17+ Stunning Art Book Ideas That Inspire Creativity

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By the end of this list you’ll have a full page of ideas for your next sketchbook, plus a few detours into face paint and wall decor along the way.

Art book ideas can mean so many things, so this list stretches a little wider than just paper and glue. Think journals, backgrounds, body paint and even the switchboard in your hallway. Are you guys ready for this?

These got picked after scrolling through way too many pins on a Tuesday night, lol! The ones that made the cut had to be doable with stuff you probably already own. Or at least stuff from the craft aisle!

Nothing here needs a fancy studio setup. A kitchen table and a little patience gets you through almost every single one.

Some are quick weekend projects. Others are the kind of thing you pick away at over a whole month, a page or two at a time.

Scroll through, pin your favorites and pick whichever one matches your mood today. That’s really the whole point, haha!

ART BOOK IDEAS

Watercolor Nature Sketchbook Spread

We’re starting off strong with a watercolor nature sketchbook spread. Leaves, twigs and little pressed petals get taped right onto the page next to loose watercolor washes.

I once tried her method and gave up after ten minutes. Half the time it just turns into a smudged mess, which is honestly the charm.

Mixed Media Junk Journal Page

This mixed media junk journal page uses scraps you’d normally toss. Old receipts, bits of wrapping paper and torn magazine strips all get layered together with glue. I dump my entire recycling bin onto the table before I even start.

Honestly, the messier the page, the better it turns out! Even the torn edges somehow make the whole thing look intentional.

Collage Art Journal Layout

Collage art journal layouts are perfect for anyone who overthinks a blank page. Just start cutting shapes out of old catalogs and arrange them until something clicks.

There’s no wrong way to do this one. Not that I’m saying that to make you feel better, it’s genuinely true, lol!

Handmade Accordion Art Book

How cute is this handmade accordion art book? The whole thing folds flat and pops back open into a little zigzag gallery.

A single strip of watercolor paper, folded a few times, is the entire base. Each panel becomes its own tiny scene.

It makes a great gift too.

Botanical Pressed Flower Journal

Botanical pressed flower journals smell faintly like summer even in the middle of winter. Petals get pressed flat for a week or two, then arranged onto the pages. I always forget mine under a stack of books for way too long.

The waiting is honestly the hardest part, haha!

Blind Contour Drawing Exercise

Feeling stuck? A blind contour drawing exercise is one of the best [KEEP: art block ideas] out there. You draw your subject without ever looking down at the paper. Mine always come out looking like a startled potato, lol!

It shakes the perfectionist part of your brain loose. Who doesn’t need that once in a while?

Doodle Prompt Grid Page

A doodle prompt grid page fixes the staring-at-nothing problem fast. Draw a simple grid, fill each box with a one-word prompt, then doodle your way through it.

Coworkers at my old office used to pass one around during lunch breaks. It turned into a weirdly competitive thing, lol! Someone even brought in a tiny trophy for the best box.

Random Object Sketch Challenge

This random object sketch challenge is exactly what it sounds like. Grab whatever’s nearby, a coffee mug, a shoe, a stapler. Mine looked more like a confused turtle, honestly. Five minutes flat, no excuses.

Fast and loose beats careful and stuck every time. Not in my book!

Galaxy Splatter Paint Background

Are you guys seeing these galaxy splatter backgrounds right now? Deep blues and purples get splattered across black paper with an old toothbrush.

It’s messy, loud and honestly kind of therapeutic. This is one of those art background ideas that looks way harder than it actually is.

White paint flicked on last gives you the stars. Cover your table first, trust me on that one.

Floral Vine Face Paint

Floral vine face paint turns a plain cheek into a tiny garden. Thin green vines with little painted blooms wind along the jaw or temple. My hands shake too much for a brush. So markers save me every time!

No shame in taking the shortcut, haha!

Butterfly Arm Body Paint

Butterfly arm body paint is one of those [KEEP: body art paint ideas] that always gets a reaction. Symmetrical wings stretch from wrist to elbow in bright, blended colors. I always mess up matching the two sides perfectly.

A sponge blends the colors smoother than a brush ever could. Same!

Galaxy Themed Body Paint

Galaxy themed body paint takes the splatter idea from the sketchbook page and puts it right on skin. Deep purples and blues blend across the shoulder, dotted with tiny white stars. My kitchen counter still has purple flecks from the last attempt, lol!

Talk about a party trick!

Boho Macrame Wall Hanging

A boho macrame wall hanging softens up any corner of a room. Rows of knots cascade down a wooden dowel into a fringed bottom edge.

This is one of those [KEEP: bedroom wall art ideas] that instantly makes a room feel finished.

Gallery Wall Frame Layout

Gallery wall frame layouts turn a hallway of loose photos into an actual display. Mismatched frames from a thrift store work better than a matching set ever would.

Lay everything on the floor first before a single nail goes in. Trust me, moving frames on the floor beats patching wall holes later, lol!

Neon Sign Wall Decor

Neon sign wall decor gives a room that soft glow you see all over Pinterest. Battery-powered ones skip the whole cord-hiding headache entirely.

It looks great above a desk or a reading nook. Who doesn’t love a little glow after dark, am I right?

Painted Floral Switchboard Cover

Painted floral switchboard covers turn the most boring spot in any hallway into a tiny piece of art. A plain plastic cover gets a few coats of acrylic and a cluster of hand-painted blooms. Mine took three tries before the petals stopped looking like blobs.

This is one of those [KEEP: switch board art ideas] nobody notices until it’s done. Then suddenly everyone’s asking about it!

Mosaic Tile Switchboard Frame

Last but definitely not least, we have this mosaic tile switchboard frame. Tiny broken tile pieces get arranged around the plate in a rainbow pattern. If you were hunting for this board art ideas room decor, this one is a keeper! If you were hunting for switch board art ideas room decor, this one is a keeper!

It’s a genuinely clever this board art ideas room decor trick for renters who can’t repaint a whole wall. A little grout and patience gets the job done.

This one takes an afternoon, mostly waiting for the grout to dry. The tray of tile pieces never quite gets used up. Keep the leftovers for another spot, lol!