Why experiment in a sketchbook with grids? Sketchbooks are a great place to test ideas, discover new things, or play with art supplies. One way to experiment is to use a grid of smaller compositions all on one page. Grids are attractive to the eye and have been used by Read more…
3 ideas for unfinished sketchbooks Keeping a sketchbook is a part of the artist’s toolkit but they don’t always turn into beautiful books full of your gorgeous successful art. Some books are half-filled, running out of steam before the end or a theme can become a chore. Maybe the paper Read more…
5 ideas for filling your sketchbook You’ve chosen your sketchbook and now you want to stack up a collection bursting with your art. Here are 5 ideas for filling your sketchbook and supporting your art practice. Choose one or mix them up for a sketchbook that feels inspiring. These ideas Read more…
Start making art in your new sketchbook with these creative ideas. If you are feeling stuck or overwhelmed by possibilities there’s something here to kickstart your new sketchbook, whatever is holding you back. These tips are how I deal with new sketchbook gremlins. Perfectionism We want our sketchbooks to be Read more…
Are you inspired by the sketchbooks of your favourite artists? Maybe flip-throughs of gorgeous coloured pages and art notes have encouraged you to start a sketchbook of your own. Choose a sketchbook or art journal with this guide to finding the right sketchbook for your art practise. What is a Read more…
Concertina or accordion sketchbooks hold a continuous length of folded paper to create on. This opens up possibilities for artists to go beyond the limits of a single page. Using a concertina sketchbook gives me space to work on a theme and works well for landscapes. This is how I Read more…
March 2021 at the art table Finding colour and marks On the art table in March it’s playtime with some loose marks on watercolour paper. In Powertex I’m revisiting Easy Structure in some of my favourite art pieces and my book pile gets some birthday gift additions. In the sketchbook Read more…
February 2021 at the art table Making small art and following sparks On the art table in February I continued creating some tiny art. I changed up the supplies to make some tiny Powertex mixed media pieces. Next was rust art and then some bolder, textured minis with a base Read more…
November 2020 at the art table November arrived with a second Covid lockdown. I felt the weight of it although the view from my window changed very little. Scaffolders, builders and students still filled the street outside. I finished the “play” canvases, returned to playing in the sketchbooks and began Read more…
October 2020 at the art table October was a wild weather month as Autumn arrived with storms and blustery walks. The high winds blew huge waves and seaspray down at the beach. I spent more time painting this month, partly because I had more time at home and partly because my Read more…