I don’t typically share my sketches or “practice” drawings but today I shall. I use to feel kind of naked if I showed people my practice work. It’s so raw and rough. I was almost embarrassed by it. I didnt want anyone to think I was a bad artist. I know, I know…it’s ridiculous! I am trying to get over that fear because the point of being a professional artist is to be exposed  and the point of keeping a sketchbook is to improve one’s skills. We’re all here to learn.

I decided to share my sketchbook because I can’t really share any of the major pieces I am working on right now. Some of them are gifts for Christmas. I plan on working on some Christmas/winter themed drawings soon. I did one of a foal for Halloween. I think I will do that for every holiday and see what I can come up with. I missed Thanksgiving unfortunately, but I’ll catch it next time.

I also would like to start doing W.I.P (work in progress)posts. I will photograph my drawings as I work on them and you can see it all come together in the end. Just some ideas I have for the near future! Now…back to the sketchbook.

I love blank paper! For being a tree hugger you wouldn’t think I would love having heaps of paper! I typically buy the sketchbooks with 50% recycled paper though, so it makes me feel a little better. 😉

I picked up this book a few months ago actually and never started using it until recently. It’s entitled “500 Drawing Prompts”, obviously. Oh my goodness I love it so much! It is so plain looking but it’s the best. There is enough space for any artist to doodle their own cover to look however they please. As you can see I could use some pictures on the cover of mine.

When you open it up, it is nothing but blank pages with one or two of the most random words per page. And there you have it, hours of entertainment for your average artist!

Sometimes it can be very overwhelming to try and create a “fine” piece of art all the time. You don’t want to mess up, it has to be perfect, you are so paranoid about making sure the paper stays clean, you don’t want to leave fingerprints or smear your hand across it while your drawing. You want it to look realistic and neat. So much pressure. Yea, most of it is self inflicted but those are my trials as an artist/perfectionist. That’s why when things aren’t coming out the way I want them to, I take a break and just doodle in my sketchbook. It doesn’t matter if it looks like garbage. It doesn’t matter if I make a huge irreversible mistake. It’s no big deal if coffee is spilled on it. Just wait for it to dry and draw something out of the coffee stain! It can be literally what ever I want to draw at the moment from a mermaid to a flying taco. (I have never drawn a flying taco but maybe I will now).

Just like a flying taco, this sketchbook is so random. It’s awesome! I like to flip through it and point my finger on a random page to pick what I’ll do next. I was surprised when I came across the page “Yeti”. I am a big cryptozoology nut so I was excited to draw one! I’ve drawn Nessie, the Chupacabra, and the Jersey Devil in the past. Now I can add Yeti to that list! Sweet!

I think I have about 4 or 5 full sketchbooks right now. Not very many considering how long I have been drawing. But like I said, I’m a tree hugger so I try to really fill the paper! I probably won’t share any of my old sketchbooks. I keep them around to remind me how far I have come as an artist. Sometimes when I feel low, it’s nice to look back and see that I have actually made improvement.

Do you keep a sketchbook or a journal? What’s you favorite thing to draw/write about and why? Share your thoughts below in the comments!

Until next time…

Hakuna Matata