It sometimes seems like sketchbook art and realistic coloured pencil drawing are two very different art practices and many artists do like to stick to one or the other. I like to do both!
Throughout my foundation year at art college, we were encouraged (well told actually) to keep a sketchbook, yet we were given absolutely no guidance on what to use these sketchbooks for. (This is pretty typical of my art college experience, but that’s a topic for another day). I ended up mostly just drawing random objects, which I guess has stuck with me as I still do this today. Even as a teenager I was drawing to detail, much to the disgust of my tutors, who would constantly tell me to “loosen up”!
Sketching to improve drawing technique
I like to draw from life in my sketchbook. Of course, this means my usual subject of animals and wildlife is not the best choice, I don’t have any tigers to hand, and if I did, they’d be unlikely to sit still for very long! Instead, I usually sketch objects that I have to hand, there are plenty of online drawing challenges that provide prompt lists to give a starting point.
As my bigger art projects are done from reference photos, drawing from life gives me a different challenge, as I have to really observe the shapes, values and textures and how they relate to each other. Working from photos “flattens” the image, so working from real object is great practice. It also a great way to practice simplifying subjects and picking up on the key elements.
Sketching as a creative outlet
My highly detailed realistic drawings take a long time to complete and it can be hard to stay motivated when progress is slow. Sketching is a great way to get a quick creative fix! You don’t need much time or space, just a pen or pencil and a small sketchbook, you can sit on the sofa and draw something close to hand, such as your morning cuppa, or even your hand!
It also means I can use different media, my go to is fineliner pens, I line the challenge of creating different tones using just lines. As with many artists, I do like to collect art materials, and a sketchbook is a great place to experiment, which or course means you need to start a sketchbook collection too!
To see more of my sketching, follow me on Instagram!
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