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36 Bookmark ideas that make reading more exciting.

Forget dog-earing your books. These bookmark ideas will help you make amazing bookmarks that you’ll want to use or give as gifts.

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Bookmark ideas that will make you actually want to use bookmarks.

Bookmarks help you keep track of your progress. While practically anything can be used as a bookmark, from old receipts to loyalty cards, a good bookmark is both practical and engaging. These characteristics will encourage you to use them.

Whether you’re planning to make bookmarks for yourself or give them as gifts to loved ones, these bookmark ideas will inspire you to make meaningful and standout reading companions.

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Cute bookmark ideas.

These cute bookmark ideas will heighten any book’s visual appeal. They’re great as gifts for loved ones too.

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Giant paperclips with ribbons.
Get a bunch of giant paper clips and tie ribbons at the top part. Pick colorful ribbons so that they’re easier to spot.
Animal bookmarks.
Use colored or patterned paper to create cut animal designs. You can also make animal paw bookmarks where the paw prints peek out of your book.
Fabric bookmark with tassel.
Cut a piece of fabric, preferably one with a design you like. Stitch the edges for a clean look. Attach a colorful ribbon or tassel at the end. To reinforce your fabric bookmark, add felt or cardstock between two pieces of fabric before sewing them together. Iron the fabric bookmark so that it stays flat. If you’re giving this as a gift, add a charm like the recipient’s initials or their favorite animal to add a personal touch.
Blue & Beige Imagination Bookmark
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Purple and White Night Sky Bookmark
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Blue & Yellow Stars Bookmark
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Purple Checkered Quote Bookmark
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Bookmark design ideas.

Showcase your creativity and take personalization to new heights with these bookmark design ideas.

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Use bookmark design templates.
Templates save you time and give you more consistent results. Find free bookmark templates online. Adobe Express gives you access to a variety of customizable templates, letters to posters, that you can customize to fit your design needs.
Pop-up bookmarks.
Take a piece of cardstock or watercolor paper. Draw or paint your design and use a craft knife to cut along your design’s edges, leaving the middle part intact so that your design pops up. For more elaborate designs, this pop-up book tutorial from Einat Kessler shows you some techniques you can apply to your bookmark.
A mini photo collage.
Take your favorite photos and use Adobe Express to make a photo collage. Resize it so that it follows standard bookmark sizes.
Black Watercolor Lunar Bookmark
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Gray Pastel Doodle Bookmark
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Brown Tunnel Photo Escapism Phrase Bookmark
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DIY bookmark ideas.

Whether you’re making bookmarks as an individual or as a group, these DIY bookmark ideas make for a fun and engaging activity. What makes these bookmark ideas even better is that they let you reuse things you can usually find at home.

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Upcycled bookmarks.
Put old greeting cards to use by transforming them into bookmarks.
Travel mementos.
If you’ve picked up several mementos like business cards, postcards, or ticket stubs from your travels, consider turning them into bookmarks. For smaller items like tickets, make a collage by gluing them onto cardstock and using a decoupage medium like Mod Podge to preserve them. Don’t expose tickets to heat.
Paint samples.
This is an easy and cost-effective DIY bookmark idea that lets you repurpose old display chips. Just punch a hole at the top of the samples, if they don’t already have one, and attach a ribbon or tassel.

Bookmark ideas for students.

These bookmark ideas for students are an A+ because they’re versatile and help make studying easier.

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Add a quote.
Pick an inspiring quote and add that to your custom bookmark. Use Adobe Express to easily incorporate your favorite quotes into any creative project, including flyers, banners, and posters.
A multi-purpose bookmark.
Take a strip of cardstock and customize it with your original design. Leave some space in the middle or add lines so you can use your bookmark as a to-do list or reading tracker.
Make a guided reading strip.
This bookmark is a wonderful tool that can help improve your reading focus. This easy-to-follow tutorial from The Unpolished Momma provides step-by-step instructions on how to make your own reading highlighter bookmark.
Pink Quote Bookmark
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Pink, Yellow & Blue Painted Quote Bookmark
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Blue Travel Quote Bookmark
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Bookmark ideas for kids.

Nurture a love of reading in children with the help of these bookmark ideas for kids.

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Glow-in-the-dark bookmarks.
Use glow-in-the-dark paint or stickers to create unique bookmarks that kids will love.
Make it interactive.
Make reading more exciting for kids by creating interactive bookmarks. Add puzzles, tiny mazes, or pop-up elements.
Be inspired by the classics.
Have some classic children’s books that you or your child love? Make bookmarks inspired by your favorite characters from these books.
Green Jungle Themed Bookmark
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Blue Under The Sea Bookmark
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Black & Yellow Personalized Bookmark
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Bookmark drawing ideas.

These bookmark drawing ideas don’t just let you hone your drawing skills. They also give you plenty of room to experiment with different patterns, designs, and art materials.

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Whimsical illustrations.
Showcase your love for the fantastic by using your bookmark as a blank canvas. Draw dragons, elves, unicorns, or creatures from your imagination. Experiment with different mediums like paint markers or drawing pens.
Line engraving.
This is a time-consuming technique, but you’ll end up with an intricate work of art. Plus, it’s a great way to practice your drawing skills. Other techniques you can apply include stippling, where you create shadows and highlights using dots.
Showcase your culture.
Incorporate patterns or designs that reflect your culture to create a bookmark that tells your story.

How to make the most of these bookmark ideas.

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  1. 1. Start with durable materials.

    Thick photo paper and cardstock should do the trick.

Cool bookmark ideas.

Want to make bookmarks that double as conversation starters? Use these cool bookmark ideas to create cool bookmarks that showcase your personality and interests.

Here’s another cool bookmark idea: organize a bookmark exchange. If you have a book club or friends who love to read, encourage them to make a custom bookmark that you’ll be exchanging with each other during your gathering.

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Make a replica of a short literary work.
Have a poem or piece of flash fiction that you really like? Turn it into a bookmark and personalize it with a custom design. Use sturdy cardstock so that your bookmark lasts longer.
Magnetic bookmarks.
While you can purchase magnetic bookmarks, you might want to take a stab at making your own, especially if you want to feature original artwork. Print your design on photo paper and attach them to craft magnets using a strong adhesive.
Turn postcards into bookmarks.
Cut your postcards into 2” x 6” or 2” x 7” strips. Punch a hole at the top and thread a ribbon or tassel through it. Use the postcards you’ve purchased or make custom cards using Adobe Express.
Pink and Brown Cute Animal Bookmark
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Pink and Navy Lost in the Pages Bookmark
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Orange and Purple Cute Quote Bookmark
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White Holographic Bookmark
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Watercolor bookmark ideas.

These watercolor bookmark ideas will inspire you to create artistic bookmarks to give as gifts or for personal use.

Use high-quality watercolor paper with a weight that’s 140 lb. or higher for your bookmarks. The higher the weight, the less prone your paper is to warping. If you want some texture to show on your work, use cold-pressed watercolor paper.

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Delicate florals.
Paint dainty flowers on watercolor paper. Add texture by including petals or whole-pressed flowers and preserving them using a decoupage medium.
Make a watercolor flipbook.
Paint different scenes and turn your bookmark into a mini flipbook.
Nature-inspired illustrations.
Showcase your love of nature by painting scenes inspired by the great outdoors.

Easy bookmark ideas.

Use this list to find quick and easy bookmark ideas for projects that both kids and adults will enjoy.

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Book darts.
They’re sleek, won’t leave stains, and are thin enough that they don’t end up being bulky, even if you use several for one book. Just slide a book dart over the page edges, and you’re good to go.
The Nutrition Facts label from cereal boxes.
Have a lot of cereal boxes at home? Cut the Nutrition Facts box printed along the side. Add a tassel or ribbon, and you will have an eco-friendly and cost-effective bookmark.
A ribbon bookmark.
Take a thin strip of ribbon, around 3/8” or 1/4”, and glue it on the book’s spine. Add cheesecloth to the spine using decoupage medium or PVA glue for reinforcement. Alternatively, consider stitching the ribbon with reinforcement directly on the book block, aka the book pages. Note that this works best for hardbound books.
Pink and Blue Reading Rules Bookmark
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Brown & Black Adventure Map Bookmark
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Blue and Yellow Film Camera Believe Bookmark
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Aesthetic bookmark ideas.

Elevate the look of any book or journal with these aesthetic bookmark ideas.

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Leather bookmarks.
This aesthetic bookmark idea lets you practice your leatherworking skills. Plus, it lets you repurpose leather scraps. If you want a beginner-friendly alternative, this tutorial from Moms & Crafters includes step-by-step instructions.
Make one from plantable seed paper.
What’s not to love about seed paper? They’re biodegradable and come in an array of seed types and colors. You can print or draw on them too.
Vintage-inspired bookmarks.
Have old atlases or encyclopedias you don’t use anymore? Cut out pages with interesting illustrations or pictures and use them to make vintage-inspired bookmarks.

Creative bookmark ideas.

Be inspired by these creative bookmark ideas and bring your vision to life. Aside from bookmarks, you can use your original designs or patterns to make standout projects like posters, banners, and cards with Adobe Express.

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Recreate your favorite artwork.
Try your hand at recreating some of your favorite paintings or digital illustrations. Once you get the hang of it, hone your skills by making custom artwork to add to your bookmarks.
Elements or imagery based on the book you’re reading.
Add tactile elements, make your fonts larger, or incorporate high-contrast designs to enhance the accessibility of your bookmarks.
Glue your original work on decorative paper.
Create prints of your original artwork and modify the dimensions so that they fit into standard bookmark sizes. Cut the print and glue it on top of a bigger piece of patterned paper with a cardstock base.

Fun bookmark ideas.

Create playful designs and unique party favors with these fun bookmark ideas.

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Library checkout cards.
Find a library card template and resize it so that it’s narrow enough to fit your book. Print it on sturdy cardstock or printer paper and add a ribbon or tassel. This is optional, but you can make or purchase bookmark covers to preserve your custom bookmark. This tutorial from A Beautiful Mess includes a step-by-step guide and a downloadable template.
Origami bookmark.
Don’t like to dog-ear pages? Make an origami bookmark instead. This guide from SoraNews 24 shows you how.
Polymer clay bookmark.
There are several ways to make bookmarks, such as using polymer or air-dry clay. One: make a clay animal, cut it in half, and attach the pieces to the ends of a piece of ribbon, which should be longer than your book. Two: make polymer clay legs, similar to what Kira Nichols did with her project, and cut slits on top of the legs so you can slip a piece of cardstock to hold them together. Three: shape your clay into a rectangle, flatten it so that it’s thin enough for your book, and add your design using clay. Bake it (if you’re using polymer clay) or wait for 72 hours (for air-dry clay) for it to completely dry.

Tips for making better bookmarks.

Want to make bookmarks that stand out? Follow these practical tips:

  • Make sure it’s durable. Use the right materials like cardstock or thicker photo paper. Choose acid-free options so that the paper lasts longer without yellowing.
  • Mind the dimensions. As mentioned earlier, bookmarks have standard sizes. Now, if you’ll be printing multiple copies of your design on a piece of paper, account for the bleed, which is around 1/8” from all sides. This prevents your design from getting cut off.
  • Don’t make it too bulky. Otherwise, your bookmark could end up creasing the pages.
  • Prioritize personalization, especially if you’ll be giving them out as gifts. Include pictures of your loved ones or incorporate their favorite colors.
  • Don’t add a lot of text. If you’re running a business or promoting your website, for example, it can be tempting to squeeze in a block of text on the bookmark’s back. It’s best to keep your bookmark simple. Instead of a wall of text, consider adding a QR code instead to direct users to your website.
  • Test them out. Check to see if your bookmark fits your books without damaging them. Trim edges, especially for metal or laminated bookmarks, to prevent the user from getting injured. Use your bookmarks for a few days or weeks to test their durability and usability.
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Make bookmarks you’ll actually want to use with Adobe Express.

From DIY bookmarks to aesthetic ones, Adobe Express gives you the tools you need to make awe-inspiring creative projects. With customizable templates and beginner-friendly tools, it’s easier than ever to make and share bookmarks for any occasion. Try Adobe Express today.

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