How to Keep a Sketchbook
Or at least, how I like to do it
As a kid my mom instilled in me the importance of having a “busy bag” at all times. The Busy Bag is exactly what it sounds like. It’s a bag of things you can do to keep busy if you find yourself caught in a boring situation. This was of course pre- iPhone and iPad (for which I am so grateful). The Busy Bag held things like toys, magazines, and coloring supplies. Currently, The Busy Bag holds my Kindle, my journal, my pen case, and my sketchbook. I fill my idle time on the train or in a waiting room in my sketchbook.
It’s awful to be struck with a burst of creative insight without a piece of paper to put it on, so I bring my sketchbook with me almost every time I go out. If the occasion prohibits me from bringing the full sized sketchbook, I’ll bring my tiny travel sketchbook. I also keep the tiny sketchbook at my bedside, in case I need to write or draw a note after I’ve already tucked myself in bed. The Sketchbook has long been an important part of my process as a creative person. Here are some of the ways I like to use mine, which I hope may serve as prompts for your own sketchbook.
Messy Ugly Things
Some people hold the misconception that every page of an artist’s sketchbook must contain a stunningly beautiful piece of art. For me at least, that is absolutely not the case. I think this misconception keeps a lot of sketchbook-curious people from keeping one, because it creates a pressure to generate skillful beauty on every page. I feel strongly that the sketchbook must be established as a judgement-free zone for MESS. It’s a place to be curious, half-baked, and try things out. Anyone can keep a sketchbook, regardless of skill and experience. And for someone interested in becoming skilled & experienced, what better place to practice than in the safety of a sketchbook? I use my sketchbook for anything I need to brain-dump. Some of my sketchbook pages result in something I want to share, like the scans I’ve included here, but in all honesty most of my pages are filled with meeting notes, stream-of-consciousness brainstorms, and sometimes “notes to self” I struggle to make sense of later on.
Mindless Doodling
I’ll mindlessly doodle when I have the impulse to get my hand moving, often when I’m watching TV or spending time with friends. I approach the doodle as intuitively as I can, removing any preconceived notion of what a finished page should look like, letting my hand take me where it naturally wants to go. I build up layers with materials that feel good to use. I find this kind of doodle is a good way to get to know a new drawing tool.
Open-Ended Collage
I have always naturally gravitated to collage. It’s a way of making that doesn’t require me to pull something out of thin air. Instead, it’s about curating, arranging, and adjusting disparate parts until they sit comfortably with one another. I sort through my collage papers bin and pull together an assortment of things I’m drawn to. I work intuitively and quickly and practice trusting my impulses. My goal is usually to create a spread that holds some kind of visual cohesion.
Studying Something
It’s almost always fruitful to take a moment to really study something— to zoom in on an object or photograph I’m drawn to, identify what I like about it, and attempt to translate its texture and pattern. Many times these studies yield new color palettes, compositions, and design solutions that I later translate into more fully realized projects.
Drawing from Life
As someone with the privilege of many years of art education, I have banked countless hours drawing from life. In many moments as a student, I couldn’t always hold the value of it. With time and space from school, I have grown to really appreciate its value and enjoy it. I also realize now that part of the experience that felt so unpleasant was my sensory experience of using charcoal (like fingernails on a chalkboard). It’s such a pleasure to use the tools of my choosing, to not have anyone looking over my shoulder, to not have to show it to anyone if I don’t want to. I often draw from life during my downtime on vacation, but I try to prioritize it at home too. What better way to romanticize your life that to represent it in drawn or painted form? There’s something so magical about locking in with my subject matter and attempting to understand it enough to represent it visually. It can feel hard in moments, but the resolution is always so satisfying. Drawing from life is a great thing to try, regardless of your experience. It’s ok if it’s a little wonky. May I recommend Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain?
Clean Up Crew
Sometimes all the little bits leftover from a project are too good to throw away but too small to go back in the collage bin. When I’m cleaning off my work table, I like to make a quick collage of all the tiny leftover scraps. This exercise also forces me to make something without the creative control of cutting out my own shapes. I have to figure out how to make the collage work with only the pieces I have.
Using materials that feel good to use!!!
My last bit of sketchbook wisdom for now: set yourself up for success with materials that feel good to use and that make sense for your lifestyle! Pick out a sketchbook that feels good in your hands and fits in your bag. Pick out a pen that brings you joy when it glides across the paper. I’ve linked many of my favorite tools here, but ultimately you have to figure out what’s right for you. If your materials don’t make sense, you’re not going to use them. Allow yourself to indulge in the sensory experience of making things. After all, making art is supposed to be fun!!!
I love this. I keep a bullet journal that also functions as a sketchbook. I see many beautiful sketchbook spreads on Substack. But despite the reminder that it’s a place for experimentation and fun that might not always be interesting or beautiful, I don’t see many mediocre crappy looking pages on artists’ Substacks 😉 I don’t really blame them! Sharing the less successful stuff can be hard.
One of my goals this year is to get back in touch with my creative energy and this just gave me more inspiration. I love the object-pattern studies so so much. I have always kept a journal with me at all times which often includes sketches here and there, but it's just not enough for the pent up creative emotions. Your line about getting a burst of creative energy and no where to put it is so on point. Thank you for this inspiring post and the beautiful art you shared. These pieces made me feel a lot of joy. 💕