Illustration ideas to brighten the graduation yearbook: a collection of memorable designs
Have you ever found yourself unsure about what kind of illustration to draw on the cover when making a graduation anthology? Not only the writing inside, but the cover illustration is also an important element of a graduation book.
There are plenty of motifs you might want to draw—classroom scenes, memories with friends, and more—but when it’s time to actually draw, many people end up wondering how to go about it.
In this article, we’ll introduce illustration ideas that are perfect for graduation anthologies.
We’ve gathered ideas that work well not only for the cover but also for interior spot illustrations.
Whether you’re confident in your drawing skills or not, you’re sure to find helpful tips.
Let’s decorate your graduation anthology—something you’ll treasure for a lifetime—with wonderful illustrations!
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Illustration ideas to brighten up your graduation yearbook: A memorable design collection (21–30)
A student who looks at the worldNEW!
Graduates spread their wings from the places they’ve grown used to and set out into a new world.
There, they will see many things they’ve never seen before.
That kind of joyful future is captured in this illustration, “Students Seeing the World.” Graduation is a happy send-off, but some students may be filled with anxiety.
By adopting this motif for a graduation illustration, those worries may be eased, even just a little, and students might be able to focus on the wonderful future that lies ahead.
Graduation ceremony signboard and studentsNEW!
At graduation ceremonies, there’s usually a signboard in front of the main gate that says “Graduation Ceremony,” right? I think many people take photos in front of that sign as a keepsake.
How about turning that scene into an illustration? Smiling students standing before the signboard, families, friends wiping away tears… any combination will vividly color the moment of graduation.
It’s a versatile motif that works well for a class anthology cover, page illustrations, autograph boards, and many other contexts.
A film that captured memoriesNEW!
@root3_1100 #Graduation Anthology#sakuraMemoriesTranslation#Recommended to rideDid I do a good job drawing the cover for the graduation yearbook? If you think it looks good, press the heart!
Sakura – Naotaro Moriyama
These days, everyone has a smartphone that can easily take photos and videos, so we use standalone cameras less often.
But as a nostalgic, “emo” item, film cameras are surprisingly popular among young people.
So how about incorporating an illustration of film capturing memories as a graduation artwork? Try sealing scenes that evoke youth—school events like sports festivals and cultural festivals, club activities, romance, and more—inside the film frames.
Rendering them only as black-and-white silhouettes will give it a great atmosphere.
hold handsNEW!
When you see an illustration of people holding hands, it really gives a sense of closeness, doesn’t it? It’s perfect for expressing bonds and friendship in a simple way! So for a graduation illustration, let’s depict students holding hands with a dynamic feel.
You could zoom in on a pair holding hands, or show a large group holding hands to express a circle of friendship.
While recalling the time spent with your dearest friends, be sure to create a moving illustration.
Every time you see it, it will surely make you feel encouraged.
Desk and chairNEW!
Desks and chairs are things we use every day in school life, aren’t they? Conversations with friends you had while sitting there, memories of dozing off and getting scolded by the teacher, the changing seasonal scenery seen through the large windows…
Just seeing a desk and chair brings back all sorts of memories.
That’s exactly why they make the perfect motif for a graduation illustration.
Try carefully copying the actual desk and chair you used to capture those memories.
Adding shadows or recreating the doodles on the desktop will make the illustration even more striking.
A student wiping away tearsNEW!
Leaving the places we’ve grown attached to and saying goodbye to the friends we’ve spent time with.
Life in a new place is exciting, but it’s natural to feel lonely too.
This illustration highlights that sense of loneliness.
A school building and cherry blossoms in the background, and a schoolgirl with tears in her eyes… It’s a heart-wrenching scene, but don’t you also feel a sense of resolve to move forward, as she wipes away her tears? It’s a moving illustration, perfectly suited to the departure that is graduation.
A road that continues into the distanceNEW!
A road stretching into the distance is both an illustration that connects to the future and, when you look back, invites you to imagine the path behind you.
The road you’ve walked so far, and the road you’ll walk from here on… Isn’t it the perfect motif for a graduation scene? As an illustration, a road alone can feel a bit lonely, so it’s a good idea to draw striking buildings at the end or along the sides, or cherry blossoms that evoke spring.
If you have time, you can get particular and make the road itself brick, too! Express a road that’s uniquely yours.