I have been asked by a few people to show how I work in my sketchbook. So my first blog today is to talk about the tools I use and how to set up space for yourself.
I have kept to mainly one medium so far in my sketchbook journey. I use pen and water colours. These are the basic tools I use....
- A good quality bought or homemade sketchbook. Buy the best you can afford.
- A pencil
- An eraser
- A craft knife
- A ruler
- A small plastic container with a screw top lid on for water
- A good quality water based pen
- Watercolour paints
- A selection of good paintbrushes
- a container to store everything in prefably one that you can pick up and take with you.
- Still life objects, photos and copyright free pictures and life around you.
- A good imagination -not compulsory but helpful :)
My tools
I am fortunate to have my own studio (if I repeat "There is nothing wrong with children sharing bedrooms" a few times a day there is no guilt attached to my space :)
My studio space
But if you cannot do that in your home consider finding a small table somewhere, a shelf in a cupboard (even in the kitchen would be fine) that you can call your own. Store all you bits and pieces there in one place. Before I had a studio space I used to work out of a box on a table. With a little moving around most people can find a shelf for their sketchbook and small pile of tools. A little space can also give you a sense of having something that is your own and it values the work that you do.
Making time is another space that needs setting up. Work out how time works for you. Do you need a chunk of time or could you do the page with little bits of time. I often have to work with bits of time because of my hectic schedule. I might do 5 minutes at breakfast, a few lines on the toilet, 5 minutes during kids programmes in the afternoon, while waiting for my children after school or while the kids are swimming. Be creative with your time. Most people can find a few minutes here and there to draw but find it much harder to find an hour. If after thinking through your day you still can't find some time it could be helpful to do a time diary for a week to see if you can rearrange some time for yourself.
By making you space and time a priority you are saying to others in your home I am important and my needs are important.
Making time is another space that needs setting up. Work out how time works for you. Do you need a chunk of time or could you do the page with little bits of time. I often have to work with bits of time because of my hectic schedule. I might do 5 minutes at breakfast, a few lines on the toilet, 5 minutes during kids programmes in the afternoon, while waiting for my children after school or while the kids are swimming. Be creative with your time. Most people can find a few minutes here and there to draw but find it much harder to find an hour. If after thinking through your day you still can't find some time it could be helpful to do a time diary for a week to see if you can rearrange some time for yourself.
By making you space and time a priority you are saying to others in your home I am important and my needs are important.
I like your last paragraph :)
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