Sketchbooks and more sketchbooks

I have a crazy number of sketchbooks, both historic and current. Recently I was tidying them up and reflecting on how important they’ve always been to my creativity. The ways I use them are many and various. Here are a few.

Fathoming out I work things out in sketchbooks. I fathom out how things work, how they’re made and how to represent them. This might be how the branches divide on a tree, how a particular animal’s leg is jointed or how to make an object look three-dimensional. It’s almost scientific study.

Doodling (AKA creative thinking) I have sketchbooks for doodling in. For me this means making a mark, seeing what ideas that mark inspires, then making the next mark. So many quirky ideas come to light in this way. The process keeps me in touch with who I am.

Capturing memories I like to sketch from the landscape as a way of solidifying the memory of a place I’ve been. More than for what I draw, sketching makes me slow down. it enables me to really engage and take in my environment. I don’t forget a place when I’ve sat and drawn in it.

Filling time I enjoy drawing people and faces. I sometimes draw faces when in a boring meeting, when watching the news or when someone is sleeping. I love exploring the variations in faces and how expressions and character can be captured.

Trying out I have sketchbooks for trying things out. I might be experimenting with new materials, paint colours /combinations or a new technique. These sketchbooks are places to play and make discoveries.

Play paintings I like to have sketchbooks where I make small paintings. I enjoy having paintings I can come back to, add layers to or play around with. Sometimes these end up in frames. It’s often when I’m playing, with no pressure to achieve anything, that exciting things happen.