January Bulletin - No. 6: Sketchbook Exercises

A new year & many resolutions

Hey there - happy new year to one and all. 🎉 I don’t know about you but I couldn’t wait for 2023 to begin, with so many plans and artistic goals as well as countless ideas floating around in my head! Now that January is indeed here I want to do everything at once. To focus that energy I decided to kick off with one of my new year’s resolutions: Drawing into my sketchbook more & getting back into the routine of drawing daily, at the same time finding time to relax and simply let my emotions flow on the paper - I may have neglected that a bit in 2022. With so many things already planned out it’s good to have a contrast and make time to play.

Would you like to join me?

Sometimes I sit in front of my sketchbook and don’t know what to draw, and then I get distracted when looking for inspiration online (social media is so full of amazing art, looking at it is as inspirational as it is time-consuming). So I decided to put together a fun list of things you can fill your sketchbook with when you’re stuck for ideas or want to concentrate on yourself a bit more, mostly without needing the Internet. The following are all common exercises among artists and creatives but the fascinating thing is that everyone’s outcome(s) will be unique when taken into practice and they never get old. I for one love to be reminded of their existence - haha. Have fun and feel free to leave a comment on which one’s your favorite! ✏️

Filling the spread with paint blobs

You heard me! This one’s, without question, the most pressure-free way to fill a sketchbook spread: Just grab a big paintbrush and dip it in a wet medium of your choice (I picked acryla gouache here) to make some beautiful colorful blobs appear on the page in front of you. Then take a closer look at them and draw what you see or what the color makes you think of on top with a pen… does that one shape remind you of a large cake with frosting? Or can you imagine another being the frame for a tiny landscape doodle? Turn them into something, let them lead you.

Cartoony characters on top of blobs

For this first exercise you may absolutely stay within your comfort zone and draw things from memory that you know well - it’s a feel-good warmup. Also: A way to discover new color palettes when trying out different hues together!

For this one you definitely don’t need a search engine and never have to fear accidentally copying anyone else’s drawing style (just in case you’re worried about that): Become inspired by nature, draw things you find on a walk through the park, pay attention to the details of the things surrounding us and create a visual diary: Leaves, flowers, feathers, crumbled paper, lost pieces of jewelry or cigarettes. You chose! Draw these items realistically or even turn them into little characters. I often do a bit of journaling on the side to remember a particularly beautiful day while I’m at it.

An illustrated journal page from a sunny September day

The term urban sketching came up in 2007 and defines a certain way of sketching. It basically means “drawing one scene”, although it usually refers to several people creating drawings of the same spot - their immediate surroundings - from different angles. Most of these sketches show cityscapes, buildings or little villages within nature. I highly recommend using a simple tool like a pencil and not getting too hung up on the details (try not to erase anything). The downside of this is: You can’t work on the drawing after that day; even if the weather stays calm for a few hours you’ll have to go home eventually. The upside, however, is just the same. You want to capture the general feeling of the place on paper, in a particular moment in time. Doing it quickly allows the sketch to become more lively!

A scene drawn by the river Thames, London, Summer 2022

Pencil sketch of the Royal Mile Tavern, Edinburgh, Scotland

I’ve always found it a bit scary to draw where everyone’s watching, especially in a space where people are quiet as mice and just…stare. At the oil paintings by the old masters on the walls, and at your sketchbook while you work. So, I do admit I’ve only recently taken up visiting art galleries and museums again, now that things have become easier. During the pandemic, the hassle it was to book a time slot was enough to keep me from going (a tad ashamed over here, yep… anyone else?).

Me in front of the museum, in happy anticipation

Entrance to Barberini museum, Potsdam, Germany

When I’m drawing I already feel vulnerable sometimes, afraid of making mistakes. As I constantly remind myself, however, this is what a sketchbook is all about. I figured I might as well jump all in and let fellow museum visitors chat me up while I study Monet’s and Caillebotte’s inspiring work, their brush strokes, colors and compositions. Someone always does and that’s how new friendships are born - makes it worth mustering the courage. Bonus: It gives you an opportunity to see the paint texture on the canvas from close up as opposed to viewing the flat image online. A gamechanger!

Most museums - like the Barberini in Potsdam - provide not only a pair of headphones for you to listen to some (art) history, they’re also happy to lend you a stool to sit upon while doodling merrily.

Study of Caillebotte’s Couple on a walk, in colored pencils

Museum Barberini: Couple on a walk, Gustave Caillebotte, oil painting (1881)

Portrait Gallery at Hampton Court Palace, UK

Sketch of the Portrait Gallery, brown ink pen

Entrance area of Hampton Court Palace, England, seat of Henry VIII

Hampton Court: Colored sketch of the portrait gallery, fineliner and watercolors

Also called “nude drawing”, this exercise has been around since the dawn of (men-made) art. Back in the day, almost every master of the craft had a nude model to sit for them and their paintings; sometimes they were just friends, occasionally, one hears, they became lovers. It’s not altogether surprising, as there is something infinitely fascinating and intimate in watching someone’s every movement (or observe them in their stillness), paying attention to every line of their body, the shapes that make them who they are. Some call it a highly sensual experience. To be honest, before all else I’ve always seen it as a demanding high-concentration task on both sides! ;)

If you know my work you might have noticed I’m more of an animal admirer and prefer drawing critters to people. While every artist has their valid comfort theme, on some days it just feels good to switch back and forth between mindless doodling and personal challenges, skills you want to improve. Life drawing makes you become more decisive with your mark-making and teaches you how to breathe, well, life into a drawing even after the model is out of your sight. You learn about 3D shading and get to look at a person from different angles for minutes on end, studying human anatomy as well as their unique “aura”. I almost didn’t believe it myself, but soon the knowledge acquired will transcend into other areas of your work.

Charcoal sketch of a man sitting, done at art college

College: Colored pencil sketches of different nude models

When I was studying illustration at art college, weekly nude drawing sessions were organised for us by a fellow student of mine. After graduating it became increasingly hard to attend sessions, not to mention rather pricey. I recently discovered Drink & Draw Berlin, at the Funkhaus, which is amazing but hard for me to get to on a regular basis. So even though it’s important to get out there “in the real world” sometimes, I’m aware it isn’t always possible for various reasons. For those who want to start practising at home, sites like Line Of Action are a great tool and provide high quality photo references.

Sketch of a model with a hare mask prop

Me after every nude drawing session (haha)

Saving the best for last, as always! This has to be my favorite of all sketchbook exercises - a shoutout to the incredible Sophie McPike. Grab your phone, but instead of browsing through Instagram you go through your photo gallery, have a thorough look at all the fun things you have done and seen (it’s a true serotonin boost) and pick a few images that speak to you because of their composition and contrast, or other aspects. Next you want to pick 3 pencils that make up a harmonious palette (because let’s be honest, sketching is so much more fun when it’s done in color! By the way: White is your fourth color, which you use by leaving negative space) and start translating your photographs into small doodles within a time frame you set for yourself, like 5-10 minutes per drawing. Limiting your color palette will make it easier not to get overwhelmed and focus on value (light and dark), the time limit will stop you from overthinking and getting too lost in the details. As always when sketching, it’s all about getting a certain feeling across. Let your hands be quicker than your mind!

That’s it for now, folks. Glad you made it ‘til the end! I must say I enjoy having a proper space to share what I’ve learned over the years. Mind me, there’s so much more to learn still! Let me send you off with that simple yet profound truth which certainly rings true for sketchbooking:

“It’s about the journey, not the destination.”

Good luck with your own artistic endeavors, and remember to experiment and have fun! You never know what might reveal itself if you do. ✨

Until next time! Splash some paint on an empty page for me, will ya? ;)

xx Franzi