One of the best ways to stay on top of your creative game is with a sketchbook. Often in a small format, these blank books offer endless pictorial possibilities. They can be the site of surreal landscapes, portrait training, or a place to hone your hand lettering. By using a sketchbook in your practice, you’re improving not only your formal skills but conceptual ones as well. In addition to being a playground for your drawing and painting, it’s also a place where you can mull over ideas before they are fully realized.
Keeping a sketchbook can be a very personal thing, but there are many artists who bare their soul to share their works in progress. Instagram, in particular, is a great place to do this. So whether you’ve kept a sketchbook for a long time or are trying to work up the courage to begin one, you’re sure to learn a lot from artists who keep them; one thing you’ll quickly realize is that there are no rules! You can fill those pages however you like. While that might seem daunting, try to understand that this fact is freeing—you can explore every creative whim to your heart’s content. Want a little help getting started? Check out our list of 25+ easy sketch ideas.
After you’ve marveled at these drawing and watercolor sketchbooks, be sure to check out a selection of our top picks for books—from wooden cover designs to the iconic Moleskine.
