Useful Resources When Learning to Draw - Part 1 - Sketchbooks

I've often been asked what drawing materials are needed if you want to start learning to draw. I'm going to write a series of posts, suggesting some useful resources.

Let's kick off with the sketchbook.

My Sketchbooks

• My Planning Sketchbook

I like to use a sketchbook with a coil spine for planning work. I don't usually remove pages but I could if I wanted to.

Above are my plans for 2 contests on Steemit.

• My Sketchbook for Collecting Ideas

Here you can see some ideas I had about shape and drawing around shells.

Here are some examples of blending and cross-hatching.

So, you can already see that sketchbooks are very useful.

Choosing Sketchbooks

Choose sketchbooks with good quality, acid-free cartridge paper. You will then be able to use them with pencils, charcoal, inks coloured pencil, chalk, pastels and even paint. You will be able to rub out and use a razor blade to make corrections.

Sketchbooks come in different sizes. I use size A5 as it fits in my bag and on my desk. You should think about where you are likely to use your sketchbook and choose the size accordingly.

Using Sketchbooks in Art

Sketchbooks can be:

• Used as a tool for gathering information.

• For working out ideas.

• Used to show the development of ideas through stages over a period of time.

• To keep work together.

• Like a scrapbook to gather together resources like photos, magazine cuttings, nature ideas like leaves, postcards and many more.

• Can be used as a diary.

It is worth investing in Sketchbooks as there is nothing more annoying than scraps of paper with your ideas scribbled down. The one you want always gets lost!

Getting the Sketchbook Habit

Always have your sketchbook to hand. Use it daily to record ideas, sketch images that catch your eye and note anything helpful that you come across.

I hope this post is useful to people who want to learn to draw.

Look out for Part #2 of this series about pencils.

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