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6 Tips for a Stress-Free Sketch Book

Dec 13, 2009 Creativity

I recently wrote a guest post for Lori Mcnee’s blog Fine Art Tips. I didn’t want you guys to miss out on it, so  here is a condensed version! You can read the entire article at Fine Art Tips for more details.

Most artists recognize the value of a sketch book: it’s a place to practice, a place to experiment, and a place to keep track of your ideas. The problem is that there is only so much time in the day! Regularly using a sketch book can be difficult. It’s something we want to do, something we feel we should be doing, and yet we don’t always have time for it. Hence the stress!

Here are six tips you can use to help make your sketch book time less stressful and more enjoyable.

1. Indulge: Buy an exciting sketch book that will inspire you, or make one of your own.

2. Get Portable: Use a mini sketch book so that you’re ready to draw anywhere.

3. Get Strategic: Place a sketch book in the places where you’re likely to have down time to remind you to use it.

4. Be Open-Minded: Let your sketch book be a receptacle for whatever idea happens to strike you that day.

5. Set Limits: Spark your creativity by setting limits on colour or medium.

6. Cheat: Recognize that the doodles you do throughout the day are also part of your creative process.

These are some of the things that work for me. What strategies do you use to make keeping a sketch book easier?

Related posts:

1. Maximize Your Drawing Time with a Mini Sketch Book
2. The Dot: Inspiring Art Book for Kids (and Adults!)
3. Want to Win Free Art Supplies?
4. Book Review: Rothko, by Jacob Baal-Teshuva
5. 21 Ways to Kickstart your Creativity and Become a Better Artist

Tags: sketch books, time management