Do you ever see the gorgeous bujo spreads done by YouTubers and “Pinteresters” (or are they “Pinners”?) Here are the top supplies you need to create the perfect pages.
Before we get into it though: usually you can do great things with minimal tools. You don’t need 15 fineliners and 72 markers to create stunning spreads. Most of the time, one black pen and a few colored markers or a brush pen will do the job.
Essential BuJo Supplies
A good notebook. A dot grid notebook works best, the thicker the paper, the better. You don’t need to splurge on pricey 120gsm+ paper though, for most people a 90gsm notebook will work fine (slightly heavier than normal printing paper). If you want to go all-in with watercolors though, you will need the thick paper notebooks.
Fineliners. While you could draw you templates with normal pens, you get best results with fineliners, and they’re also great for doodles. Everyone should have at least one black fine-liner, (0.4mm) and if you want to draw even finer detail, get an 0.2mm nib as well.
Markers. The kind you choose has to depend on your journals. No one likes bleeding, so if you’re using one of our 90gsm journals, Mildliners work best. Felt tip markers are ok, as long as you don’t apply too much (bleeding starts at 2+ layers).
Optional Supplies
Metallic Markers are great to add a little sparkle to you spreads. I love using a bit of gold here and there, it makes the pages feel premium. Make sure to choose a gold shade that’s not too green or too yellow. I recommend these metallic markers, the shades are nice, and the ink doesn’t show on the other side of the page.
Brush pens. An essential if you like to add lettering accents or calligraphy. The Mildliner brush pens are very nice, and could also be a 2-in-1 substitute for the regular Mildliner markers. You also need at least one black brush pen.
Washi Tape can be used to mark pages, create borders, or simply as temporary guides when planning a layout. I have a set of metallic washi tape at home, but geometric or floral designs can add a lot to a page as well.
White Gel Pen. Do you make mistakes frequently (like I do)? The white pen can easily conceal any slip-ups. You can also black out the mistake and write on the “label” with your white pen, or use it to add some spice to your doodles.
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