How to experiment in your sketchbook

Keeping a sketchbook can massively help with your creative practice.

Your sketchbook can be a space where you have FUN and experiment with your paints without any pressure to create a masterpiece (or worry about using up your more expensive paper).

If your painting time is limited, keeping a sketchbook can also help you to maintain a regular painting practice with frequent, short sessions.

Ideas for sketchbook experimentation:

  • Play around with the Self Directed Sketchbook Exercises which help you to get to know your paints and develop your skills in matching visual texture, colours and tone.
  • Just completed a tutorial? Now have a go at a similar Practice Pic to build on what you've just learned, try completing the tutorial again just from the reference photo, or paint it again in a different colour! 
  • Planning a solo project? Experiment with quick sketches of different compositions and work on smaller, quicker versions and close-ups to really study the subject before starting your solo painting
  • Short on time to paint? Try working on just a small section of a tutorial or a practice pic to learn the key techniques

How often should you be experimenting?

  • After completing a tutorial - setting yourself a small sketchbook challenge after each tutorial is a great way to see quick progress in your work, as this helps you to consolidate what you've learned and apply it to other paintings. 
  • In a daily journal - if you REALLY want to raise your artistic game, consider turning your sketchbook into a creative journal. This practice has LOADS of benefits to your creative practice. You can read more about how to keep a creative journal and see inside other members' journals here.
  • Even just now and then - if keeping a regular journal feels like a big commitment, and if you don't feel ready to build on the tutorials with sketchbook exercises yet, it's still really good to dip into your sketchbook now and then and try things out when you feel inspired or have just a short amount of time you could spend painting.

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