How to make a calendar like a pro
By Photobox on 8 October 2025
Know how to make a photo calendar but want to level up your game? We’ve got you. Read on to find out how to personalise your year to perfection.
Whether you want to make your own photo calendar or make one as a gift, your creation is going to be hung up and used for 365 days – so you probably want to make it as best as it can be.
Our guide to getting started is here, but our personalised calendar lovers (that’s you) asked for more tips on how to make every month a masterpiece. Read on and let’s explore calendar creation a little more in depth.
Choosing the right grid for your custom photo calendar
Not every year is the same, and neither is every calendar. Across our wall, desk, and family planner categories come in a range of themes, each with their own style of grid. Most come in the classic seven-day-by-five-week layout, while others have list formats or extra note-taking space.
Think about how you like to organise. Want a quick date check? Try an easel or landscape wall calendar. Like jotting everything down? Go for an A3 Portrait – the biggest size, and easy to take down and hang back up. Need to keep track of everyone’s schedules? Our family planners have columns for each person. Have a think and have a browse – the perfect custom photo calendar starts here.
Create photo calendars with a custom theme
No need to toss and turn over which theme you’ll make a personalised calendar with – you can fully edit it in our Editor. Our themes are here to give you a head start if the creative juices just aren’t flowing, but there’s still room to change the font or colour of text, switch backgrounds, and more. This makes it easy to make a photo calendar online that’s completely unique.
Arranging your photos with layouts and masks
Want to change how your photos sit on the page? Click the ‘Layouts’ tab in our Editor, choose how many photos you want to use in the drop down menu, and explore our layout library until you find the perfect fit for your custom picture calendars.
You can also use the ‘Masks’ tab to fit your photos into shapes to add extra flair, from year numbers to country outlines and more. It’s a fun way to experiment as you create photo calendars that reflect your style.
Make a custom calendar with personalised events
Next to the grid on each page in our Editor is a little calendar icon with a cogwheel – this is where you can add and remove events. Under ‘Your events’ is where your own dates go, and under ‘Your holidays’ is where you can select or de-select national and regional dates. Once you hit ‘Update calendar’, you’ll be one step closer to finishing your custom calendar to print.
Adding stickers to your custom picture calendar
Photos and events all laid out and ready to go? Time to add the finishing touches and make your customer calendar truly yours with stickers. Filter with the drop down menu to match the vibe of each page and bring your personalised picture calendar to life.
Choosing the right paper type for your custom made calendar
When it’s time for your custom calendar to print, we opt for high-quality, responsibly sourced, and FSC-certified 250gsm paper. But which paper finish should you choose for the result you want?
- Glossy – let your photos pop with vibrant colours and a shiny finish, best if you want the photos to be the main feature
- Extra matte – a plush and elegant uncoated paper in crisp white, best if you want to be able to write on it
- Standard – our classic paper with a smooth semi-matte finish, best if you want a bit of both
Still not sure which to choose? Our handy guide is here to help you get the most from your custom calendar printing.
Making copies of your custom photo calendars for gifting
Our custom made calendars make the perfect gift – simply edit the ‘Quantity’ at checkout to duplicate your creation and order extra copies to share the love. The more you buy, the more you save, so you can print your own calendar as well as be a gifting pro for less.
With these tips in your back pocket, you’re all set to create a custom calendar that’s truly perfect. Dive into our Editor and make a personalised calendar with pictures that will brighten every month of the year.
