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  • Welcome to TPK! This is your first of 2 free articles. For unlimited access to tutorials and articles, join TPK Premium for less than the cost of a latte.

    Sixteen Years of Sketchbooking: An eBook

    June 24, 2021

    by

    Lindsey Bugbee

    Merchandise, Sketchbook

    Call me snoopy (you wouldn’t be wrong), but I love looking through other people’s sketchbooks! It’s so interesting to me to see the topics that others choose to explore and the mediums that they use to bring those topics to life. Today, I’m sharing 16 years’ worth of my sketchbooking efforts with you in a…

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    16 Years of Sketchbooking: an eBook

    The other day, I was flipping through Sabrina Ward Harrison’s Spilling Open for the 100th time. I’ve loved that published sketchbook for years, and I notice something new every time I peruse it! As I was looking through the pages, it occurred to me that I have a lot of sketchbook pages to share, too: 16 years’ worth, in fact. You can find those sketchbook pages in Sixteen Years of Sketchbooking.

    Why I Made 16 Years of Sketchbooking

    When I began high school, all art class students were issued a sketchbook and loose instructions to work in it throughout the year. We didn’t have any prompts, but books like Spilling Open and Artists’ Sketchbooks and Journals were kept in the classroom for inspiration.

    Pages from Spilling Open | The Postman's Knock
    This is a page from Spilling Open, Sabrina Ward Harrison’s published sketchbook.

    Throughout the years, I’ve found sketchbooking to be such a valuable tool for trying out new art techniques in a judgment-free zone. Time and time again, my sketchbooks have also served as a valuable place to record memories and process emotions.

    16 Years of Sketchbooking

    In 16 Years of Sketchbooking, I am showing you my sketchbook pages — past and present — for a few reasons:

    1. I want to share that sketchbook pages don’t have to look super polished and professional. Some of my recent pages do look nice, but the bulk of the pages were created when I was younger. Somehow, they manage to convey more emotion despite being less polished.
    2. I want to show you lots of different page examples. There are a few sketchbook page tutorials here and there on the TPK blog, but this eBook lays out 93 different sketchbook page scans for you to look at.
    3. The pages are interesting. When I flip through Spilling Open, I see Harrison’s artistic and emotional growth, which is striking to observe. I believe these sketchbook pages function in a similar way.
    Sharing My Quarantine Sketchbook Page
    You might recognize a few sketchbook pages — like this coronavirus quarantine piece — from the TPK blog. Most of the pages, however, have never been published online.

    How to Use This eBook

    First, look at all the pages of 16 Years of Sketchbooking. This will help you to find pages that inspire you for your own sketchbook. If you’re particularly intrigued by a certain page and you want to know more about it, go to the back of the book. There, I’ve written a short explanation of every single page.

    Page numbers for 16 Years of Sketchbooking can be found at the bottom center of every page.

    Next, get out your own sketchbook and start creating! Remember that a sketchbook is a work in progress, and there’s no pressure to fill yours up at any particular speed. Keep the eBook open to a specific page for reference, if it helps to do so.

    Other Information

    Due to all the color-rich graphics, the eBook is a fairly large file (170 MB). Some email providers are a little weird about large files, so I recommend downloading the book from the order confirmation page — or your account — after checking out. (You will also receive an order confirmation email with a download link.)

    16 Years of Sketchbooking eBook

    This eBook comes to you in PDF format. If you would prefer an EPUB file, shoot me an email after placing your order, and I’ll be glad to send it to you! Note that the EPUB file is much larger (300 MB). While the photos show the eBook on an iPad, you can read it on any device that supports PDF files, like a computer or a smartphone.

    GET THE 16 YEARS OF SKETCHBOOKING EBOOK

    Free Sketchbook Inspiration

    At $6.75, this new eBook isn’t a free product. But, you can find a lot of sketchbook inspiration and instruction here on the TPK website for free. Click here to see all of TPK’s articles that pertain to sketchbooking.

    How to Add Color to Your “Day in the Life” Sketchbook Layout
    You can learn how to make a sketchbook page like this one here.

    I hope that this new eBook gives you some fun weekend reading material and inspiration! If you have any questions or experience any problems with the download, just shoot me an email (lindsey@thepostmansknock.com). Happy creating!

    Warmly,

    Lindsey's Signature | The Postman's Knock

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Sketchbooking

About The Postman’s Knock (TPK)

Hi, I’m Lindsey Bugbee, the illustrator, calligrapher, and author behind The Postman’s Knock (TPK). Since 2012, the TPK Blog has been a vibrant creative space filled with tutorials and lessons on modern calligraphy, hand lettering, and illustration. After publishing The Calligraphy Book, I wanted to elevate the quality of content even further—so I launched TPK Premium. You can join here to receive access to some of the internet’s best creative inspiration and project tutorials.

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6 responses

  1. Donna LaValley Avatar
    Donna LaValley
    July 14, 2021

    I love all your stuff, very inspirational.

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  2. Joy Avatar
    Joy
    July 14, 2021

    Your pages are so very beautiful! Joy

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  3. Hafrún Ásta Hafsteinsdóttir Avatar
    Hafrún Ásta Hafsteinsdóttir
    July 14, 2021

    That is so awesome love the treelook

    Log in to Reply
  4. Maria Garcia Avatar
    Maria Garcia
    July 13, 2021

    You are my pioneer in learning calligraphy! You are so creative and real inspirational to keep the hobby alive till the time to be expert! Though, calligraphy is my hobby besides my IT profession (you could visit this https://www.itsupportcell.com/it-support-chicago.html for getting any IT related support). By the way, wonderful resources on this ebook! Many congratulation. Thanks for sharing!

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  5. Judy Green Avatar
    Judy Green
    June 25, 2021

    Fantastic ebook on your sketchbook history! Thanks for sharing. Love the progression seen in your art and the many links for additional resources. You certainly are an inspiration to many. Thanks again.

    Log in to Reply
    1. Lindsey Bugbee Avatar
      Lindsey Bugbee
      June 27, 2021

      That’s so sweet of you to say! It’s my pleasure. 🙂

      Log in to Reply

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Just back in the TPK Supplies Shop: Finetec Arabic Just back in the TPK Supplies Shop: Finetec Arabic Gold watercolor pans (and the fabulous Finetec Golds palette). ✨ Gold makes *anything* gorgeous, but use it to make a calligraphy medallion, and it’s just next-level. 🤩 (Tutorial for this particular medallion can be found in the Dancing Pen Calligraphy Medallions Worksheet Set). 

To find the golds + the worksheet, visit the link in my bio, then navigate to “Shop”. Happy weekend! 

#goldcalligraphy #goldwatercolor #pointedpencalligraphy #fineteccoliro #goldcalligraphy
Hard to fit everything in, but this was 2025 in a Hard to fit everything in, but this was 2025 in a nutshell at TPK! 🥜

This year, I loved teaching at @thehappyevercrafter’s Workshop Week and participating in @calmingcalligraphy’s World Calligraphy as Meditation Day. And seeing the TPK calligraphy kit featured in @newyorkermag’s 2025 holiday gift guide was an unexpected (and delightful) cherry on top! 🍒

So much of what happened over the past year, though, was shaped by the TPK Premium community. Their questions and feedback helped guide Hand Lettering 101, while their encouragement fueled tutorials on topics ranging from turning red wine into calligraphy ink to illustrating recipes, painting with a wedge brush, and creating greeting cards and envelope art. 💌 That same support made it possible to create new worksheets and resources that others were able to enjoy as well, which I’m very grateful for. 

For a fuller recap (with helpful links and details) I shared a 2025 reflection on the TPK blog (link in bio).

#handlettering #gracefulenvelopecontest #pointedpencalligraphy #discordcommunity #calligraphyteacher
Which is your favorite koi-themed envelope? The fi Which is your favorite koi-themed envelope? The first one (A. Moreira), which was created as a prop for “The Calligraphy Book” ... *or* the second (Nigel Wright), which was created for the photographer who took pictures of the Moreira envelope for “The Calligraphy Book”? (When I heard how much Nigel had loved the first koi envelope, I made him his own variation!) 🎏

#mailart #snailmail #mailbox #snailmailrevolution #koiart
✨ A little comparison today … because not all ✨ A little comparison today ... because not all golds behave the same.

✦ Finetec gold → bright, cheerful, and versatile
✦ Greenleaf & Blueberry faux brass → softer, muted, and stunning
✦ Yasutomo pale gold → velvety, subtle shimmer with a sensible amount of sparkle

I love having all three on hand and choosing based on the feel I want for a project. It’s tough to go wrong! ✨

#moderncalligraphy #calligraphytools #goldink #watercolorcalligraphy #letteringcommunity mailart calligraphypractice artmaterials creativeprocess handlettering
🕊️ I originally made these printable tags for 🕊️ I originally made these printable tags for gifts … but now I want them everywhere. On presents 🎁, yes; but also tucked into snail mail, sprinkled across a holiday table with happy words written inside (“joy”, “love”, “peace”), or styled on a mantle for a cozy seasonal touch 🎄. They’re simple, charming, and versatile. Find them on the TPK Blog (link in bio)!

#thepostmansknock #printableart #giftwrappingideas #snailmaillove #happymail handillustrated holidaydetails paperlove creativegifting handlettering makersofinstagram stationeryaddict thoughtfuldetails slowdownandsendmail gifttags diygifttag giftwrapping giftpresentation handwrappedgift
I experimented with using the chic poppies techniq I experimented with using the chic poppies technique (see my reel from a couple of days ago) to make pretty stationery. LOVE how it turned out! The poppies are just an elegant way to add personality and elegance to any paper good. If you’re a TPK Premium member, *definitely* check out Lesson 6 of the Beginner’s Modern Calligraphy Online Course (2025 version). In it, you’ll find a detailed video demonstration that shows you how to bring these poppies to life! ✍️

#stationery #diystationery #floralillustration #penandink #handdrawn #drawing #painting #sumiink #snailmail #mail #mailart #snailmailrevolution #happymail #mailbox #calligraphy #pointedpen #dippen #rosegoldsumi
TPK’s calligraphy starter kit was just featured TPK’s calligraphy starter kit was just featured in @newyorkermag’s “A Holiday Gift Guide: Treasures That Are Old, or Old at Heart”. 🎁 I agree that it makes for a *fabulous* gift ... and it is the gift that keeps on giving, since your recipient will develop the skills to create all sorts of beautiful and satisfying projects. We’re talking gorgeous envelopes, frameable quotes that make a home feel cozy, place cards, sketchbook pages, family trees ... there are a lot of possibilities (and tutorials for those possibilities can be found on the TPK Blog)!

To get a kit, visit the link in my bio and navigate to the “SHOP” tab. If you buy a kit as a gift, let me know right after placing your order (lindsey@thepostmansknock.com). Be sure to tell me your recipient’s name, and I’ll be glad to include instructions for them over how to enroll in the Beginner’s Modern Calligraphy Online Course, which comes with the $125 kit option. ✍️ Happy holidays! 

#thepostmansknock #tpk #calligraphy #moderncalligraphy #calligraphycommunity #calligraphypractice #calligraphytools #calligraphyset #calligraphykit #giftguide #holidaygiftguide #newyorkermag #smallbusinesslove #shopsmall #makersgonnamake #creativegifts #handmadegifts #artgifts #artsupplies #stationerylove #snailmailrevival #envelopecalligraphy #learncalligraphy #artistsontiktok #creativeprocess #holidayseason #giftideas2024
✨Chic Inky Poppies Mail Art✨ – This inky poppy ✨Chic Inky Poppies Mail Art✨ - This inky poppy motif is one of my all-time favorites for filling blank space with drama and elegance. To make it, you use dark ink smudges, loose leaves, and airy petals to build a border that looks intricate but comes together quickly. My go-tos for this style are sumi ink and a touch of gold watercolor for warmth. 

Want to try it yourself? Visit the TPK website (link in bio) and search for “Chic Inky Poppies Mail Art Tutorial.” Happy creating! 🌸🖋️

#thepostmansknock #tpk #mailart #mailartideas #envelopeart #snailmailrevival #snailmailing #snailmailart #envelopecalligraphy #calligraphycommunity #calligraphypractice #pointedpencalligraphy #moderncalligraphy #sumiink #goldwatercolor #penandink #creativeprocess #creativemail #illustrationart #papercraft #stationerylove #artistsoninstagram #artreels #calligraphyreels #mailartreels
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