Pen Swatch Bullet Journal Page Ideas
Looking for creative Bullet Journal page ideas to spice up your notebook? A pen swatch page is the perfect mix of practical and artistic.
From testing that new pastel set to seeing which black pen hits just the right tone, these pages not only help you organize your tools but also add flair to your journal.
They’re simple to create, yet endlessly customizable, turning your stationery collection into a mini art gallery. Plus, they keep you from accidentally using a dried-out pen or picking the wrong shade in a critical moment.
Curious about the layouts I’ve tried? Keep reading for all the inspiration you need!
So, what are swatch pages? They are basically layouts where you swatch your pens and see how the colors look on paper. And that is very important.
First of all, many colors don’t look the way they are presented on the pen cover or on the box. Second, they all differ in the color of the paper you’re using them on.
Not all journals come with pure white paper, and if the paper has a bit of a different pigment, the colors will look different, too.
Plus, pen swatch pages are useful for testing the paper in your notebooks because not all paper is equal, and some pens might work on one type of paper but have ghosting or bleeding in other notebooks.
But more importantly, pen swatch pages are fun to create and will help you remember all the pens in your collection. Today, I wanted to share a few pen swatch pages that I’ve created over the years.
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Pen Swatch Bullet Journal Page Ideas
I had to dive back into my old journals for most of these, and it felt very nostalgic. Back when I was living in China, I definitely had a much bigger collection of supplies, and so the pen swatch pages were more varied.
I do miss my stationery since I have a very limited number of pens and colors right now, but these layouts reminded me of some of the great things I had before, so I added them to my stationery wish list.
So, let’s see all the different formats and styles of pen swatch pages I’ve created over the years. I’m sure they will inspire you to try creative pen swatching in your journal.
Tombow Dual Brush Pen Swatch Page
Tombow dual brush pens are fantastic, and they come in so many colors! It’s definitely useful to swatch them all and keep in mind all the colors you have.
First, here is a swatch page from the time I made this big purchase of several different sets. Because this is a pen swatch in a B5 journal, I could actually get more detailed with my drawings of the pens.
But this is not the only page I created for my Tombow pens. At some point, I had much more in my collection, so I created another swatch page.
What I realised is that since all the pens actually have numbers, it’s easier to organise them all if you add a number to each color—that way, you can easily find the color you want.
Dingbats Brush Pens Swatch Page
Next is a pen swatch for the Dingbats brush pens, which I wish I still had. But when you have one suitcase to move across the world, you have to make sacrifices. But I know they are now in good hands and being fully enjoyed!
This swatch page is also a bit of a pen review page, and it’s a good reminder of all the amazing qualities these pens have.
Faber-Castell Pen Swatch
I absolutely love this brand, and they have some of the most amazing stationery you can think of! I genuinely wish I still had some of these, and I miss them deeply.
But yeah, at some point, I was really interested in creating swatch pages based on a brand, and this is one more example. In this case, it’s not just brush pens but all the different pens I had from this brand.
Zebra Mildliners Pen Swatch Page
Zebra Mildliners are some of my favorite pens. Even though I don’t have that many colors in my collection anymore, I still have a few, and they are still my go-to pens.
And yes, when I created this swatch page, I had no idea what the packs’ names were, and I don’t think I can still name them.
Pilot Frixon Pen Swatch Page
Every time I get new pens, I like to create a new swatch page so I can get an idea of how the pens actually look on paper. The same happened when I got my first Pilot Frixion pens.
These are incredible with their soft colors, but they are also erasable, which is so beneficial, especially when you’re prone to making mistakes.
Sakura Koi Brush Pen Swatch
I must say this swatch page might be a bit too much. I went into a lot of detail with the packaging design of these Sakura Koi brush pens, but it does look pretty cool, I think.
Unfortunately, I don’t have the colors anymore, but as you can see on the side, I still have some softer shades of these brush pens that I got not so long ago after my move.
New Buys Pen Swatch Pages
One of the formats I frequently used for my swatch pages is to create layouts for anything new I bought. Oh, those golden times with no responsibilities and cheap stationery available on every corner!
I think this is a fun format and a good motivation to swatch your new pages right away and not put them away so that you don’t forget about these new pens altogether.
With these pages, I don’t usually have too many options, so that I can be a bit more creative and detailed with the drawings and the format.
For example, in the layout below, I doodled each pen I had, which I think created an interesting look.
And pen swatch pages don’t have to be just about the colorful markers and brush pens you buy.
As you can see on the page below, I also swatched the small black brush pens. This type of swatch helped me see how hard or soft the tip is, so I can choose one depending on my needs and what feels the most comfortable for whatever project I’m doing.
Favorite Pen Swatch Page
Finally, another interesting idea is to create a page for your favorite pens, which can also serve as a pen swatch page.
It’s a fun layout to create, and it can show you what color palettes and pens you’re enjoying and maybe give you an idea of what other colors you’d like to try next time.
It was very fun to see this list because even seven years later, I’m looking at it and realising that my favorites have mainly remained the same.
There you go. Here are a few swatch pages that I’ve created over the years. If this was not enough and you’re still looking for other styles and designs, there are more inspirations at the bottom of this post.
Printable Pen Swatch Pages
If you want to create creative swatch pages but are unsure if you can commit your time and effort to it, I recommend you try printables!
Thankfully, I’ve created a set of printable swatch pages for different types of pens, so you can print and start using them right away.
More Resources
Ok, are you ready to see even more different swatch pages and other layouts to try and enjoy in your Bullet Journal? I’ve got plenty of ideas for you.
Check out these posts next:
- Bullet Journal Washi Tape Swatch Page Ideas
- Creative Pen Swatch Bullet Journal Pages
- 13 Inventive Bullet Journal Layouts
>>> What kind of swatch pages do you like creating in your Bullet Journal? Share with us in the comments!
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And remember: Keep Bullet Journaling, and Don’t Be A Blob!
