Free Download-and-Print Bookmark Templates — Rainbow Colors or White

By Chris Dunmire

Q. I want to help my little girls make bookmarks with their own pictures on them to use as presents for Christmas. Do you have any free downloadable templates? — Gail

A. Homemade bookmarks (or page markers) are such a thoughtful gift idea and are really fun to make. Now Gail, I’m not clear if you’re looking for simple blank templates to download or online generators with templates you can upload your pictures to design online. So here’s some information about both, including a free assortment of white or rainbow-colors blank bookmark templates you can download and print from this page.

Free Printable Blank Bookmark Templates — White and Rainbow Colors

Creativity Portal indeed has a selection of free blank bookmark templates (3 per page) you may download and print for your project. The blank bookmarks are 2 x 8”, and are available in white, red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and violet, If this size is too large, feel free to trim them down to a smaller bookmark size.

Once downloaded, print your template page(s) on heavy paper or card stock. If you are using colored paper (brights and pastels make fun bookmark colors) use the white/no color bookmark template for printing. Once printed, trim the bookmarks to your desired size (for best results, cut with a paper trimmer).

Download & Print the White/No Color Blank Bookmark Template Page (PDF 73.7 KB)

Download & Print the Red, Orange, Yellow Colors Blank Bookmark Template Page (PDF 75.3 KB)

Download & Print the Green, Blue, Violet Colors Blank Bookmark Template Page (PDF 75.3 KB)

... Or, make your own templates

As an alternative, you can easily create your own blank bookmark template by measuring out the desired size you want on heavy paper or card stock with a pencil and ruler.

Common rectangular bookmark dimensions are:

• 2” x 6”
• 2” x 7”
• 2” x 8”
• 2 1/4" x 6 3/4"

When you design your own bookmark template, you have the advantage of customizing its shape and size. For instance, instead of a plain rectangular bookmark, add flair with a custom “die cut” such as a curved edge or wavy sides. Use a French curve, an old lid, or other flexible item to trace unique cuts. Then, use a craft or X-ACTO knife with a sharp blade to cut out the bookmark design. You can also use those fun border scissors (like Fiskars Paper Edgers) to cut unique edges on your bookmark.

Free Online Bookmark Templates and Generators

Also worth mentioning are the multiple free online bookmark generators that allow you to design your bookmarks online. Some let you add your own text and images, while others offer pre-designed bookmarks. The drawback of many of these free offerings is the final product often bears the branding of the site it came from and prints as a low-quality Web graphic.

Creativity Portal has a source page for free online templates and generators here: Free Printable Bookmarks & Generators

For more technical information about designing your own bookmarks with software, you read What Software Makes Bookmarks?

Decorating Your Bookmarkers

Photos and pictures make wonderful homemade bookmark embellishments. A few other ideas include rubber stamping, collage or decoupage, drawing, painting, or “mixed media” of some or all of these.

If you’re worried about any of these methods not being “clean” enough to end up between the pages of a book, here are two things you can do:

• Laminate your finished bookmark between two pieces of self-adhesive laminate paper (found in office supply stores).

• Create your bookmark art traditionally, and then scan it into your computer. Import the scanned art into a graphics program (such as Photoshop or Paint Shop Pro) and digitally lay out and design your bookmark.

An example of how I used this method is seen in the (scaled down) bookmark here. The artwork came from a picture I painted and collaged, scanned into my computer, and imported into Photoshop. I then used the program’s type editing tools to add poetic text to my bookmark. After I finished my bookmark design, I printed it out on my inkjet printer. When it completely dried, I laminated it. •

Helpful Resources for the Next Step

How to Design Your Own Bookmarks
If you are interested in designing your own high-quality bookmarks for promotional give-aways or just for fun, this Q & A article contains some useful advice about bookmark creation software and other graphic design programs you can use to design your own high-quality bookmarks at home.

Create Your Own Collage Bookmarks
Using Creativity Portal's Collage Cubie project technique, you can create one-of-a-kind collage art for homemade bookmarks.

Creativity Portal's Free Bookmarks Source Page
Custom made and do-it-yourself bookmarks to design and print from the Web. Features online bookmark generators, and bookmark templates for Microsoft Word and other popular software programs.

© 2005, 2009 Chris Dunmire. All rights reserved.

About the Author | More by Chris Dunmire
Chris Dunmire finds meaning in life as an artist, writer, humorist, creativity coach, and driving force behind the popular Creativity-Portal.com Web site. Chris inspires people of all ages to be more creative through her articles, writing prompts, and project e-playbooks like her popular Dollar Bill Origami Money Plant, a "fun to make and gift away" craft project available for instant download at CreativeSlush.com.

Please respect the creator's copyright by not duplicating this article on your Web site, blog, electronic or print publication.

Updated 12/11/09