I believe that every person with any degree of interest in creating art or lettering should have a sketchbook journal! I have kept one since 2004, and I still derive so much enjoyment out of creating new pages. It’s an activity that allows me to relax, think, and experiment with new mediums!
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Yesterday, I was scouring my imagination {and my Pinterest} for blog post ideas, when suddenly a topic fell into my lap. A gracious reader, Martha, sent an email requesting a blog post comparing different types of paper. I found this to be a brilliant suggestion because the world of paper can be scary to navigate, especially if you’re a beginning artist, designer, or calligrapher! It can be difficult to know which type of paper to use for what, and even to understand the difference between certain papers.
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A week or so ago, someone emailed me requesting a blog post for true beginners: people who have recently developed an interest in creating. For a while, I wondered where to start — then I had a “duh” moment: art essentials. While I am a bonafide hoarder when it comes to art tools/supplies, I tried to imagine that I was going to be marooned on a desert island and could only bring ten art essentials {and unlimited food} with me. {In case you’re wondering, why, yes, I have watched Pirates of the Caribbean recently.} So: here are the ten essentials that I would recommend in the marooned-on-an-island-scenario, which also happen to be the ten supplies that beginners can consider procuring to begin their creative journey.
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{Don’t have time to read this blog post? Download my sketchbook for free here.}
Yesterday, I was filling out an interview for a feature in heART Journal Magazine. All was going swimmingly until I reached the last question, which read: “Do you keep an art journal? If so, do you post anywhere that the readers can go take a peek?” That was when I realized — wow, I don’t have my art journal {which I refer to as a sketchbook} posted anywhere. It’s about time that changed!
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Once upon a time in Europe, I met Jessica {of Greenleaf & Blueberry}. As roommates on our study abroad program, we immediately hit it off, successfully bringing out strange quirks in each other that rendered our fellow study abroad participants squeamish and confused. Jess’s affectionate nickname for me was “Pooky Bella” — “Pooky” because it’s the sort of name you just don’t call me due to my type-A, serious personality; and “Bella” because we heard it all over the streets of Italy from amorous Italian stallions. Once, we tried to survive on just leek broth for an entire day, that should have been three days, that actually only ended up being a morning. For several wonderful weeks, we shared custody of a small, plastic-bodied cereal box toy that must people would recognize as “The Joker” from Batman, but we christened him Edgar and hauled him around Europe, taking ample photos of him. {Edgar has now passed, but his memory lives on.}
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My sketchbook journal habit has taken a serious hit in the past five-ish years; but it was justified because I was busy with, you know, college. However, now that I am not in college, I have resolved to give my sketchbook journal the attention it deserves.
I have two complete sketchbook journals from my high school years, and I love looking through them because of the memories and feelings they evoke. All the little things that were special to me — notes from friends, pictures, quotes — went in my sketchbook journal.
So, what’s the difference between a sketchbook journal and a scrapbook? In my opinion, a sketchbook journal is more intuitive. There’s less explanation and more feeling. You still include elements like photos and old notes, but you guide your viewer through them with color and symbols more than text. For example, here’s the sketchbook journal spread I finished this morning: