Sketchbooks: Improve Your Art With a Daily Practice (Easy)

As an artist, it becomes easy to get trapped in trivial tasks and the motions of your work and life that we push off drawing until we "feel like it" or until we have "free time". At the very minimum drawing daily will improve your basic drawing skills. Keeping up a drawing practice will improve your life. Let me explain.

Last year I went to adjudication for a prestigious and very competitive summer program for visual arts. They had us bring artwork to be judged and do two drawing exercises in person. I then realized the harsh reality that my drawing abilities had plummeted. I was so focused on creating big impressive pieces that the most basic skills of creativity and sketching had plummeted. I was so angry with myself and frustrated that I decided to start in January 2018 I would fill one sketchbook a month. Specifically, a 40 page 5x8" sketchbook. I can confidently say, that was the best decision for my creativity, stress, skills, organization, and my mental health. To have one location to vomit and release your thoughts. I safe space to screw up, to cry, to make a mess, and to explore and capture a memory, thought or feeling. There is this misconception that keeping up a monthly drawing practice means that you create beautiful Instagram worthy pieces every day and you have to be a specific kind of artist to be able to do that. I believe that is all a lie. Everyone is capable of keeping a sketchbook a month, everyone can do it, and it will not be pretty but I believe that is the beauty of it.

I  am a high school student who has been creating and studying art for 16 years. I am a mixed media artist who truly tried everything I can get my hands on. I am in AP Art and I am the Vice President of my schools National Art Honors Society. Since middle school, I have gotten into my high schools Art Show which is a very big and competitive feat. Last year I shared a booth as a sophomore and was one of the only sophomores there. In addition, I can confidently state that people remembered my artwork and my booth. 

I truly hope you enjoy this class and find value in what I am teaching. Thank you for watching, sharing, and participating. I'm so grateful for you all and cannot wait to share more classes with you!

• Introduction
• Before You Start
• About Sketchbooks
• Your Sketcbook
• The First Page
• Exercises and Resources
• Final Thoughts