Desiring to draw and actually beginning has an element of procrastination that lingers far longer than I would like..selecting a sketchbook was equally daunting…so I started drawing small sketches on envelopes from mail that arrived at my home, I used the reverse side of grocery receipts and the unused side of my grocery list…even small ‘sticky’ notes and junk mail with sufficient white space….trying this for a month…my way of launching a drawing habit :)
Sounds like that's working for you. Drawing on scrap paper takes the pressure off for me when I have artblock or haven't drawn in awhile. Inexpensive sketchpad would be the next step. You've got this.
I think I've done this all my life - doodling on any available surface. I just recently came across the idea of "junk journals" and I now want (plan?) to take my saved envelopes, scrap sketches, etc., and glue them into sketchbooks.
You and me both … procrastinating for years … adore listening to Sketch Skool videos since Covid started very inspiring and educational I even listen to your podcasts … now to sit and start I actually have started a few times and stopped… please continue thank you for all you do … ❤️❤️❤️🙌👏🤗
I did a similar thing recently where I bought postcards made from recycled card and used them to make "mini" art. They were cheap enough and small enough to practise on without worrying too much about the finished piece. A few weeks later I had a whole series of cards which looked amazing when laid out together, although that hadn't been my goal. I love that art can be surprising. :)
I kept an illustrated journal during the pandemic when we still lived in Phoenix. I sketched every room in our house from multiple angles, exterior views of our house, self-portraits, sketches of my husband, zoom mtgs from work and lock down meet ups, our dogs, the feral cats, and pretty much anything. I typically made notations of whatever was on my mind. It was very therapeutic.
While I was watching this, I picked up a Pentel gel pen and small notepad from my desk and did my first drawing! A cafetiere next to me on my table. It's recognisable at least, so I'm going to do my damnedest to do a small drawing every day, until I find a nice journal to work with. Thankyou!
So proud of you I did my 2nd drawing without a step by step tutorial yesterday I had to be brave as I have given up for over 15 years due to negative remarks about my art I have no clue what I'm doing
I love watching this channel while I eat. Your voice is so comfortable and the conversation is so entertaining, the type you just sit back and listen to.
I really enjoyed this video. I am still fairly new to "illustrated life" journaling. I've kept a written diary for close to 50 yrs. Often little sketches appeared within, but not often. I've never really seen a purpose to drawing my meals, etc. Drawing nature is the exception. I wish I still had many of the little "zine" style drawings ( trace a credit card and draw within) little wonders I find on hikes. My dragabout has a mixture of writing and art, even atrocious art. LOL! I am a constant motion type person, my hands are rarely still, too. Thank you, Hollie, really enjoyed your share of sketches!
I have a separate sketchbook for my art and a scrapbook journal, but this is a really interesting approach to documenting your life! I also love your insight about sharing and creating connection!
Hollie talks about the "need to create" and I totally get that. Drawing, sewing, knitting, writing; I'm always creating. My husband on the other hand? Couldn't care less. It's so interesting to me how some of us just _need_ to create while others don't feel the urge whatsoever!
i think its because your husband havent been exposed to these creative activities when growing up, so he has no interest.. i believe that creative is a skill that has to be developed just like any other!
I'm just starting my Journey at 46. I have taken one drawing fundamentals course and am registered in Drawing II. I'm excited to see where this goes, because I am still not sure what it is I'm "supposed" to be doing.
I started my drawing journal last year and have improved more than I thought possible. I kept the first few crude entries to show myself and others how I’ve improved. I’ve been told that my entries are very emotional. In a good way of course. One of my latest entries was when I purchased my new truck. I was very excited to paint and journal but not too excited to draw it. Yes, I can draw very well but just not in the mood to draw a truck. So I “cheated” and using the pamphlet that Toyota gave me along with carbon paper, I traced it. Then I used watercolors and it looks fantastic. My sister is not artistic but loves my journal and was here when I traced out the truck photo. She was so encouraged (she can’t draw) that she went out to buy her own journal and supplies (including carbon paper)
This reminds me of Edith Holden's 'Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady'. Though that was a nature journal, it is the same concept. Great idea that I think I'll try!
This is a particularly inspiring video/interview. Just love it and feel like I want to get started right away. Lots of ideas too. Wish I could afford Spark but I still manage to get lots from your videos and am exceedingly grateful for them. ❤
This was a great video! I journal, I draw/paint but really never put the two together! 😂 Now, I will be doing this, it makes much more sense to me to have the best of both worlds in one.
I used to draw crudely done houses and horses. I was kind of good at flowers. I'm thinking of beginning a sketchbook of items in each room of my apartment. All 4 rooms. Kind of like Becky Cao.
Love this! Can you please share what art journal Hollie is using. I really like it, size, paper that holds ink and watercolor, etc. Thank you for all the inspiration! ☺️
I just recently came upon your material. Great material and plan to dig in. Do you often work from photographs for those subjects that are apt to move . . . or leave . . . or otherwise impractical to draw live?
Hi Terry and Henny - I love working in the moment, but it's not always practical or possible. When I am on location drawing, then I sketch what I can. If I am drawing a person and they move, I might leave it as it is or finish the person by piecing it together with another person that comes along. When I start I will often take a picture, just in case I need to leave suddenly. There is more energy in my drawings done on location when compared to those drawn from photos, but both serve a purpose. I hope this helps some.
When compiling a journal are things always drawn from life or do you use photos? Say for instance you are out at a restaurant with friends, it's hardly the time to sketch your meal so taking photos means you are able to work with them later, yes...?
Both! If I can sketch in the moment, that’s my favorite. If there’s not time, capturing the events of your life from photos is fabulous, too. Over the years, I’ve become more confident to sketch when having dinner with friends and treat it as a challenge with a limited amount of time. For these sketches, I often use a Pentel pocket brush. Quick and bold. Sometimes I sketch from my memory and make simple drawings. Hope this helps.
Hi Tara, over the years I’ve used many different types of sketchbooks. The Moleskine watercolor hardcover was my favorite early on. Then I discovered Handbook Journal Co. watercolor sketchbooks and used those for a bit. Fell in love with Stilman and Birn sketchbooks along the way. Lastly, I e been hand binding my own using watercolor. I always look for thicker paper to keep from having bleed through. Best of luck! 😊
It can be made with a single sheet of paper and folded/cut to make a little booklet. Draw on each page. There are lots of videos online how to make one. You can make them larger with more pieces of paper and staple together.
Wow..this really good knowledge. It seems this is my problems too..hard to start😏 When you find something interesting..are you taking a pic first or directly make sketch?
If possible, I will sketch in the moment while looking at the scene/object/person. But, if there's no time or it's not possible, then I use photos or sketch from memory.
I keep a commonplace journal and want to draw my day. My drawing though doesn’t have the design or composition that I see in her work. My journal doesn’t have the look of balance and focus I see here
I'm intimidated by the artistic regular stylized handwriting of a lot sketchbook artists like you guys and James Gurney. I have dreadful handwriting, ugly and messy. I feel like I need to learn to letter first.
Samantha, I use a Prismacolor blue no-photo pencil to draw lines for my writing. Don’t let your handwriting stop you. I’ve spent many hours practicing to try and learn a few different styles. Many days I don’t have the energy for that and my pages have my regular handwriting. I of course showed you my nicer pages! 😂
I loved this video. I was inspired to check out the sketchbook skool, but wow, a 130 dollars a month, A MONTH! Totally off the table. Totally unaffordable. Guys we are heading into a recession, gas is $5.00 a gallon. Milk almost $5.00. Rents are tripling. Please can you be more afforable?????
We have many other products at various prices, including free. However 3 hours of live instruction with feedback every single day plus $2000 in on-demand courses and an $85 workshop every month is not inexpensive to put together. We do however have a big sale coming up in a month.
I'm looking for a pen to make illustrations like the ones showed in this video at around 01:39, does anyone in the comments have any recommendations?:)
Hello Tara - A zine is a self publish book (or in my case small booklet). Typically they are traded or sold for a few dollars and usually under 500 copies are made. It's a great way to explore sharing your art in a small way.
I tried to bullet journal in 2020 for the first time, but not like others. It ended up being more a record of what happened that year. I drew face masks, prisoners being let out of jail, murder hornet's, lightning, forest fires, etc. Crazy year.
This is an awesome interview, I love more people talking about the variety of ways that there are to keep a journal. There are no rules, but sometimes we forget that. If you are more word strong, go that route. If you are more of a visual person, try a "glue book" route. If you can't help but draw, grab the tools you are most feeling and go to town! I happen to have one book that I do all three in! One day I'm more of a writer, other days I just want to brain dump my images. You do you, it's for your eyes anyway.
My daughter wants to be an artist but I didn't know how to support her as classes aren't readily available in our area. This is a great idea to start where you are and easy to gain inspiration from as no same day is the same for a little girl . Thanks !
I have not long started my “later in life” art journal. Years ago, I had started one of what I could remember of my childhood. The sketches I did, were fun. I attempted to keep my vignettes upbeat, even though it was written about the years after the second world war. In the end, the local newspapers approached me to put them in the paper every week. which seemed to go down well with their readers. I wrote and sketched for them for seven years. Such fun.
How inspiring!! I’ve needed a kickstart in a way. I already do this in ballpoint pen, but I love pen & ink, watercolor, gouache, color pencils, brush pens, etc. Thank you!!
I started doing this a month ago, on a vacation. I'm trying to keep going (although back at home life is a bit less dramatic than a vacation). It's really fun and interesting.
It's funny, Hollie mentioned picking up a journal and never being able to finish it and I've always been the same way with both journals and sketchbooks. I've always kept to independent drawings and keeping them in a binder. Over Covid though, I began keeping a sketch journal after discovering junk journaling while diving into sketchbook tours. Now I keep a sketchjournal that is exploding at the seams with ephemera. I keep mine personal unless I'm showing off specific pages. I journal about relationships, and very deep emotions while I'm working through things, but I also sometimes draw what I've been eating. It's a tossup whether the next page is going to be a drawing of a chocolate bar or maybe a sex pun. Maybe the chocolate bar is involved IN the pun? You never know LOL. But I'm two books in and I've never felt more comfortable than I do in the illustrated journal experience.
I get too scared to draw in a journal and ruin it but last year i started just drawing on printer paper, cutting it out, and sticking it in my sketchbook 😂😂🤣🤣
Wow 70 sketchbooks in 4 years! I couldn’t hope to finish 7 in that time. Never mind I’ve never finished a single one. I think I have 7 that I’ve actually started. My inner critic is my worst enemy. Can’t seem to shake it. 😔
Kimberly - Battle the inner critic with a pen! Somedays I finish one page in my sketchbook and other days I might complete several. Because I am using mixed media or watercolor paper, the sketchbooks might have 30-50 pages. Not like some sketchbooks that have a 100 pages! Hope you can silence that critic for a bit while you draw!
@@roseranchart8465 they do look great on a shelf, too! I make oil paintings and cover mine with those. 👍🏻 thanks for sharing your work! I hope that someday the insides of my books look as cool as yours 😁
I don't know how to draw.. I'm super bad at being creative but I want to try to do so and be good at it while organising my thought. But plain writing is uhhhh so boring. Killing two birds at once I decided to do art journal whilst writing it along my journal/diary. Would love to stay consistent a journal a day goals.
I love this discussion. Hollie do you make some of your own journals (watercolor). I’ve been journal writing but only a little sketching. Looking back years later give me personal joy.
I agree. I enjoy yhe book binding part just as much and when you've made the sketchbook yourself you can decide on size and types of paper that works best for you. And you love it so much more
I love, love this so much! I've always wanted to have this as an everyday, joyful activity. I've been able to scrapbook, follow directions with watercolor tutorial videos, and bullet journal. My only problem is that I can't draw at all. Stick figures are about all I can really do...but not even in the fun, cute way. My dream is to be able to create journals like this. Do you have any suggestions on how I can tackle trying to start an illustrated journal when I'm not able to draw something that I'm seeing in front of me? Also, Hollie, which type of journal do you use? I love the shape and size of the square one that you shared in this video. Thank you so much!! 🥰❤🌈📘
My advice, dive into drawing objects around your house. Tubes of toothpaste, a bottle of ketchup, the mug you use for tea, the pen lying on the table, anything and everything. Don’t show anyone. Do it just for yourself and to build skills. It will give you some confidence. Don’t worry how good or bad the drawings are deemed to be. The purpose is to build your ability to see lines, shapes, and angles, along with training your eyes and hand to work together. When you make observational drawings from life, you convert something you see in 3D to a 2D drawing. One other thought I have is to get Danny Gregory’s book “Art Before Breakfast.” When I teach people new to drawing, I use many of the same lessons that Danny teaches in his book. Enjoy the journey! 🤗
@@roseranchart8465 Thank you so much! I recently bought two of Danny's books, so I hope they will help me draw something that's less like stick figures or drawings of a toddler. Your comment inspired me 🤗💕
Here we go again…another wonderful reminder. I love to write and to draw and I’ve done it when nite taking at conventions but why didn’t I do this years ago as a journal? I think this is my ticket too, it will feel good on so many levels. Infinite thanks 🙏🏻 ❤
Hi Shelly, My personal favorite is Uniball Vision black pen. It has a smooth flow of ink and is waterproof. There are two sizes fine and micro. I use them both.
Hi, Danny, I've followed you since Everyday Matters came out and did some of the prompts for a while. Lately I've seen a lot on keeping an art journal. I'm currently 65. I began with a written journal at about age 8. A few years ago I mostly stopped. My written journal went deep, into emotions and spirituality. I tried to find what I could learn from events in my personal world. But especially since covid, my life stopped, and I don't see it getting too active again. I WANT to draw/paint. I just don't know what to do when life is uneventful. I often eat the same food several days in a row, or similar frozen meals - hate to cook and live alone so I usually heat 'n eat. Nothing to draw. Cash eraser the same clothes 2 days in a row. Don't go many places - life has shrunk. Again, not whining, but how can a person with such a mundane, boring life, draw it? I read a lot - on a kindle. So, basically my nutshell question.
Hello. I started creating journals then self publishing them on amazon. In some of the community posts they are calling them junk low content books. I thought that that is so wrong. My art work takes time to create then I have to color every piece too. Then I have to make them into digital. It's very time consuming. I don't know why people are calling journals, and sketch books junk. Do they even know the time it takes to draw these characters then draw them. 😮
Thank You Danny I have enjoyed you sharing your knowledge and talents with us. You are so inspiring to me in my life and my experiences with sketching. I now have the habit of getting to sketch something each and every day. It's wonderful. Kassandra
Dear Danny ! I cams across YOU by accident or….was it an “accident” my life has changed ! I feel I have an anchor now in my life! I had a journal like that when I was a teen! My mother through it away when we moved here from Italy long ago! I never forgot my lost loved journal! Now I have a new one that keeps me happy at last!!! Thank you you are a great soul!!!!
Thanks for sharing,l Life is Tree , Including old age , Experience Ida.vizlition, Every day, Skching drawing, notes.thanks you Teacher info point, head, Hand, Eyes ❤🎉😮😊
Hollie Rose is absolutely delightful and very inspiring! Thank you for interviewing her on your channel! Did I hear her correctly when she mentioned that she started her journey with art just 6 years ago? If so, she's come a long way! I started making art 6 years ago as well, and I still consider myself to be a beginner. Here's a question for you, Danny.... where can we get a sketchbook that has paper suitable for watercolor? I'd love to have one that lies flat, like Hollie's. I have looked on Amazon to no avail. Maybe I have used the wrong search term? Thank you SO much for ALL of your videos! I watch you almost every day on RU-vid. 😃👍
Hello Nancy, I started keeping sketchbooks six years ago. I have always had different creative hobbies. I've taken so many art classes and workshops with Sketchbook Skool over these past six years. Daily practice and learning from others has pushed me along. I know your question about sketchbooks was to Danny, but I will tell you that I have used the Moleskine watercolor sketchbook and liked it. I also like the Handbook Paper Watercolor Sketchbook and Stilman and Birn sketchbooks. Many of the sketchbooks that I share, I handbound (another hobby) with watercolor paper. Hope this helps.
I use all different types of sketchbooks. Typically, I look for mixed media or watercolor paper. Also, I make a lot of my sketchbooks using the Coptic hand binding style.
A zine is a self publish book (or in my case small booklet). Typically they are traded or sold for a few dollars and usually under 500 copies are made. It's a great way to explore sharing your art in a small way.
