Getting hooked on a particular location
Landscapes never stand still, they constantly shift and change, like the tide.
Previously, in a piece I wrote about sketchbooks (this one to be exact), I admitted that initially I wasn’t a big fan of sketchbooks. They were forced upon me through necessity and, as a result, they became a burden and an inconvenience.
What came after was many years of working out how to use them and what worked for me, and I did so slowly and quietly. I didn’t share it anywhere on social media, and I didn’t set any specific goals. I just wanted to find my own way without any external influences.
Back in 2017, that was a much easier task. There are so many amazing artists, illustrators, designers, and journalists sharing their sketchbooks now and it is great! But it’s also a tad noisy. And don’t worry - I am very aware of the irony of that statement, bearing in mind I am doing exactly that…
But back then, hardly anyone was sharing their sketchbooks., and it did make it easier to navigate without any preconceptions about what a sketchbook ‘should’ be.
Anyway! As promised, following a note I posted in late January with this photo attached…
I’m sharing with you why I work in so many sketchbooks, and I am doing a deep dive into each one.
Next up…my A5 landscape sketchbook!
This is an A5 landscape sketchbook by Royal Talens and I use it solely for drawing, painting and studying landscapes. This is actually my second landscapes sketchbook! I started one during the Pandemic, and enjoyed it so much I decided to keep it going.
I often use Royal Talens sketchbooks. What I love about them is:
They have nice thick paper to take all of my materials, and a lot of wet inks and paints
They fold almost completely flat
They have an elastic band to close the sketchbook. It’s niche, but go with me on this… I am one of those who sticks things in and stuffs their sketchbook with all sorts. Being able to shove things in the back, and then loop the elastic around, stops everything from falling out and getting damaged.
Having a landscapes sketchbook allows me to focus on a single subject. Landscapes are a hugely diverse subject matter, and often I find myself getting hooked on a particular location, style or working on compositions.
You can see there are a few pages of very similar drawings. What I'm doing is honing in on what I am enjoying, tweaking it each time and changing things. It is like a visual puzzle I need to solve before I move on. Whether that is playing with compositions, certain material combinations or a specific view, I often get an idea or a strong visual in my head and I need to work it out on paper.
I often make notes along the way too. Things that worked, things that didn’t. Material combinations I liked and in what order I used them. Sometimes I make a note of how long a drawing took, or if it is on location, where I was at the time. Notes in sketchbooks should always be just for you.
My sketchbooks are not full of perfect drawings on every page, that is not the purpose of sketchbooks for me. They should be a place for exploration, mistakes and fun without that feeling of comparison or conforming to what everyone else is doing.
I really enjoy the diversity that a landscape can bring. There are a multitude of different colours, textures, shapes, landmarks, they are strongly affected by the seasons and weather. They never stand still, they constantly shift and change, like the tide.
Do you keep a landscape sketchbook? If you are stuck on how to start a sketchbook, maybe the idea of a single subject can help and make it easier to start.
Until next time,
