Simple doodles are one of the easiest ways to stay creative without pressure. Whether you're new to drawing or just need a calming break, doodling...
hand-drawn doodle art.
hand-drawn doodle art.
Adding doodle inspired drawings to your bullet journal isn’t just about aesthetics. It can:
Make daily planning feel creative instead of like a chore
Reduce stress through simple line repetition and pattern work
Help you connect with your entries on a more personal level
Keep your layouts flexible, not rigid
Encourage mindfulness through the act of slow drawing
Even five minutes of doodling in the corner of a weekly spread can turn a plain page into something inspiring.
Here are six ideas for layouts and spreads that blend creativity with function—featuring doodle elements that bring joy without adding pressure.
The start of a new month or journal section is the perfect moment to play. Use your favorite flowy lines, abstract patterns, or playful shapes to decorate the page. You could frame the title with organic forms, create a doodled border, or draw something that reflects your vibe for the month. These pages set the tone and are a great place to let your style shine.
get inspired by spontaneous, intuitive designs like those in the artmefree gallery.
Instead of color-coding your mood, try using doodles. Fill a small square or shape each day with a pattern or little emoji-style face to reflect how you felt. A calm day could be a cloud or relaxed face. A stressful day? Maybe a spiky shape or an exclamation mark. You’ll end up with a beautiful visual timeline of your emotions—no words needed.
Ditch the boxes. Use flowing lines or organic shapes to divide your week. Let them curve across the page and decorate with vines, waves, or abstract elements. It brings a sense of movement and makes planning feel more like art than admin.
Instead of just writing your schedule, add visual cues that match your intentions. Want to go for a run? Draw a tiny running figure. Planning a cozy night in? Add a doodle of a blanket or cup of tea. These little icons personalize your layout and make your tasks feel more connected to real life.
This is a simple way to combine planning with light, fun sketching—no overthinking needed.
Not every dream needs to be written out. Try sketching the feeling or visual mood of your dreams with a few marks, shapes, or symbols. It’s a great addition to morning pages and works beautifully in quiet moments of reflection.
For more inspiration on dream-based drawing, visit this post on abstract doodle art.
Pick a quote you love and build a page around it. Use abstract shapes, flowy lines, or repeated patterns to decorate the space. Let the doodles feel like a response to the words. This makes for a calming, creative ritual—and a beautiful spread you’ll want to come back to. I love to combine doodles with quotes as you can see in this blog post with quotes from Albert Einstein.
Stick with black pen only for a unified, relaxed look (a core element of artmefree)
Keep doodles simple and repetitive—think texture, not illustration
Accept that some pages will look messy—that’s totally fine
Leave open space—you can fill it later or let it breathe
Let your journal evolve with you—change it up anytime
If you’re new to doodling, this post on how to start doodling has some easy, no-pressure starting points.
Your bullet journal doesn’t need to be perfect to be beautiful or helpful. By adding a few simple doodles—shapes, patterns, icons, or textures—you can bring life and personality into your daily planning.
Try a new layout this week. Let your pen explore a little more freely.
➡️ Pin this post for whenever your layout needs a fresh twist
➡️ Visit the artmefree shop to see how small doodles turn into meaningful designs
