1. Home
  2. Hobbies & Games
  3. Drawing / Sketching
photo of Helen South

Helen's Drawing / Sketching Blog

By Helen South, About.com Guide to Drawing / Sketching since 2002

Keeping a Sketchbook

Wednesday January 9, 2008
Got a new sketchbook for Christmas? Don't know where to start? Don't worry, here are a truckload of ideas to get you going! Take a look at keeping a Sketchbook for tips on getting started with the whole sketchbook-keeping habit. Then check out Sketchbook Ideas and Project Starters for loads of ideas arranged by theme.

Don't let preconceptions about how a sketchbook ought to look get in the way of your creativity. Those 'old master' pages are particularly dangerous (unless, perhaps, you're a student of Academy drawing). So too are sketchbooks created by designers who do crisp, clean pen drawings, if your natural style is messy and eclectic. My sketchbooks tend to be a dog's dinner of sketches, newspaper clippings, recipes and kid's scribbles! Though if you find big, serious work daunting, it can be helpful to first try drawing something more finished within the friendly, familiar confines of a favorite sketchbook.
Photo © V Lyashov, licensed to About.com, Inc.

Comments

January 15, 2008 at 9:39 am
(1) Giuseppe Petenzi says:

I like very much your suggestion and I’m trying to sketch on a new sketchbook every day!
All kinds of subjects,most important is practise every day.
Best regards,
Giuseppe

Leave a Comment

Line and paragraph breaks are automatic. Some HTML allowed: <a href="" title="">, <b>, <i>, <strike>

Explore Drawing / Sketching

About.com Special Features

Scrapbook Technique Gallery

Use these ideas to inspire your own uniquely beautiful pages. More >

Price Your Collectibles

Find out how much your treasured collection is worth. More >

  1. Home
  2. Hobbies & Games
  3. Drawing / Sketching

©2009 About.com, a part of The New York Times Company.

All rights reserved.