Ideas for filling a sketchbook

I’ve just finished filling my latest sketchbook (and as I write this I’m reminded I need to go order a new one!), and I thought I’d share a few ideas that I’ve been using to keep me inspired, put pen to paper and fill up the pages.

I started this sketchbook back in April, but only filled a few pages. I picked it back up again after a quick sketch on the beach on our holiday to the Isle of Wight, and a few weeks later it was full. This one has been a great mix of drawing from life, references and exploration.

Drawing from life

This has got to be one of my favourite ways to fill a sketchbook. If you regularly read my posts you’ll know that I love to spend a day at a garden, filling multiple pages with sketches of the florals, plants and scenery around me. I’ve been trying to get better at taking a sketchbook with me to other places too, and draw what I see around me - but this is something I definitely need to get better at (I always struggle to draw when I’m with other people - I’m much better at it when I’m alone!).

I always prefer the drawings I create form life. They’re more free, they don’t feel forced, and I even like the little imperfections - like the little ink spatters from the rain on that page from my day at Kew last month.

I know drawing from life can be daunting. The idea of other people watching you draw, or even saying something about your work, can be pretty terrifying. I have to say so far I’ve been very lucky, I occasionally get some lingering stares but I haven’t heard anyone say anything negative, and I haven’t been bothered by too many people at all. The few people that have spoken to me have generally been complimentary and I’ve had some lovely interactions. One little girl at the Eden Project told me “I wish I was an artist like you” - a sweet comment that reminded me of how I’d have felt at that age, dreaming of doing this for a living one day.

If you are nervous of drawing in public, I’d suggest starting small. Take a small sketchbook, with just a few basic supplies so you don’t have to spread out too much. Find a bench (preferably one where no one can stand behind you) and try to just start. For me, once I get in to a drawing I feel much more relaxed and I forget about the people around me.

Repeat, Repeat, Repeat

I realised recently that so often I’ll have an idea for something or a theme to draw, I’ll draw it once and then move on. But to really learn and develop my style, I need to keep going, keep drawing the same thing on repeat. Lately one of those things I’ve been focusing on has been trees. I’ve drawn trees from life at Kew Gardens, on my recent trip to Great Comp Garden, and from reference images.

Even just in these 3 examples above, I can see different parts like I do and don’t like, and elements that I want to keep going with and take forward in to new drawings. I love the markings on the branches in the first one, the shadows and depth in the second one, and the twisted trunk in the third. So my next step would be to create some more tree drawings, combining all of those elements together.

I’ve also been creating thumbnails with this idea in mind (those are in a different sketchbook which I’ll be sharing once its finished!). Rather than just drawing a scene once, I’m creating a series of thumbnails for it, moving the elements around, adding and removing elements, and reframing the whole scene each time. Then I’ll take a couple of those thumbnails and develop them further in the sketchbook. Eventually hoping to create some finished artworks from my favourite version.

Try out different materials

This one ties in the the idea of repeating. When I’m drawing multiple versions of one thing, I’ll try using a different material for each one. This is pretty new, as I’ve been using the same black brush pens for quite a while now. I’ve been trying out charcoal, soft pencils, and softer brush pens (for more variation in the line)

I’ll be expanding in to full colour soon too, but for now I’m keeping things simple - it’s working and I’m enjoying it so I’m going with it for now.

Using Reference Images

While I love drawing from life, I also love to draw on the sofa in the evenings - so for that I use reference images. I take my own images all the time (I’m talking 30k+ photos in my iCloud!) but sometimes I have something specific in mind, or just want to be inspired but something different. So I use Royalty Free image sites such as Unsplash and Pexels to find reference images.

There’s a few different ways I love to use reference images for my sketchbooks:

• Start off on the Explore page. Rather than searching for something specific, just pick something from the first page that comes up. No overthinking, no procrastinating looking for that “perfect” image. Just drawing.

• Combine multiple reference images. Make an image your own by combining elements from different references. For the first example above, I found the coastal image initially, but then reframed it slightly and added the poppies in the foreground from a separate reference.

• Use the reference loosely. Don’t feel like you need to copy the reference exactly, just take it as some initial inspiration. I like to remove some elements, add in others, rearrange things and reframe everything. Take an image of scenery, but adding a window frame around it so it becomes a “view through a window” is a great place to start. This is where all those thumbnails come in to it! Sketch out lots of different ideas from one reference image, changing things as you go. After a few thumbnails, you’ll have an idea for a totally unique image - rather than just copying the reference that you initially found.

I’ll be going in to more depth on some of these ideas in future blog posts. But I hope for now this inspires you to start filling up your sketchbook!
I’d love to hear your ideas for filling up a sketchbook too! Let me know where you find your inspiration.

Head over to my Instagram account for a full flick through of this whole sketchbook!

Want this in your inbox?

Sign up to my Substack to get these posts sent directly to your inbox.