10 Tips for Maintaining a Good Sketchbook

  1. Make It Yours. ...A sketchbook doesn’t need to be expensive, and it doesn’t have to be purchased in an art store. There are no rules about whether it needs to be hardbound, wirebound or softcover, or about what kind of paper is inside. The important thing is to use the sketchbook you like, and to make sure the paper will support your favorite art materials, whether they’re pencils, pens, paints or something else.
  2. Keep It Portable. ...Decide what size sketchbook is easiest to carry around with you. Many people prefer pocket-sized sketchbooks, while others like them a little larger. Whatever your preference, make sure it’s easy for you to transport so you’ll have the opportunity to sketch anywhere you go. You can always find a spare minute standing in line, in a waiting room, or on a break to sketch something, provided you take your sketchbook with you when you leave the house. If you like, you can keep larger sketchbooks in your home and simply leave your on-the-go sketchbook in your bag or car to make sure you never forget it.
  3. Relax and Accept Imperfection. ...Not every page in your sketchbook will come out exactly the way you plan, and that’s okay. Don’t be afraid to play around, capture ideas, or quickly draw what you see. Allow yourself to simply enjoy the act of sketching and the process of creating rather than worrying about the result. After all, if you decide you don’t like where the page is going, you can always turn to the next one. But don’t get into the habit of tearing out pages. Even the things you don’t like today might later become fodder for a new idea.
  4. Draw Every Day. ...Use your sketchbook every day, even if it’s only for a few minutes. Consistent practice will improve your artistic abilities dramatically. Your accuracy, speed and visual vocabulary will improve, and with it your confidence.
  5. Experiment. ...Your sketchbook is a place to experiment and play around. Try new and unexpected materials and various styles. Make marks and messes. Add color, paper or other ephemera to your pages. Use your sketchbook to discover what you like and what you don’t. There are no rules except the ones you impose on yourself.
  6. Divide the Page. ...If having an entire blank page to work on feels too expansive, try breaking down the page into smaller shapes you can draw within. Post-it Notes are handy to use as templates. Just draw around them to get a smaller frame you can use to focus your sketch. Try filling an entire sketchbook spread with frames and capture quick moments or details of objects instead of trying to reproduce the entire thing.
  7. Jumpstart Your Pages. ...​ Sometimes we just don’t know what we want to draw or how we should go about tackling that dreaded white page. If this causes you to avoid your sketchbook, try marking up the pages in advance to take the pressure off. Paint a few pages for a pop of color, make random lines to surprise yourself with later, or let someone else doodle or draw things for you to work around. If you have a young child, let them at a page or two with a few crayons. Once the pages are no longer pristine, you’ll worry less about making mistakes or playing around yourself.
  8. Use It for Everything...Turn your sketchbook into a constant companion and use it for everything. You can doodle or sketch from observation. You can create patterns or practice hand lettering. Sketch out concepts for larger art pieces you want to create, or test art materials. Collect and attach things you like or don’t want to lose, like tickets, business cards, leaves or flowers. Paste in pictures or decorate your pages with washi tape. You can do anything–everything–you want to make your sketchbook personal and useful to you.And don’t leave your life out of your sketchbook. Make grocery lists into art. Draw out your favorite saying. Make an artful flowchart to plan your next vacation. There is art in your everyday, so put it in your sketchbook.
  9. Write in your sketchbook... Not everything in your sketchbook has to be an image. You can make notes about drawings, or just keep notes in general, including grocery lists, to-do lists or calendars (wouldn’t they be fun to illustrate later?).  Use it as a diary, make lists or collect quotes. Write down things that inspire you, observations you make and snippets of dialogue you overhear. Create a list of artists you love, techniques you want to try or things you want to practice. Keep websites you like to visit or that have resources you find useful. Make lists of artists you draw inspiration from, social media feeds and Pinterest board ideas. There are dozens of ways to utilize writing in your sketchbook, so don’t be afraid to include it.
  10. Date every page... Be sure you date each page in your sketchbook. This will help you see your progression over time, and it will create a visual record of each year. Going back to look at the places you went, the materials you tried, and the drawings or paintings you liked (or didn’t) will be a rewarding experience and may even spark new creative ideas. And while you’re at it, don’t forget to sign your pages, too!Ultimately, how you use your sketchbook is up to you, but the most important thing to remember is that your sketchbook should be personal and useful. It should be exciting to take out and play in your sketchbook, so loosen up, do what you enjoy and let yourself be inspired by the things you create.

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Extra

Option 1 - Push Your Observational Skills in Rendering
Each week you will be required to complete 1 drawing of a chosen subject matter by observation in your sketchbook.  Challenge yourself to draw what you see.  When artists paint or draw outdoors it is called "En Plein Air"; however, you are not required to draw outdoors.  Choose a subject matter that you engage in but challenge yourself to draw from life.  This will only push you to become a better observer and ultimately a better drawer.  Draw the same subject matter each week.  The ultimate goal is to see how you improve in drawing by the end of the trimester.  Each drawing should be worked on each week and turned in on Friday.
Examples of Subject Matter to Draw Each Day
  • Your view from your bus seat
  • your vehicle
  • what you ate for breakfast
  • a part of the school
  • an object you have in your back pack
  • something in your room
  • your pet
  • a family member
  • etc.​
Option 2 - Push Your Creativity
Each week you are required to complete 1 drawing in your sketchbook.  Each drawing should be worked on each week and turned in on Friday.  If you choose this option, each week you will have a different list of subject matter provided to you by Manders. Of course you are free to come up with your own ideas to draw. 
​WEEK  ONE
  1. An animal
  2. A shoe
  3. A hopeful feeling
  4. Your favorite candy
  5. Something that makes you happy
  6. Something that annoys you
  7. A series of events
  8. A lizard
  9. The evolution of a species
  10. ____________________________​
WEEK  FOUR
  1. One thing you have never told anyone
  2. A dream
  3. A regret
  4. Your favorite photograph
  5. Something that upsets you
  6. Something that make you feel better
  7. A series of 4 photos from a photo booth
  8. A dinosaur
  9. What killed the dinosaurs
  10. ____________________________
​WEEK  SEVEN
  1. You as a little kid
  2. You now
  3. You in 20 years
  4. You as a old timer
  5. Your happiest moment from last week
  6. Your saddest moment of last week
  7. A time machine
  8. Something you find on the floor
  9. a tree house
  10. ____________________________
WEEK  TWO
  1. One lie
  2. A holiday
  3. An outfit
  4. Your worst habit
  5. Your view at 7 pm
  6. An extra curricular activity
  7. A fictional character
  8. A representation of air
  9. A noxious creature
  10. ____________________________
WEEK  FIVE
  1. A guilty pleasure
  2. Something you hate to draw
  3. A very detailed piece of string
  4. A eye
  5. A nose
  6. A mouth
  7. A ear
  8. A big toe
  9. ½ wild Animal mixed with ½ human
  10. ____________________________
WEEK  EIGHT
  1. Something from the future
  2. A monster that could take over a city
  3. A woodland creature
  4. A outline silhouette filled with pattern
  5. One of the 1st 20 presidents
  6. Glue a head from a magazine and draw a body that doesn’t make sense
  7. A fish with color features
  8. A bear wearing a sweater
  9. A radio
  10. ____________________________
WEEK  THREE
  1. An outstanding being
  2. Being wordy
  3. Your view at a restaurant
  4. Your job
  5. A coffee cup/mug
  6. A famous artwork
  7. An original character
  8. Whatever lives in water
  9. A void
  10. ____________________________
WEEK  SIX
  1. Something disgustingly cute
  2. Your Spirit animal
  3. Something that was blown up
  4. Use Stippling
  5. Use Cross Hatching
  6. A contour Drawing
  7. A Blindfolded drawing
  8. Find a crack on the floor and turn that shape into a monster
  9. A origami something
  10. ____________________________
WEEK  NINE
  1. Something from the kitchen
  2. Go outside and draw a building from your neighborhood
  3. Something made out of wood
  4. Draw only with a pen
  5. Draw with something you find in your fridge
  6. Draw what happen in your locker when you are not there
  7. Draw a comic of food if it could talk
  8. Your super power
  9. What are you most proud of?
  10. ____________________________
​WEEK  TEN
For each day redo one of your favorite sketchbook assignments you drew earlier.  Write down what you picked.
RUBRIC
A formative grade for sketchbook drawings for the week will be given on Friday of that week.
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4 = All 5 drawings for the week are completed in sketchbook and are very thoughtful and depicts students artistic voice.  Evidence that more than 20 min of detail was applied to drawing.
3 = All 5 drawings for the week are completed in the sketchbook.  Evidence of 20 min of detail was applied to drawing
2 = 3-4 drawings for the week are completed or partially complete in the sketchbook.  Evidence of some effort in detail was applied.
1 = 1-2 drawings for the week are completed or partially complete in the sketchbook.  Little evidence of effort or detail applied.