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I want to share my top three sketchbook tips for building an effective sketchbook practice that is so much fun you don't even realise you are learning.
Having a sketchbook practice allows you to flex your creative muscles and benefit from the soul feeding relaxation benefits of creativity while building your drawing and painting skills.
Too often we have a sketchbook but don’t seem to get around to using it. These 3 tips should help you solve that issue and get drawing!
Tip 1 - Choose Your Sketchbook Wisely
Finding the right sketchbook is one of the most important steps in building an effective sketchbook practice.
You need the Goldilocks of sketchbooks.
Not too intimidatingly expensive, not such poor quality that it is difficult to handle. So this can be a bit of a tough balance to strike. I recommend starting somewhere around the low to middle price range so that you can feel like you are giving yourself a fighting chance of success.
It is also a question of the kind of paper that will suit you best. The sketchbook you choose will determine what art supplies you can use.
If you plan to use mainly dry media, pen and pencils with perhaps just a light wash, I love the silky smooth paper in this perfectly sized sketchbook. Its the one I find myself reaching for most often if I have a few minutes to spare.
If I am not sure what art supplies I am going to want to use, I like to choose a sketchbook with watercolour paper or mixed media paper, like this one. That should be thick enough to allow a reasonable variety of art supplies to be used. My favourites are watercolour paint, pen and coloured pencil.
A cheap sketchbook with paper that is like copier paper will not cope with those materials and make your sketchbook experience miserable unless all you plan to use is pen and pencils.
Size is also a very important factor in your sketchbook choice because if your pages are too large you will need more space to work in and each page can start to feel like an enormous undertaking. For best results I think you need something that feels achievable.
Cute and small is my recommendation!
In fact I have taken this to the extreme on occasion and created a mini sketchbook project using a sketchbook that is about the size of a business card. Quick to fill, but this can bring challenges of its own...
Want to see my mini sketchbook project?
The practical sketchbook considerations are important.
You need a sensible size and paper that suits your needs. Accomplish this and you have also simultaneously solved the problem of what art supplies to use. Choosing supplies can sometimes be a paralysing enough decision to halt your sketchbook journey.
So hurrah - we are over the first hurdle!
Tip 2 - Try a Themed Sketchbook
If the first problem we face in creating a sketchbook practice is what art supplies to use, the second is what to draw or paint in the sketchbook.
The best way to solve this blank page problem is to give your sketchbook a theme.
Having a sketchbook theme is enormously helpful because it gives you a prompt.
A good sketchbook theme is broad enough that you will be able to easily find enough drawing subjects to fill all the pages but narrow enough to make that choice simple.
My mini sketchbook project that I showed you above is a very tiny sketchbook on the theme of fairies. I bought the tiny handmade sketchbook from a lady who also makes metallic watercolour paints.
These sparkly paints had names like Pixie Dust and Brownie Dust so what else could I paint in my sketchbook but little fairies?
Ah serendipity…
Sometimes the art supplies are all the inspiration we need…
Perhaps you already have a few favourite subjects to draw.
Flowers?
Patterns?
Birds?
Animals?
Those would all be great themes. Some people choose themes that they find challenging to give themselves a chance to improve their skills. I recommend this only if you are already a confident sketchbooker.
If you are new to a sketchbook practice, or know that you are easily discouraged then make it as fun and easy as possible if you want to build a habit and reap the benefits.
My current sketchbook theme is alphabet based. I have a mixed media sketchbook - mine happens to be a Strathmore Mixed Media 550 Series 7.75 by 9.75 inches, if you were wondering.
I even made a custom palette that slips into the back of the sketchbook - this article will tell you all about that.
I have dedicated a 2 page spread to each letter of the alphabet. This is rather a broad theme because it means I can draw all sorts of things in the sketchbook. But instead of having to choose from an infinite array of subjects I am looking at nouns beginning with a particular letter. Much easier.
Here is an example of the S is for Shoes page in my ABC sketchbook.
Tip 3 - Remember it’s a Sketchbook not a Masterpiece Book
My first two tips have been entirely practical, but when it comes to building a habit like a sketchbook practice mindset is fundamental to your success.
I think the most helpful thing I can suggest you bear in mind is that it is a SKETCHbook not a MASTERPIECEbook.
Sketchbooks are meant to be low pressure.
They are a place to experiment, play and enjoy yourself.
Your sketchbook is supposed to have the odd terrible page. (But it is probably only you that will think that the page is terrible). Your sketchbook is also your private space. Share it if you choose to, but please remember that you don’t ever have to let anyone see your sketchbook if you don’t want to.
And those perfect pages that most people share are their best ones so let’s not even think about comparing 😉
Now go forth and sketch with abandon.
Are you on your own painting journey?
One of these might be useful…
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