I’m Not A Hoarder I Promise!
Having a mini sketchbook is perfect to throw into a bag or rucksack and take on the go
Previously, (and I am sure you know the drill by now, but incase you don’t…) 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 little A6 sketchbook!
This is an A6 square sketchbook from Royal Talens (I know, Royal Talens again, but I really do use their sketchbooks so much because they are great!) and I use it solely for small studies, colour swatches and a mini scrapbook.
I know I really go on about Royal Talens sketchbooks, and I am sure you’re thinking, “yes Abby, we know already”, but as a recap these are some of the great things about them, and why I recommend them to everyone!
What I love about them is:
They have nice thick paper that stands up to take all of my materials, and a lot of wet inks and paints. The colour is slightly off-white as well which I really like. I find a stark white is a little too harsh for me.
They fold almost completely flat, and you can easily clamp the paper at both ends and it creates a nice smooth surface to work on. So if plein air drawing is your thing, this is a really useful asset to have!
They have an elastic band to close the sketchbook. It’s niche, but go with me on this… I am one of those people who sticks things in and stuffs their sketchbook with all sorts of stuff I find, cut out and want to keep. Being able to shove things in the back, and then loop the elastic around, stops everything from falling out and getting damaged.
Having a mini sketchbook is perfect to throw into a bag or rucksack and take on the go - again, for all my plein air sketchers this is for you! They are also a great option if you want to start a sketchbook but find bigger sizes too overwhelming.
Wanting to start a sketchbook, whether that is to draw in, write or journal in, or to use as a collage scrapbook, can feel like a hard task when there are so many sketchbook options out there.
Take the pressure off yourselves and choose a small size to begin with! It honestly takes the strain off feeling like you have to ‘fill’ bigger pages. If the pages are small, it does make keeping a sketchbook feel easier - I promise! The first Moleskin I bought way back when, was a little A6 hardback.
This sketchbook has lots of colour swatches from other illustrations I have created. Often when I am drawing and painting, I use scraps of paper or tear off paper for palettes.
When they are dry, they often have really lovely colour combinations on, textures and marks and I don’t want to get rid of them! I’m not a hoarder I promise, but I do follow my gut and trust when my eyes see something they are drawn too.
So cutting them up and placing them into categories works really well. The categories are as simple as similar textures and colours. Again, don’t make extra work for yourself by thinking you have to come up with something clever. Simplicity is key!
I do go back and flick through to find colour combinations I like and use them as a base to start a new drawing. They also serve me well when I have to choose art materials to pack when I am drawing on location. It saves you having to think about a colour palette from scratch!
That’s a good tip, make a note of that somewhere…maybe scribble it down in your sketchbook!
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.
Do you keep a mini sketchbook? If you are stuck on how to start one, having a small sketchbook can help if you are feeling overwhelmed. Starting small can make it easier, less overwhelming and takes the pressure off.
Buy a sketchbook and just make a start, start today, stick something in that you like, make a list of your favourite materials, write a note to yourself or a goal you would like to achieve. It doesn’t matter what you do in it, just do something and go forward from there.
Tell me your favourite sketchbook brands, or what you like to use your sketchbooks for, let’s share all the ways we use them.
Thanks for reading, and do share this if you found it useful.
Until next time,
I totally agree with this. I was intimidated by sketchbooks but I recently got a tiny one. The significantly reduced pressure helped me get over a lot of the fear, and I was super proud of what I was able to come up with.