Why I’m Experimenting In Sketchbooks in 2024
Sketchbooks have never appealed to me. If I am being honest, they stress me out a little. All those blank pages, attached to each other, all the opportunities to create something really ugly that you then have to look at over and over again as you continue to fill the sketchbook. Or, perhaps more embarrassing, do you cut out the pages of your failures, both removing the mess up, but always having a scar of what was once there.
My accumulated sketchbooks that need some love.
Perhaps that’s a bit melodramatic, but people talk about the fear of the blank page or a blank canvas at the start of a project, and a sketchbook seems like the same concept, but on steroids.
So why a sketchbook practice now? First, I’m a bit more confident in my creative practice. I’m less critical of mistakes. I’m also better at fixing most of them or pivoting in a new direction. I want a chance to play a bit more with my art, in terms of colors, textures, mediums, etc.
I NEED more experimentation, which by very definition means more mess ups, more failures, more ugly art.
Second, I have some big projects in the works. I’m learning how to make art prints (which is taking longer than I thought it would). I’ve just started an eight week intensive design course. Between those two big tasks and the usual, work, exercise, and try to have a life goals, I’m not sure yet whether I will have the time or the desire to work on more finished pieces for the next couple months. So I’m hoping (no guarantees yet), that I might be able to create a sketchbook habit that is easy and meditative.
I did a 100 day art project a while back and while I was pretty tired of the whole endeavor by the end of it, one thing I did learn was that the outcome was less important than constantly showing up. Everything gets easier the more you do it. Nine times out of ten I would seriously dislike whatever I created, but every once and a while a drawing would go in a direction I hadn’t anticipated or I would just feel better after doodling for 10 minutes. So I’ve decided that this year will be a year of sketchbooks. I’m not sure entirely what that means, but I have two specific directions I’ll be exploring.
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Watercolor Sketchbooks
First page of my Strathmore watercolor sketchbook
I purchased two watercolor sketchbooks at the end of 2024. A letter-sized Strathmore 400 Series Watercolor Art Journal with cold press watercolor paper and an A4 (11.7 x 8.3 inch) Etchr Mixed Media Hardbound Sketchbook also with cold press watercolor paper. I have seen both of these sketchbooks used by other watercolor artists I follow and my immediate assessment is that they feel substantial and I like that the paper is on the thicker side. I’ve started painting in the Strathmore journal and I’m still deciding what my process is going to be. My initial ideas for how to use these sketchbooks include:
A way to test out ideas and create studies for paintings that might turn into larger pieces.
A way to test techniques and different mediums (acrylics, gouache, combining materials)
A way to learn from other artists. There are so many videos, books, etc. that might help me elevate my process.
I have at least moved beyond the first page of my one journal, so that is at least a good sign.
Drawing Sketchbooks
First page in my drawing sketchbook.
While I do not see myself giving up my light table or my graphite paper anytime soon, I do want to work on my drawing skills. I think this will be particularly helpful with the design course I am taking where fine art is less useful than drawings and doodles that can be combined into something new. I received two drawing sketchbooks last year that basically sat untouched on my shelf for months. I have since started working in one of them and so far I don’t hate it (high praise, I know). I originally thought I would mainly look for online resources to help learn to draw, but so far I have spent more time drawing things I have photographed with my phone. All of my drawings start as pencil sketches, but I have rediscovered how much I love working with pens.
It’s far too early to tell where this sketchbook practice is going to go, but I’m at least open to the possibilities and with the first pages filled in both sketchbooks, I know that at least I’ll be a bit more confident moving forward.