How to Create a Gothic Reading Journal with Gold Markers—Draw It or Use Printables

Midnight Vanity Journal Tutorial

How to Create a Gothic Reading Journal with Gold Markers

Draw the design yourself with the cheat sheet—or cut out the printable pieces and build the page without drawing every detail.

There is something irresistible about metallic gold on black paper.

It catches the light like old book tooling, while oxblood roses and crescent moons give the page a romantic, slightly mysterious Midnight Vanity mood.

The finished spread may look elaborate, but you do not need to be an experienced illustrator to make it. I created two ways to complete this project, so you can choose the method that feels most enjoyable and accessible.

Choose Your Method

Option 1: Use the cheat sheet as a drawing guide

Keep the one-page Gold Marker Journal Shapes sheet beside you while you work. It demonstrates how to build the frames, title labels, rating stars, writing lines, progress trackers, and simple filigree, one small shape at a time.

Option 2: Cut out the printable pieces

Print the coordinating cut-out sheet, trim around the frames and decorations, then glue them directly into your journal. This is ideal if drawing is not your favourite part, if you have limited hand strength or fine-motor control, or if you simply want a faster project.

Use this page as a drawing guide.

Cut out these pieces and glue them into your journal.

Materials

• A black-paper journal or loose black cardstock
• A bright metallic-gold paint marker with a fine tip
• A medium-tip metallic-gold marker, optional
• A ruler
• A pencil or white chalk pencil
• An oxblood, burgundy, or deep-red coloured pencil
• A white gel pen for longer journal entries
• Scissors and a glue stick if you are using the printable pieces
• Scrap black paper for testing your marker

Gold-marker tip: Shake the marker, test it on scrap paper, and make sure the ink is flowing brightly before touching your journal. A dull or dry marker can disappear against black paper. Let every gold detail dry completely before closing the book.

Method One: Draw the Page with a Gold Marker

1. Plan four review boxes

Open your journal to a clean two-page spread. With a white chalk pencil and ruler, divide the spread into four large rectangles. Leave room around the page edges and beside the centre binding.

2. Add the oxblood colour

Lightly shade the upper-left and lower-right boxes with an oxblood or burgundy pencil. Leave the other two boxes black. Apply the colour gently so the black paper still shows through and creates a deep velvet effect.

3. Draw the gold frames

Use your ruler and fine-tip gold marker to outline each box. Add a second line just inside the first. Finish the corners with small curls, leaves, dots or diamonds. Choose one simple corner motif and repeat it instead of trying to make every corner different.

4. Make the title labels

Draw a long rectangle at the top of each review box. Clip the corners, then add a second inner outline. Leave the centre blank for the book title.

5. Add the useful journal elements

Draw five outlined stars beneath each label. Add four or five writing lines with a ruler. In the lower corner, arrange ten small circles around a crescent moon to make a reading-progress tracker.

6. Finish with easy filigree

Begin with a simple curved S-line. Add two leaves, a few dots and one small diamond. Repeat the motif around the page or beside the centre binding. Keep the actual fold free of ink so the marker does not crack or transfer.

Method Two: Cut and Assemble the Printable

1. Print at the correct size

Print the cut-out sheet on US Letter paper at 100% or Actual Size. Do not choose “Fill Page,” because that may enlarge the pieces and crop the outer edges.

2. Cut out your chosen pieces

You do not need to use everything on the sheet. Select the frames, labels, roses, moons, stars, and filigree that fit your journal. Cut around the pale outlines, leaving a narrow border if you prefer a sticker-like appearance.

3. Test the arrangement before gluing

Place the pieces on the open pages and move them around until the spread feels balanced. Make sure the title areas, writing spaces, and progress trackers remain easy to use.

4. Glue from the largest pieces to the smallest

Attach the large frames first, followed by the title labels. Add roses, corner ornaments, moons, and stars last. Use a thin, even layer of glue so the paper does not ripple.

5. Personalize the page

Add book titles with a gold marker or white gel pen. Fill in the rating stars after finishing each book, write a short review, and colour one tracker circle whenever you reach your chosen reading goal.

Explore the Midnight Vanity Collection

If you love oxblood roses, black lace, moonlit reading pages, and antique-gold details, visit MGT Printable Treasures for more bookish printables and journal designs.

Visit MGT Printable Treasures on Etsy

Which Method Should You Choose?

Choose the drawing method when you want a relaxing creative exercise and a page made completely by hand. Choose the cut-and-paste method when you want the ornate look more quickly or need an easier alternative to detailed drawing. You can also combine them: glue down the main frames, then use your gold marker to add stars, lines, and personal flourishes.

However you build it, the goal is not perfect symmetry. It is to create a beautiful reading page that feels like it belongs to you—and makes recording your books feel a little more magical.

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