Create a Monthly Log Planner Page in Affinity Publisher: Step-by-Step Tutorial

In this tutorial, you’ll learn how to create a visually appealing and functional monthly log planner page in Affinity Publisher.

Follow these step-by-step instructions to design your own planner page, complete with a Table, Gradient, and decorative elements.

Step 1: Set Up Your Document

1. Open Affinity Publisher and create a new document
2. Set the page size to A4
3. Set the margins
   
   • Left: 10 mm
   • Right: 10 mm
   • Top: 32 mm
   • Bottom: 15 mm
4. Set the colour mode to RGB for digital output
5. I set the Bleed to 0
   

Step 2: Create the Table

1. Select the Table Tool and draw out a table within the margins of the page
2. Set the table to have 31 rows and 3 columns
3. Adjust the column widths: Columns A and B should be 8mm, while Column C uses the remaining space
   

Step 3: Input Data (Optional: Use Excel)

1. If using Excel, prepare your data in a spreadsheet
2. Copy the data from Excel (in my data that was cells A1 to B31) and paste it into your Table in Affinity Publisher
3. Affinity Publisher adds an additional row that you’ll need to remove
   

Step 4: Format the Table

1. Select the entire table
2. Apply the "Avenir" font, size 12pt - This does not translate perfectly from Excel
3. Centre the text both horizontally and vertically
   

Step 5: Add Colour Using a Gradient

1. Avoid applying gradients directly to the table to prevent unwanted issues
2. Instead, create a Shape that covers the background area of the Table
3. Use the gradient tool (G key) to apply a vertical gradient from the “Halloween” colour palette
4. Move the Shape behind the Table - since the Table is transparent you will be able to see the gradient
   

Step 6: Remove Table Borders

1. Select all the cells in the table
2. In the Table Panel, remove all borders by setting the border thickness to 0
   

Step 7: Apply Alternating Row Colours

1. Select all the even-numbered rows using the Command key (or Ctrl on Windows)
2. In the Fill options of the Table Panel, set the Fill colour of these rows to white
   

Step 8: Add Decorative Text

1. Use the Artistic Text Tool to add a title “Monthly Log” or the actual month and year of the page
2. Choose a decorative font, such as “October Twilight,” and set the size to 40pt
3. Position the title at the top of the page
   

Step 9: Add a Decorative Shape Behind the Title

1. Draw a shape behind the title, setting its height to 12mm
2. Apply a solid colour from the “Halloween” palette
   

Step 10: Add Halloween Themed Decorations

1. Open the stock panel and search for Halloween-themed images using the “Vector” option
2. I used 3 images: a pumpkin, a black cat, and a cobweb
3. If required use the vector crop tool to adjust the size and positioning of the images and their bounding boxes
   

Conclusion

In this tutorial, you’ve created a custom monthly log planner page in Affinity Publisher using Tables, Gradients, and decorative elements. Whether you use Excel for automation or manually input your data, this project can be adapted to fit any theme or occasion. Add some personal touches and you’re all set!

If you enjoyed this tutorial and want more tips and tricks, be sure to check out my free training at ElaineGiles.com/VIP. Don’t forget to subscribe and hit the notification bell so you never miss a new tutorial.

If you have any specific tutorial requests, feel free to reach out - I’d love to hear from you!

Thanks for reading and watching, and see you next time!

FREE Downloads

• Pumpkin: Download Halloween, Pumpkin, Scary. Royalty-Free Vector Graphic - Pixabay
• Cat: Download Cat, Halloween, Black. Royalty-Free Vector Graphic - Pixabay
• Cobweb: Download Cobweb, Spider, Web. Royalty-Free Vector Graphic - Pixabay
• October Twilight Font: October Twilight Font | dafont.com