How To Fill a Sketchbook

     Let's start with a more important question: why should you fill a sketchbook? The most obvious reason is to practise and keep your skills intact. Drawing and painting, like any other ability, must be done consistently to not be forgotten. And by "consistently" I mean daily.

     Seems like a really daunting task, right? Well, not that much in fact. Look at your sketchbook as on a playground. Doodle in it, experiment, learn, destroy, build, create, journal- the possibilities are endless! Let me share with you some of my sketchbook solutions.

     The very first sketchbook that I honestly finished was the one that I made myself. I was still in school (read 'broke') and couldn't find my perfect match amongst the cheap books. I would more likely draw in something customised. and trust me, sewing a book isn't really all that complicated! The content of this sketchbook is chaotic, practice-oriented and overall bad. I kept it for sentimental reasons only.

     Speaking of practice. You don't have to feel obligated to make every page perfect. In fact, none of them should be. Sketchbook can be a way to record ideas or reactions to various things. Every day, when I go to a picture based social media like Pinterest or Instagram, I like to draw the first thing I like. I would find that interesting anyways but dismiss right after but now it's in the records.

     At times when I need to paint but really doesn't feel like it, I like to do a quick little warm up. A simple exercise, nothing too challenging to get the creativity flowing. I personally love the random boxes method form this video.

     The fourth idea I want to touch on is something I know from art school. Gesture drawing. This is the exercise for your technical skills only. Because, to nail the pose, you don't need talent or creativity but loads of experience. And this is how you gain it. We did 30 seconds live drawings in school. Now you can find dedicated sites (like this) for gesture drawings references and anatomy studies. While we're here I really need to mention the sketchbook slam challenge. Completing 600 pages in a month effortlessly calls for gesture sketches!

     The final tip from me is to do the challenge. Inktober just ended, sketchbook slam gains more and more popularity. There's 3 markers challenge, 100 days of art, 30 days of watercolour, #draw50things, art variation on "vlogmass" if you wish to do that! All of them have one common trade, they are social. Sharing art with people is a good motivator to keep going. Because it's easier to disappoint yourself than to let down other people. Keep that in mind.

     Have a nice day and don't forget to sketch today! With love, K.