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  • On Sketchbooking: A Creative Chat With Jess Greenleaf

    by

    Lindsey Bugbee

    , ,

    Jess and I reunited over Zoom for a thoughtful, art-filled chat with TPK Premium members. Below is the video recording and a short recap of what we discussed!

    How to Make a Sketchbook Journal (and Why You Should!)
    Jess and I both love sketchbooks—and if you do too (or are curious to start), you’re in good company.

    This week, I sat down with watercolor artist Jess Greenleaf of Greenleaf & Blueberry for another cozy Zoom conversation with TPK Premium and G&B Patreon members. If you missed the live event, don’t worry—you can watch the full video recording below.

    A few brave souls shared their sketchbooks during this conversation—which was such a treat! Thanks again to Noony, Tami, and Laurie.

    Our Favorite Sketchbooks

    During the course of the conversation, we promised to include a list of our favorite sketchbooks in this synopsis. Here they are:

    • Stillman & Bern Epsilon Portrait Soft Cover: “The paper is thick and smooth but has a nice tooth to it, and the sketchbook itself is nicely durable without being oppressively heavy.” – Jess
    • Shinola: “Jess found this one first and raved to me about it. It’s the ‘Goldilocks’ of sketchbooks—a great size, with hardy mixed-media paper. Here’s an example of a page that I made in my Shinola!” – Lindsey
    • Hahnemühle Watercolor Book (wood pulp) & 100% Cotton Watercolor Book: “These sketchbooks are top quality while still being affordable. One of my favorites!” – Jess
    • Mahara Watercolor Journal: “If you’re looking for a massive sketchbook, this is a fun choice. It takes me days to fill up a page, but I don’t mind one bit. I love the heavy, ragged pages!” – Lindsey
    Watercolors + Calligraphy | The Postman's Knock
    The Mahara watercolor journal is massive—but fun to work in. Don’t put pressure on yourself to finish a page in a day!

    Why Sketchbooking Matters (Even If You’re Not an Artist)

    Our theme this month was sketchbooks and their versatility. They’re not just art journals; they can be spaces for reflection, experimentation, emotional processing, and memory-keeping. Jess and I have been talking about the value of sketchbooking since we met in college, and it was really cool to share that dialogue with all of you.

    Sketchbook Journal | The Postman's Knock
    This is a sketchbook spread from my junior year of high school.

    Jess emphasized that sketchbooks aren’t just for artists. They’re a flexible, creative outlet that anyone can use to process ideas, relieve stress, and experiment. I talked about how sketchbooking helped me through the emotional fog of the pandemic—sometimes it’s just about putting something on paper, no matter how small.

    Sharing My Quarantine Sketchbook Page
    Making this sketchbook page helped me to process my feelings during the pandemic. Now, I appreciate it as a reminder of what that time was like.

    Jess also shared how sketching became a vital part of her daily rhythm during COVID, from still lifes of toilet paper rolls to 20-minute cloud studies. These mini painting sessions gave her a sense of stability and helped her grow technically as an artist. (Bonus tip: Jess often dates her pages and notes how long she spent on each one.)

    This is one of Jess’ toilet paper still lifes from the pandemic.

    Copying = Creative Growth?

    One of my favorite parts of the chat was our discussion of copying as a learning tool. Jess and I both agreed that mimicking other artists’ styles can be invaluable—so long as it’s for practice and exploration, not passing off as original work. Jess showed a page where she had studied Van Gogh’s brushstrokes, and I talked about my deep dive into Peruvian hand lettering. Copying can help reveal what you love stylistically.

    Van Gogh reproduction by Jess Greenleaf
    This is Jess’ tiny rendition of a Van Gogh painting, as found in her How to Create a Daily Sketchbook Habit article.

    Sketchbooks for Everyone

    We talked about the joy of using whatever’s available as a sketchbook: old folders, repurposed journals, and accordion-style books. Jess showed off a few of her current sketchbooks, including a Shinola journal, a Blackwing brainstorming notebook, and a color study accordion sketchbook. It was inspiring to see how many forms a sketchbook can take.

    Bookbinding Tutorial | Greenleaf & Blueberry via The Postman's Knock
    Once upon a time, Jess wrote a guest tutorial over how to bind your own sketchbook. It’s not for the faint of heart!

    This session was packed with inspiration, and I think everyone left feeling excited to crack open a sketchbook. As always, thank you to everyone who showed up live. Your presence, questions, and shared pages made this conversation even richer. If you couldn’t make it, I hope this recap offers a bit of encouragement to start (or restart!) your own sketchbook journey.

    Warmly,