Free Animal Skeleton Printables: 17th-Century Engraved Ephemera for Journaling
Inside This Post:
Download this free set of vintage animal skeleton ephemera printables created from 1680 engravings. Inside this giveaway, you’ll find:
Authentic 17th-century anatomical engravings of animals
Two sheets of journal-ready designs:
2” x 3” tags
2.5” x 4.25” cards
High-resolution scans for crisp printing
Perfect for junk journals, art journals, and scrapbooks
Great for Halloween, gothic, or natural history themes
A Closer Look at 1680 Animal Skeletons
The illustrations featured in these printables date back to 1680, when naturalists and early anatomists were documenting the animal kingdom in extraordinary detail. These engravings combine scientific precision with artistic beauty, offering a fascinating glimpse into the way people studied nature centuries ago.
Today, they carry a wonderfully eerie quality which is perfect for gothic-inspired crafts, natural history journals, or Halloween-themed projects. The fine linework and old-world character of these images make them both scholarly and spooky.
About the Free Printable Collage Sheets
This download includes two full collage sheets formatted for journaling and crafting:
2” x 3” Journal Tags – Small pieces you can tuck into pockets, layer in collages, or use as embellishments.
2.5” x 4.25” Journal Cards – Larger cards that work well as standalone inserts, journaling spots, or background layers.
Each sheet has been carefully selected and prepared for easy at-home printing.
2” x 3” Rectangles
Creative Uses for Animal Skeleton Ephemera
These vintage skeleton engravings lend themselves to both artistic and seasonal projects:
Junk Journals – Add a scholarly or gothic twist to your pages.
Halloween Crafts – Combine with bats, poison labels, or mushrooms for eerie October spreads.
Art Journals – Explore themes of nature, mortality, and transformation.
Scrapbooking – Use for museum trips, gothic layouts, or vintage-style pages.
Mixed Media – Layer with florals, textured backgrounds, or natural history imagery for dramatic effect.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are these real vintage illustrations?
Yes, the engravings are authentic and originally published in 1680.
What sizes are the printables?
You’ll get two sheets: one with 2” x 3” journal tags and another with 2.5” x 4.25” journal cards.
Can I use these for Halloween journaling?
Definitely! Their dark, skeletal look makes them a perfect fit for spooky spreads.
Can I sell items I make with these?
Yes, you may use them in physical handmade projects for sale, but please don’t resell or redistribute the digital files or printouts of them "as-is."
More Free Printables You’ll Love
Bat Illustrations - Moody natural history engravings of bats, perfect companions to skeleton ephemera.
Poison Labels - Gothic-style vintage poison labels, great for Halloween crafts and journal spreads.
Poisonous Mushroom Ephemera - Beautiful yet eerie 19th-century mushroom illustrations, ideal for gothic or botanical themes.
Final Thoughts
These free printable animal skeleton journal tags and cards bring the artistry of 1680 engravings into your creative work. Whether you’re building a Halloween spread, a natural history-inspired journal, or a mixed media collage, these skeletons add detail, atmosphere, and authenticity. Download the set today and experiment with combining art, science, and storytelling in your projects.
2.5” x 4.25” Rectangles
Love These Printables? Support The Art Scavenger!
I love sharing free vintage printables, and if you enjoy them, there are easy ways to support my work so I can continue creating and offering more free designs:
You may also enjoy these free collage sheets.
Terms of use:
Free to use for personal or commercial projects. You may print the collage sheets as many times as you wish for your personal crafts or in your projects to sell, including: art journals, scrapbooks, junk journals, collage art, etc. You may not redistribute or sell the collage sheets “as is" in either print or digital form.
If you wish to share the files on your own website, please do not make the files available for download directly from your site. Instead, include an image with a link back to this site.
To the best of my knowledge, these are all royalty free images that are in the Public Domain in the US. However, you should always do your own research if you plan to use them commercially.
