Journaling will transform your productivity, but keeping up with physical tools is a hassle. Procreate offers the perfect digital solution, allowing creativity and organization to come together.
Get started with Procreate
Procreate is a super versatile app, packed with easy-to-use tools that are nearly perfect for digital journaling and scrapbooking. There are plenty of features to try out, including brushes, layers, textures, and customization options, making it easy to turn even your wildest visions into reality.
To get started, of course, you'll need an iPad and an Apple Pencil (or similar compatible stylus). The article recommends that you get acquainted with Procreate a little by experimenting with this application's brush and layer tools.
Tips: A large canvas of around 3000 x 3000 pixels at 300 DPI is recommended – to ensure there is enough resolution for high-quality printing if you want your designs to always be within reach.
When starting a new project, always gather tools that help streamline your creative process. Procreate's custom brush library is a top choice for small, intricate details and textures, and choose your color palette before you get started.

You can save specific color palettes that match the theme or mood of your scrapbook or journal entry, just to make things easier. Additionally, Procreate's selection and transformation tools make it easy to adjust and rearrange elements on the canvas, helping to ensure everything looks cohesive.
Capture digital memories
One of my favorite aspects of using Procreate to scrapbook is being able to collect and organize digital photos and memories in new ways without being limited by what you have on hand. You can import photos directly into Procreate and arrange them in unique layouts.

Procreate also allows the use of handwritten notes and journal entries in pre-made pages that you design yourself. You can use the app's text tools or write directly into the program itself with Apple Pencil, adding in personal anecdotes, dates, or reflections on the day – all supplemented with text elements. Visual elements are carefully selected and customized to suit mood, season, etc.
Note: One of the things people love to do is create monthly themed journal pages and use Procreate as a mini journal app.
Customize designs with Procreate
Procreate's wide variety of brushes, textures, and color palettes offer endless personalization options. Many people like to try new effects, like watercolor or metallic brushes, and layers make it easy to swap out details. Plus, by stacking and blending layers, you can get the “tactile feel” of a traditional scrapbook without having to cut paper or peel off stickers.

Another favorite feature is pulling in digital elements like stickers, stamps, and decorative icons. Many of these elements can be downloaded online or created from scratch within Procreate itself, allowing you to customize every aspect of the design to your liking.
Share and print designs digitally
Once you've completed your scrapbook or journal, Procreate also makes it super simple for you to share or print your designs. The application supports many file formats, including JPEG, PNG and PDF, so you can choose the best options for all your printing needs.
If you're sharing online, you might want to consider exporting your pages as web-friendly images suitable for social media or cloud storage. Typically, trying to print them at full resolution means you'll use a lot of ink and waste paper.
Instead, many people like to create digital photo books or albums and share them with friends and family, or print out their diaries at the end of each month to have a physical collection to look back on later.