A lovely graduation song

Illustration ideas to brighten the graduation yearbook: a collection of memorable designs

Illustration ideas to brighten the graduation yearbook: a collection of memorable designs

Last updated:2026/1/28

Keyboard playerSAKI
I’ve been playing the Electone since I was six, mainly performing Disney music, anime songs, and music from dramas and films. I post performance videos on YouTube and social media, and I also give concerts. Building on my Electone experience, I took up synthesizer and piano during my student years and performed at school-sponsored events. As a writer, I’ve covered not only music-related topics but a wide range of genres, so I hope to draw on my experience to deliver articles that make readers think, “I want to try that!” or “I want to listen to that!”
Deputy Editor of RAG MUSICsasashina
Deputy Editor of RAG MUSIC. JFC-certified fact-checker. I’m Sasashina, a mom currently raising an elementary schooler and a preschooler. During my student years at Kyoto College of Science and Technology, I studied a wide range of fields including sound, lighting, and video technology, building a foundation in comprehensive stage production and creative expression. After graduation, I joined a music production company, where I still work, consistently building experience in production and engaging in a variety of music-centered tasks. Currently, I mainly handle articles for children, drawing on what I’ve learned about parenting and what I feel and discover through daily interactions with my kids. I hope my work can be of help to you, even in a small way!

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!

Illustration ideas to brighten up a graduation yearbook: A memorable design collection (1–10)

whale

What do you think is the largest mammal? An elephant, a hippo…? Actually, it’s the whale.

Among them, the blue whale is extraordinarily large, reaching about 30 meters in length and weighing around 190 tons! Just hearing that makes you think again about how vast the ocean is, doesn’t it? It would be lovely to draw whales in the page headers with the wish for students to grow big and strong.

I hope they’ll go on to their next stage after graduation and thrive as grandly and gracefully as whales.

Whether it’s a realistic whale or an artistic one, the style and presentation are entirely up to you.

This is an important graduation anthology that wraps up three years—let’s all come up with great ideas together!

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Memory

Three years that felt long yet short.

Forgetting lines at the school presentation, swapping snacks on the field trip, taking a tumble at the sports festival, choosing souvenirs on the school trip—close your eyes and each one is a precious memory.

Putting those memories on the cover is a classic choice.

You could even turn candid snapshots directly into illustrations.

If you layer several illustrations in the layout, the cover will have a much stronger vibe.

And if someone’s good at drawing anime-style characters, it might be fun to have them draw portraits of each classmate along with the memories!

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school building

Photographic imitation of the elementary school building by an elementary school student; graduation anthology cover illustration (6th grade)

school building

Even a geometrically designed school building takes on a completely different impression and a lot of character when you deliberately draw it by hand instead of using a computer.

If you take photos of your alma mater’s building and draw while looking at them, the shape will be well balanced.

Even a building that might seem dull if you only drew straight lines can instantly gain a rich, evocative atmosphere if you carefully add details that convey fine information—like stains on the walls and windows, which rooms are used for which classes, and where the cultural clubs used to meet.

Just by looking at the cover, everyone will find themselves tracing their own memories.

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photo style

If you want to incorporate various memories up to graduation into an illustration, making it photo-style is recommended.

A photo-style illustration looks like overlapping photographs arranged together.

Draw a memorable scene in each individual “photo.” Using fewer photos gives a simple impression, while increasing the number creates a lively feel.

Also, discussing which scenes to depict with your friends can be fun.

Another advantage of photo-style illustrations is that it’s easy to create a sense of depth.

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classroom

A classroom is an idea you could call a “common pattern.” But the result changes greatly depending on which time of day, which classroom, and from what point of view you depict it.

Are the curtains billowing in the wind? Is there a racket or bat hanging on a desk? Is there a forgotten handout left on the teacher’s desk? Is the front seat out of alignment? A classroom bears the record of everyone’s lives.

I also recommend drawing a classroom and then adding another illustration on the blackboard, or writing a message on the blackboard.

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Cherry Blossom Stamp

@root3_1100
#Graduation Anthology #sakura Memories Translation #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

Illustrations for graduation albums are usually drawn by one person.

But wouldn’t it be wonderful if you could create memories with your friends through them as well? That’s why I’d like to introduce making illustrations using cherry blossom stamps.

First, a representative draws an illustration featuring a cherry tree as the motif.

At that stage, don’t draw the petals—stamp them one by one with the stamp.

If everyone takes part in that process, it’s sure to be a hit.

Also, if you record a video of everyone stamping the cherry blossoms, it will become an even more enjoyable memory.

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smile

When it comes to graduation, many people feel lonely or a little heartsick.

That’s exactly why it might be nice to draw smiling illustrations for the graduation yearbook—ones that make you feel happy just by looking at them.

To create a graduation vibe, you could have the characters holding flower petals or diplomas.

It would also be lovely to draw multiple people, or the entire class, all smiling.

There are many different kinds of smiles, so that’s where you can really show off your skills.

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