About sketchbooks:
I’ve noticed that a lot of guys don’t sketch in them. They will buy a really nice new book and tell themselves: “I’m only going to put my best sketches in it.” In doing so, they psyche themselves out and only do a couple drawings and then forget about the book altogether. In reality, the point of a sketchbook is to make ugly drawings – pieces and parts of things that aren’t finished and/or really fit together. It’s not meant to be pretty, but then again, sometimes it is. Those gems can be used as ideas for later projects. It becomes a place to practice or get your idea down – a place to wander and think.
It is very important to get in the habit of carrying a sketchbook with you.
Athletes spend part of every day practicing and training for their sport. If you want to draw and paint for a living you have to train as well.
It is very important to get in the habit of carrying a sketchbook with you.
Athletes spend part of every day practicing and training for their sport. If you want to draw and paint for a living you have to train as well.
What to carry:
Nothing fancy! To get started, It doesn’t have to be a high dollar sketchbook. Remember, you’re going to wreck it anyway. What you DO need is something small and portable – you are going to carry it everywhere you go and it will need to fit in a bag or be easy to grab and go.
You only need –
You only need –
- 1 pencil
- 1 pen
- 1 small pencil sharpener
- 1 eraser (I prefer a kneaded eraser for many reasons. notably, so it can mold into my pencil box. Also I dislike eraser boogers. Messy).
- Pencil Box or pouch
What to draw:
Believe it or not, you are sitting somewhere with loads of things to draw smacking you in the face. Yet you still feel like you have no ideas or nothing to draw. I do that too. you aren’t the only one. if you’re like me you might not find what’s around you as exciting subject matter, but let’s get real for a second. if you ever become a professional artist, there’s a good chance you might work on something that isn’t exciting at all and you will have to adapt. I draw lots of day to day items for the commissions I am on. I have gotten to the point that I now really enjoy the challenge of drawing each project in the most interesting way possible, especially, if it is something I haven’t drawn before.
I recommend keeping and making a personal list of things to draw. I suggest things that you haven’t tried drawing before, or if you’re interested in games, animation or comics, keep a list of characters to draw. In case you don’t have a list, I’m going to start you off with one.
I recommend keeping and making a personal list of things to draw. I suggest things that you haven’t tried drawing before, or if you’re interested in games, animation or comics, keep a list of characters to draw. In case you don’t have a list, I’m going to start you off with one.
- Nature – Trees, plants, flowers, water, clouds, hills, mountains, potted plants.
- Animals – Dogs, cats, horses, birds and bugs. (Get animal and bug dictionaries and draw each animal in order.The Eyewitness Books in the Children's section of the library or bookstore are pretty good visual aids. An image search is also acceptable.)
- People – Portraits, Heads, Quick poses, Hands, Feet, shoes, eyes, ears, noses, hair, clothes and costumes. I do this any time I'm stuck waiting. I could be waiting on food at a restaurant or sitting in the waiting room at the dentist, everyone that walks through there is a virtual library of interesting characters.
- Household Items – TV, couch, chairs, tables, shelves, fans, coffee maker, pots and pans, eating utensils, bottles, cups, office supplies, lawn mowers, shovels etc. Ikea catalogs are good to hang on to for this purpose.
- Vehicles and Mechanical items – Cars, trucks, cranes, dump trucks, garbage trucks, planes, helicopters, tanks, boats and ships. Robots, space ship’s, rockets.
- Architecture – Streets, shops, houses, apartments, townhomes, greenhouses, tool sheds, skyscrapers, monuments, castles, historical buildings.
- Last but not least look at movies, comic books, cartoons, tv shows for characters to draw. Copy what you see or create your own version of what inspires you.
Places to Draw:
The Zoo, parks, museums, monuments, the library, a cafe,-Really any place where you can sit and observe others.
How to Keep a sketchbook:
Sketchbooks are not only places to draw but also a good place to write down ideas or tell a story. Use it as a journal so you don’t forget that cool moment. Tape down that concert ticket on a page or that label of a brand you found you like. Jot down notes, reminders and contacts if you need. Keep lists in your sketchbook. Keep one just for to-do lists. Make this the main go to place for everything. If you are lost for something to do, I have found unfinished pieces of art in my books.
Personal Sketchbook Challenges:
- Challenge #1 – Draw at least 30 minutes a day. squeeze in an hour if you can. Do it while watching TV, riding in the car, or just sitting around. Remember, this is your daily exercise. This is your artistic workout. Take it with you!
- Challenge #2 – See how fast you can fill up your sketchbooks. Start off with an easier expectation like say, 6 months. Then see if you can work your way through one sketchbook in 30 days. This is one of my goals.
- Challenge #3 – Fill every square inch of a page if you can. Drawing in a confined space and using different shapes can help challenge your creative thinking.
- Challenge #4 – The EASY challenge. I added this for you guys that just feel too overwhelmed with stuff. Try this. Draw ONE doodle or sketch a day for a month. That’s it.
Motivation:
I highly recommend joining a social network like Instagram for posting your art and sketches as a daily practice. It’s a great way to get feedback, learn, and belong to a community. It’s easy to feel a bit lost and on your own. Sometimes just a “Good Job!” from someone is enough to push you forward.
Remember:
Sketchbooks are for just that. Sketching. it’s not meant for perfect works of art, it’s supposed to be messy, ugly and fun. You have thousands of ugly drawings to make before you start making good ones, so get them out as fast as you can! I can’t remember where I heard it first but it takes a person 10,000 hours before they become an expert at something. So get going and make 10,000 bad drawings! If you need permission, you have mine. Go! NOW!