Autumn is a season full of warmth, colour, and quiet creativity. For journal lovers and crafters, it’s the perfect time to explore nature and bring the beauty of the season into your pages. This year, I wanted to create an autumn colour palette I could use in my journals—and now I’m sharing it with you.
Finding Autumn Inspiration in the Countryside
Having travelled and lived abroad, I’ve come to truly appreciate the changing British seasons—especially autumn. There’s something deeply comforting about the earlier evenings and the cosy rituals that come with this time of year. Autumn invites us to slow down, reflect, and notice the small, beautiful details all around us.
One of my favourite ways to connect with the season is to head out into nature with my camera. There are so many colours and textures to photograph: rotting red apples resting on damp grass, leaf-strewn paths in gold and ochre, and hedgerows lit up with bright berries in shades of plum and crimson.
There’s something deeply satisfying about photographing nature. Look closely and you will spot conkers and acorns tucked into mossy corners, and clusters of delicate fungi pushing up through the soil. I love how the warm tones — burnt oranges, mustard yellows, deep russets — seem to melt into each other, softened by the fading light. Even old stone walls and weathered trees take on a painterly feel, blurring the line between nature and time.
What strikes me most is how all these colours harmonise. It’s not just the richness of a single leaf, but how it sits beside a patch of moss, or how a berry-laden branch arches over a grey stone. That quiet beauty is what inspires me creatively — it feels grounding and nostalgic, perfect for journaling, art, or simply pausing to notice.
Turning photos into an autumn colour palette
After my countryside walk, I came home with a collection of photos capturing all those rich autumn tones and textures. As my aim was to create a colour palette and eventually a set of digital artworks from my photographs, I used Procreate on my iPad and the colour picker tool to extract tones directly from the images. I created small colour swatches on each photo, then combined them into a single seasonal palette. Seeing all the colours of autumn gathered in one place—subtle greys, glowing golds, soft greens, and dusky reds—is truly inspiring. Feel free to download the colour palette I created—it’s linked just below.
Why not try the same?
Just take a gentle walk and notice the seasonal colours around you. Photograph them with your phone or camera, then print your favourites at home to use in your journal. You could even create your own colour palette from the shades you discover — or cut out seasonal hues from magazines and old books to build a collage of inspiration.
How to Use Your Autumn Colour Palette
This free palette can guide your journal layouts, scrapbooking pages, or mixed-media art, making it easy to bring the colours of the season into your creative projects.
Here are a few ways to get creative with it:
- Print and cut out the swatches to use as inspiration or collage elements.
- Draw, paint, or trace over the colours in your journal spreads.
- Layer textures, papers, and stickers inspired by the palette.
- Use it as a reference for selecting embellishments, washi tape, or other creative supplies.
- Use as tabs or labels in your journal.
- Print onto tea stained paper for an aged feel
Even if you’re new to journaling, this palette is a simple way to explore colour and create pages that feel like autumn in your hands.
Why Autumn Colours Are Perfect for Journaling
Autumn is a season that encourages mindfulness and reflection. By capturing its colours in your journals, you can:
- Bring a seasonal mood into your creative space
- Practice colour coordination and layering
- Collect memories of walks, nature, and everyday life
- Use the palette year after year as inspiration
The palette is flexible, gentle, and full of the warmth that makes autumn such a magical season for journaling.
From Countryside Colours to Creative Papers
And here are a few of the digital papers I created, inspired by my walks, the photographs I took, and a little help from Procreate. You can find the full kit in my Etsy store .
I’d love to see what you create inspired by autumn’s colours and textures — tag me on Instagram @well_loved_journals!
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