Howdy friends! I wanted to write about sketchbooks today.
I have acquired MANY sketchbooks over the years and I have decided to make it a goal to complete (as in draw/write/ create on as many pages as possible) them within the same year. I have found through trial and error a few things help me complete my sketchbooks.
These are the sketchbooks I have. My oldest sketchbook I believe is from around 2000, one from 2008 ish, and some recent ones. I have 6 or so that are complete. These vary in size from 11 x 14 “ to 7 x 7”
SIZE matters
From the picture above, you can see I have a variety of sizes of sketchbooks that I work in. I have come to find that for me personally, I am more likely to reach for a smaller sized sketchbook. I find 10 x 10 is the perfect size for me because it’s easy to work on a small, crowded surface (which is how my desk normally is LOL) and it’s small enough that I can throw into my purse. Plus I feel WAY less pressure when I am working on a smaller page for some reason.
Easy access to Materials
I always have pens and markers out on my desk so those are the supplies I use regularly. I love playing around with lineart, and line weight, so these items work for me. Keep whatever items you like to use most close by and easy to get to to help your art process flow smoothly.
make time to create every day
I know most people who wish they could create more art think that they don’t have the time. You have to MAKE the time for the things that matter to you. Even just 5 to 10 minutes of doodling in your sketchbook right before you go to bed, you’ll see improvements in your art and mood if you can commit to creative practice. I know that when I flip through my old sketchbooks and see even the messiest little sketches, I instantly remember where I was that day and what I was feeling in that moment.
Draw things that make you happy
I believe in making the art you like to see in the world. I love Drag Queens! I love the artistry, the makeup, the expressions, the personalities! So they make fun subjects to draw IMO. You will also see lots of cats and Sailor Moon drawings in any of my sketchbooks, hehe.
Have fun
Seriously, don’t get too caught up in making the most perfect pieces in your sketchbook. This is a space for you to create and get things our of your head! I sometimes switch up my materials, because I do love playing around with mixing media. I also write a lot in my sketchbooks now. I used to try to keep a journal separate, but sometimes things will hit me that I have to write down.
Some pages I only have notes written, sometimes I will just draw around the words.
Sometimes I can turn those words into fun designs.
Try new things
I like to draw, but I also like playing with colors. I pick mixed media sketchbooks so that I can pull out some other art supplies to work with like water color and paint. Since I’ve learned to have FUN, I have no problem just throwing paint on the pages to see what happens. Watercolor is nice because I can always draw on top with pen or marker.
I doodled this to get some feelings out. I made it into a story and you can watch it on youtube.
Those are just some of my tips for falling in love with your sketchbook. You get to make it a space for you. If you want to create beautiful aesthetic spreads, go for it! If you just use your sketchbook to dump out the contents of your brain and it won’t make sense to anyone, do that! There are no rules, except that it’s yours and you create in it.
That’s all for now. Happy sketching!