorial on how to get started with visual journaling? Subscribe to download the free Quickstart Guide to Visual Journaling!

About Cathy Hutchison

Cathy Hutchison helps people get more joy, meaning, and freedom in a world of demands through the practice of visual journaling.

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Cathy helps people banish overwhelm,
boost creativity 🎨
and reconnect with their ♥️
through visual journaling. 🖌
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CathyHutchison | VisualJournal
One of my favorite tools for visual journaling is One of my favorite tools for visual journaling is watercolor crayons. Here, I'm using #neocolorII by @carandache with an #aquabrush. To do this, you have to use a water resistant pen. I'm using a #pittartistpen by @fabercastellusa. #yourvisualjournal #artjournaling #journaling #watercolor
Playing with Posca markers in my pocket sized expe Playing with Posca markers in my pocket sized experimental journal. #yourvisualjournal #artjournaling #posca #arteveryday
Ten years ago, I started carrying a notebook with Ten years ago, I started carrying a notebook with me everywhere. I began taking notes, capturing insight, managing to-do lists, and working through ideas in a combination of words and doodles. 

This practice became a game changer for me. My notebook is my ally in living an intentional life. 

The sheer volume of information we process and decisions we make at a rapid pace is daunting. Getting things out of my head and in front of my eyes creates clarity. 

If this idea intrigues you, check out YourVisualJournal.com. It’s a passion project for me to share this practice with anyone who wants to try this out.

#journaling #yourvisualjournal #bujo #bulletjournal #dotgrid #leuchtturm1917 #notebook #sketchnotes
This year at BFF weekend we created #fairyhouse s This year at BFF weekend we created #fairyhouse s to leave at one of the trails in the hill country. We had so much fun creating then placing them
I was playing with ideas for my new course. #yourv I was playing with ideas for my new course. #yourvisualjournal #sketchnotes
The doodles on the edges of this page are inspired The doodles on the edges of this page are inspired by a mural in the Starbucks I was sitting in. The quote is from Benjamin P Hardy--and I love it that I made a mistake in the middle of it given the quote! ​​​​​​​​
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Creativity is risky business. It requires vulnerability and courage--with a high probability of mistakes and failures along the way. #yourvisualjournal #artjournal #artjournaling #watercolor #watercolorjournal #arteveryday #journaling #journallove
This was a great little book that shares the proce This was a great little book that shares the process of developing ideas. #yourvisualjournal #booksofinstagram #journaling #journal #sketchnotes
I got inspired by @oshupatterns through her @domes I got inspired by @oshupatterns through her @domestika course to play with #poscamarkers. It was so fun to use paint pens in this way. They dry fast and layer well. Super fun! #yourvisualjournal #journaling #artjournaling
When using watercolor crayons and an aquabrush it When using watercolor crayons and an aquabrush it helps to use a water resistant pen. I go through a lot of @fabercastellusa Pitt Artist Pens #journaling #yourvisualjournal #sketchnotediary #sketchnotes
I love my Mother's Day present! Thanks @bethutch ❤️#neocolor2 
There's something about a new set of crayons that is magical! (Plus if you see my most recent post, you can tell that I'm working with pieces parts big time!)
I'm re-reading @gregorymckeown 's Essentialism. I I'm re-reading @gregorymckeown 's Essentialism. I totally forgot about the chapter on our inner childq. So good. ​​​​​​​​
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#journal #journaling #journalingideas #visualjournaling #dailyjournal #journallove  #handwriting #penandpaper #journalcommunity #dotgrid #yourvisualjournal #artjournaling #artjournal #watercolorjournal
Today I misread my calendar and got to my meeting Today I misread my calendar and got to my meeting spot an hour early. The angels must have known how much I needed to just sit and journal. ♥️ What a gift of unstructured time ​​​​​​​​
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#journal #journaling #journalingideas #visualjournaling #dailyjournal #journallove  #handwriting #penandpaper #journalcommunity #dotgrid #yourvisualjournal #artjournaling #artjournal #watercolorjournal
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Disclosures

Some links on this site are affiliate links and as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. The author receives a  small (really small) commission if you happen to buy something.  Funds are used to support journaling supplies & four crazy sweet Aussies who bark for treats every time I come in the door. (To be fair, I have a pattern of giving in to them.) I write about all kinds of journaling, and if Bullet Journaling is your thing, I’m here to support you. But if you want to go deep, go to the original source–Ryder Carroll, who created the system, and started it all at bulletjournal.com. I use the method daily which is why I started writing about it here.
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