Sketchbook Snowball Method (or Maybe Avalanche?) Help me sort ALL my in-progress sketchbooks! 

I immediately feel better about my eight books I have on the go. 😂

I force myself to use sketchbooks I bought but didn't like doing a daily sheet of geometric shapes. I've gone through six sketch books that I wouldn't have otherwise. And drastically improved my line quality, which I wouldn't have otherwise either.

When I use spiral notebooks, I turn them sideways so the spiral is at the top.

I can relate to your video! I am afraid to count mine. Since joining your "Sketchbook Floozy" challenge, I purchased THREE more! Bahahaha!!! But it is all good. I HAVE been using them more than I was before. It is nearly getting to be a habit. So thank you for that. Now I will watch the video. :)

I dont feel as bad to know that other people have as many unfinished sketchbooks as I do! And to answer the accordion sketchbook question- no- not a fan of the accordion books- they are hard to hold, hard to look through, easy to rip etc etc etc. my opinion! I really like seeing all of your incredible sketches!

I think the most I had going at one time was 13. That felt so overwhelming..but I LOVE trying new papers and I like different papers/sizes for different things. I used to put myself down for "not being able to finish" any of them. I felt pressure to finish them and even make sketchbook tours before I was "allowed" to buy more. I think this is a unique problem for youtubers!! 😂 I think I have maybe 8 going now. This year I stopped caring about all that. Now I just grab one and play. No obligations or guilt!

Love your long videos they help me concentrate. I’m not someone who can just sit with no noise my brain just is like ahhhhh no sound time to think random things and not do what we should be doing .😂 thanks for the vid :)

Wow, what a blast from the past! I remember most of these sketches. I guess I've been watching for a long time. This was like a sketchbook tour video on steroids 😂

I love the Canson XL mixed media paper and the Strathmore Visual Journals watercolor paper. This was so fun to watch! I love seeing all the sketches and paintings you've made throughout the years!

Lindsay, I think you’re a famous illustrator! 🍓🫐🍒. Your colored pencil work of all the beautiful fruit, desserts, garlic, etc, etc, are exquisite. It was fun seeing all of these again. It would be so much fun if you could ever do a video to show them up close slowly and explain how you have managed to master the food drawing colored pencil/watercolor,etc..😊. I also especially love all of your landscapes. You really really have a knack for it. Just beautiful work. The life drawings too and the ones of your children. Maybe you should FRAME EVERYTHING! 🖼️ ❤ I think you should be bragging, lol. You’re so talented and to see glimpses of everything at once was so amazing.

I know this is going to be fun!! I just grabbed a drink to enjoy this!! Signed up for the watercolor class as well!! 😮😮

I think accordion books are great for a dedicated project or theme because you can transition the continuous pages.

Okay, I'm only 40 seconds into the video and I already think this is a GREAT idea! Now on to watch the rest of the video...

I have enjoyed going through and sorting out your sketch books! So much inspiration! ❤❤❤

I have a tip! If a sketchbook doesn't have a permanent label, write the brand and type of paper inside the back cover, or if there is a removable label, stick it to the inside back cover. It's disappointing to be fond of a sketchbook, but have no idea what it is.

I could watch you do this all day. Love ya

I'm so excited, I bought your course, 30 days of painting watercolor! I know I am going to enjoy your classes! I have never bought online classes! I'm so thrilled to try and paint so beautiful paintings! Thanks from Texas 😊

It's so fun to see you go through these sketchbooks. It's like a trip down memory lane for us, the viewers......seeing all the sketches again that we've seen in past videos. I keep saying to myself....Oooh! I remember that sketch!

I can't believe how much you remember about each of those. Loved hearing about it.

I very much enjoyed this! I certainly know more about sketchbooks than I did before!! I personally love to see to whole spectrum of art in a sketchbook from the messy not so good to the fabulous hang it on the wall. It's shows the progress and it like seeing a little glimpse of the life of someone taking the time to grow and learn with caring about the bumps along the way!! To me it's more beautiful than every "perfect page" as it tells more of a story and feels more fun and playful as you "read" through the sketchbook. Drawing has always been a challenge for me. So a few months back, I bought your drawing class, but only did the first lesson because painting kept calling my name...lol! But seeing all those sketches from the class has me intrigued again!! I will start them when I'm done with 30 days to better watercolor! I'm so glad you made the classes a lifetime thing!! I wish all artists did that! You're amazing and so generous!! Thanks for sharing your time and skills with the world!!

This was great. A mini review of all different kinds of sketchbooks, combined with a chance to see again many of the artworks we've watched on your videos. Best of all, it inspired me to go and do some painting! Many thanks.

Oh my goodness. Some of the paintings I can remember the videos related. It's l walk down memory lane for me too. How fun. I've been watching you for some time now. Thanks for sharing. It's like going through a friend's photo album. 😊

That was fun. I appreciated seeing your doodles. swatches, scribbled and works you didn’t like as well as works that you liked. It is heartening to see that even someone as experienced as you has bad moments. You should be happy about how most of those sketchbooks have been more or less used. I love sketchbooks and have a bunch, but they are all empty. I bought gif world watercolor month, inktober, 100 head challenger, etc. etc. Bug all of mine are empty because I feel that i should only put “good” art pieces in the sketchbook, but as a beginner my “good” art work is few and far between. So when I do anything I eventually turn to a pad of paper so I can rip out the “bad” stuff. This Inktober you have inspired me to stick to the sketchbook I bought for it, good or bad. You are a great role model even in excess lol

UGH!! LOVED THIS SO MUCH!! You can also put pages you tear out into a purchased art storage book, the one with the sheet protected pages. I didnt see any new sketchbooks in these piles. I am sure you have a few new ones from me. 😂😂😂

I love all those pictures they are so pretty some realistic and some playful, I always aspire to be able to do what you do someday.

I'm part way in and love seeing your many various sketchbooks, artwork, and hearing your thoughts! Question - How can you tell if the paper's sizing is breaking down? You've commented on that a few times. Thanks, Lindsey! 💚

That was fun, seeing old works of yours.

I loved this video. I have just as many so I was glad to see your stacks on stacks 😂. I have to also throw out that I have purchased your watercolor crayon, alcohol marker, drawing, landscape, 30 to better painting, hand painted holiday, and now 30 to better watercolor courses. (Over a 4 year period) Each one is absolutely amazing, and I have grown so much with them in my corner! You really should have been a professor in a class room. I think my design school experience would have been much different with instructors like yourself leading the classes.

You should do a giveaway live show. You could include a paint palette and some brushes. Ooh, and include a painting in the book. 🤣 All those you didn't like as much have gorgeous paintings in them. But seriously, I'd love any of the ones you call iffy. When you rely on Social security , art supplies become 2nd and 3rd and 5th on your list. I did like this video and remember seeing you paint many of the paintings. Gosh, the girls are in 2nd or 3rd year of college now!? I remember when they were 15 or 16! Anywho, enjoyed the video cuz I'm nosy. 😂💖

Thanks for keeping me company while I finished my Tim Holtz vignette I made for my son for Halloween. Spooky ! I’ve collected mixed media things for years & tossed them in a drawer & finally made something. I had so much fun! It was surprising to me how many of your sketches I recognized from over the years. You are so talented & I enjoyed you sharing your sketchbook collection. Take care!

I love the beinspired paper. I like that it is bright white and smooth. I grew up using charcoal, but I never used real charcoal paper. I grew up using office paper. So this Beinspired reminds me of a fancy version of my childhood lol. I love it for fast life sketching, practice, doodles at night, etc. No, I do not like accordion sketchbooks nor a spiral bound. I also do not like hardbound sketchbooks UNLESS they lay flat. Therefore, I usually prefer to make my own sketchbooks. I LOVED the strathmore 500 cotton watercolor travel journal, but I'll be dammed if I can find them anymore. It's as if they were there one day and gone the next. Come to think of it, if you have any pool with Strathmore can you PLEASE 🙏PRETTY PLEASE ask them to bring that travel journal back. Right now I'm addicted to Langston Prestige rough 100% cotton watercolor paper and their pads. Oh and yes, the video was entertaining and helpful.

This video makes me want to buy more sketchbooks 😂

I am a fan of really cool accordion sketchbooks that other artists, mainly urban sketchers, have filled in!!!🎨😂👍🏻

I dont know about other people, but I found this video soooo relaxing to watch. I had some rising anxiety when I started it (I suffer from severe anxiety and panic attacks) and while watching you classifying, and explaining, I dont know, but it calmed me down. ❤ Thank you.

That was very interesting, you have an impressive stash of sketchbooks!! Well done for sorting through them (and it was lovely seeing some of your artwork again that you created on your channel 😊). I have about 30 sketchbooks, but half of them are just thin ones. I label all of them on the spine or side and they look nice that way. The only one I finished was one for colour pencils but I was following a book with 101 drawings! The other ones nearly finished are my “Messy” sketchbook and the Paul Rubens one - the reason is that they are not precious to me! 😂

Maybe for the big $25 book you can use it for acrylic paintings, only colored pencil, or collage. Thank you for sharing all of this info with us. It is fascinating to see all of these papers/books and your art is always so wonderful. 🙂❤

I'm kind of a watercolor paper snob and I don't love the Strathmore cellulose paper, but I love the 100% cotton (unsized) Mixed Media Visual Journals. They are great for gouache and even watercolor if you don't want to blend your edges out (a stylistic choice, that I really love). Other media too. I usually think Mixed Media paper means "bad for everything," but not that one!

Hullo Lindsay, SO many choices and I am not a fan of the fan/accordion sketchbooks! I wish you lots of luck and plenty of patience with this project of finishing a few of these books off! I did enjoy seeing your progress and your completion is just around the corner! Go Get 'em Lindsay!

I found this whole thing interesting. Thank you. Now I have a better understanding of the types of paper.

I did not know sizing disappears Lindsay, oh no! How can you tell? Great sketchbook review; beautiful paintings! 🤩🎉❤🙏🏾

I would use your sketchbook that has just a few pages used. It would give me inspiration. So if you want to get rid of one ,let me know. I gearing myself up to start 30 days to better watercolor. Hope you have a good weekend! Hugs from Florida.

I've consolidated old incomplete journals, it was quite cathartic and really got me back on track with finishing what I already have.

This is such fun to watch. I have a couple I’m working on. I absolutely adore Rosie’s sketchbooks. I always treat myself to a couple each year! I love the 4by4 size!

i love whenever you let us peek over your shoulder while you flip through your sketchbooks.... I could watch and listen all day! :-) also, really really ADORE the fall/sunset landscape in that toned tan paper sketchbook at 12:30!

I folded 2 loads of laundry while watching this. Loved looking through your sketchbooks.

Thanks for the great flip through of your sketchbooks!💕 So fun to see. Good idea to finish sketchbooks first💕

Enjoyed all of the insight on the various sketchbooks as to what media works best. For something to go between pages - I purchased the thin food cutting mats at the Dollar Store and cut to fit various standard sized sketchbooks using regular household scissors. By increasing the dimensions by 1/8 to 1/4 inch it prevents bleeding over the edges. A budget friendly item that has worked well for me. 😊

This was so much fun! I loved seeing all those past projects. It was the perfect thing to watch while hemming a dress.

This was so much fun to watch! Loved seeing your sketches, paintings and experiments in your sketchbooks. It was actually really inspiring because now I feel like I want to spend the whole weekend painting in my sketchbooks.

I remember so many of these 🎉 thanks Lindsay 💜

Such a great video showing all your work . I love the long video format. Your bird painting are a standout for me , as well as many other subjects. So much variety in you work with is great to see . Good luck filling and repurposing the books.

Send some of them out to your students, they'd make great prizes for monthly giveaways. No ulterior motive here, I'm not one of your paying students 🐝

yes, I did enjoy it and I watched all the way to the end. I don't think accordion books are for me, either. I made one once and never used it. I have three sketchbooks (watercolour, mixed media, pencil), one Canson XL spiral bound watercolour block and a couple more glued blocks on the go. I'm sure I forgot at least two. I'm looking forward to seeing your first finished sketchbook from the whittled down pile :D

This was so much fun! It was also really helpful! Thank you!

THANK YOU ❤ for taking the time to show us your sketch books! This was fascinating to me, as I always worry/wonder about quality of paper on the market. Do not feel like it’s a waste. So many people benefit from your attention to detail and willingness to review the products for us. Honestly, watching you brighten my experiences with art.

So fun to see so many sketchbooks at once. Brilliant video

This was interesting and it was pretty cool to hear about the different paper qualities, too. It was fun to see some of your older work that I remembered the videos for, too. Thanks for sharing this.

Fun to see your artwork 😊my weakness is yarn and fabric!

You did such a good job with this very difficult project! I am very impressed. From the sound of your future plans, I think you will be able to turn your almost done ones to done ones in pretty short order. I was fascinated to see all the different projects spanning those different time periods, too. TFS!

I know this was a long video but it was fun and I thoroughly enjoyed it . I also got three loads of laundry done while watching. I'm glad we could help you sort your sketchbook collection. I think we need a followup a year from now to track your progress. And we've learned Lindsay loves sketching/painting garlic. 😀 (Me too. Throw in a couple onions and it's perfect.)

Really enjoyed looking through your sketch books Lindsay. It's also fascinating (and reassuring!) to see how your art had changed over the years! I think you should repeat this next year and see how many are complete and how many more new ones you've got😂

I really enjoyed this video!! Going through my sketchbooks now too!❤

What an amazing, fantastic and fabulous video, Lindsay !!!! Just brilliant 🎉🎉🎉🤗🤗🤗💕💕💕🥳🥳🥳

Dear Lindsay, Here is a few suggestions; 1) Use post it notes on the front! Post its are your friend, (and they help to sort out all palettes too!) Keep post it notes near where your sketch books live. Make some labels with your craft kit, for the front or sides of the book. Add a piece of paper to the inside front, with a short list of contents, just in case you want to pull one to frame or photograph. "For this ____media..." To take here.... 7 pages to go! This paper is smooth like ..... 2) You can cut the white pages out, so even if it is a sewn book, cut next to the sewn side, then hide the cut with washi tape. Instead of keeping full paper ones, why not keep your watercolours in it, and cut the white out to use as scrap, swatches, so you finish it, contained with 3 done pages! 3) Tape off one sketchbook if you have about 5 pages left. Good for squares. 4) Use a compass to put 3 circles on some larger pages. 5) Here is what you can do for all new ones! classify by topic! eg colour, designing pages and spreads with swatches in a unique way illustrative (I use a compass, and set a page) nature journalling. See John Muir Laws. ( I see. I wonder. It reminds me of, maps, &arrows, notes) plein-air W.W.M Inktober Calmtober Fall In the kayak sweet foods savory foods Colours palette notes you would like to use together eg with cards from Sarah's box Collage base then watercolour on top. watercolour and pencil on top. Derwent book supplies Jane Davenport girls. An inktense book. Just pencils! Dry media only! Wet media washes. 6) Put a clip or a ribbon at the final drawing, or 1st new page. 7) Sketch books are heavy energy. So tape areas off, so you don't see the past! 8) Pick it up once, touch it, deal with it, so assign it while you look at it, eg next time you do this. Set aside one more day to pick it up, and deal with it, place a note on it! Take a photo of these notes! 9) Make up a pack for the local school, or senior centre. A pad, some colours, a few brushes, tied with string. Send some to some contacts in countries that find it difficult to get supplies. 10) Add a fountain pen, with a sticky pen holder with the elastic. 11) Try app "Cam Scanner" on i phone to copy all work! So easy, can do it in bad lighting! You can use Cam scanner for all of your important documents, eg passports driver's license so you have them when you go away for safety sake. It has amazing technology so you can straighten the edges by pulling into the corner, so you can take something skewed overhead in bad lighting and it magically fixes it. You can add a signature that you have taken on a scrap, to add to it digitally. It is so worth the paid product. 12) The other thing I do is I bought a dish rack from Aldi, and this makes a great vertical holder for sketchbooks, as you put each book into one of the wires! Horizontal sketch books that are seen are very heavy in energy. So all books, pads, sketchbooks, DVD's need to be vertical, so this gives a better energy! One of my favourite sketch books is the Etchr landscape in white linen, comes in a 3 pack. So I have these for each topic. It is mixed media, 240 gsm, a lovely texture. Creamy paper. Well made. I agree with you sometimes it is simply the wrong shape. It took me years to figure it all out. The problem is real.... In kindred spirit, Eliza Most Beautiful Day is Today! 1st of October 2023, 5:28pm Sydney Australia PPS: Turned 50 on the 12th of September! Just after my birthday had 5 procedures for endometriosis, with a general anesthetic which scares all heck out of me. (Would rather hold a venomous snake...) My 5th laparoscopy! Great to be alive!

Hi Lindsay, well this was a fun one revisiting some of my favourites of your pieces and getting a glimpse at your life sketching work. The life sketches are amazing and I wish we could see more of them!. I've been wanted to get a Stillman and Birnes sketchbook but couldn't figure out which on was best for my watercolor work, so thanks for illuminating that. Really fun video, I was listening, watching while also finishing up a watercolor painting. Thanks for bringing us along!

What a fun video. I love the tassel painting along many others. It looks as good as you thought it was. Lindsay I'd really love to see some of these paintings in a calendar. Lang does gorgeous calendars with a high quality linen type paper. I would jump on a Lindsay calendar or weekly planner. Look at the Kelly Rae Roberts weekly planners and wall calendars. I would definitely buy something like that with your paintings.

I'm so glad you made this video. I have a number of WIP sketchbooks and lots more waiting to be started. Yet I *still* have to tell myself "You don't need another sketchbook!" every time I see them in the wild. I actually took a photo of my shelves-of-hoard to keep on my phone to prove to myself that I don't need the new sketchbooks that try to jump off the store shelves and into my hands. I love your snowball approach to finishing, and actually applied yesterday it to a doodle/Zentangle book that I started back in 2017. Also love the discounted class! Thanks for that. I'm going to do a sketchbook inventory this afternoon, and then start your drawing class. One of the benefits of being an art supplies hoarder is that I have all the stuff the class suggests.

I've been finishing a few of my older sketchbooks and honestly the thrill of finishing a sketchbook feels so nice that it drives me to do it more 😅 so O definitely felt your excitement when you realized you actually finished that sketchbook 👏🏼

I use the Stillman and Burns Nova series mixed media books and they are delightful! I love all their books

I put bookrings on my Bee Paper pad from Walmart. It is floopy but I like it. I put 2 together using the backs as covers. I had to remove 40-50 sheets.

- It was pretty fun to watch someone else deal with this stuff and to know I'm not alone with the hoard. :) - It would be a bit of a project, but if it felt important to someone, they could feasibly disassemble their spiral-bound books. Once that's done, sort out the keeper sketches into one book and condense blank pages from several books into one full book. Sort ike-with-like, meaning hole sizes, shapes (square/round holes), hole spacing would all need to be the same. You could have different size papers in one book if the holes match up. Some wire rings will open up and some will "unscrew" from the block of pages. - Is that last hefty monster the Big A$$ Sketchbook? LoL...... I've had that sucker in my cart for years. lol..... oh man, I'm glad I finally saw one here -- I can finally move on from the idea. I do love a fat book, but oh man, it would take up a third of my table and I have zero shelving for it. lol - I wanted to jump on your 30 Days watercolor class so bad, but I've had my heart set on finally sucking it up to learn to draw. I had found a class, and was going to do that one this month, but when I saw the samples for your drawing class, I couldn't believe it. Every single one was something I'd actually love to learn to draw and that is rarely the case and partly to blame for not making the move. I love graphite, so this looks perfect. The fact that I can also afford it is a twofer.

You’re a PHENOMENAL ARTIST 😭 I wish I could draw like you do. Please give us run downs on how you go about creating those images so accurate and vibrant!! I thought I was an expert artist until I seen your work. ABSOLUTELY STUNNING❤

I really enjoyed this so much

I really enjoyed this. It refreshed my memory about types of paper. I might be in minority, but I use one book per purpose until I finish it. I keep my new books together and grab them once I finish. I love your longer videos and will probably watch this one several times. tfs.

Your painting is beautiful well done enjoyed seeing inside all the gems sketchbooks hugs 😊❤

What a fun review ! I really enjoyed it!

I love that litte Art Creations sketchbook, I use watercolor in it. It’s a bit wrinkly, but not bad. My average time on sketches in it is now 10 minutes, and I love it. It’s my warm up book. Stillman and Birn lives in my Art Toolkit pack, it is so lightweight and I really like the feel of it. I’ve got a Bee Creative cotton book that is really nice, by accident it has turned into something I’m working through 30 tutorials from a book. I’ve filled a couple of Kilimanjaro books from Cheap Joe’s- those are really nice too. I keep finding nice books on Amazon, I have a bunch and they are all quite good.

This was as fun and informative. You did a great purge. I have one sketch book from Walmart. I've never had an accordion style book. I was my little sketch for designs for flower arrangements, jewelry, swatches for my stamps. Tyfs this has really helped me. I'm working on getting back to basics from elementary. Any suggestions? Yeah for you.🎉🎉😎

thanks for sharing its nice to see not only the finished drawings but also the unfinished/ experimental sketches. I feel inspired to paint some garlic now :)

Those arteza maroon hardback books are what I use for my watercolor doodling haha. I like them for “scratch” or doodle paper!

I feel better about only having 4/5 finished sketchbooks! Great video Lindsay ❤

I've been using this "snowball" method for the past few years to complete my sketchbooks. I work at a much slower pace though, so it's a loooong process and might take years to go through them all. I think I'm down to 14 active sketchbooks. I'm not allowing myself to start any new ones until I finish at least a few more! (Also, I'll never buy another spiral bound sketchbook, they always annoy me.)

I can so relate!!! I have tons in progress and a box full of new, as yet unused. I have boxes filled with completed sketchbooks. I have no idea where to put them or what will become of them when I leave this life. Oh my poor kids! I do love Stillman and Birn Beta series

It's interesting. I don't really consider a lot of the spiral ones to be sketchbooks. They're paper pads to me. I only consider it a sketchbook if it's bound and has a sturdier cover. So those are just paper options I use depending on art medium I want to use and paper size I need for something I don't intend to keep in a sketchbook. I love bristol for gouache and that Strathmore vellum is beautiful for it.

I’ve made artist’s books with accordion format, but normally you bind them once you get all the art done. Otherwise, I agree with you, they’re cumbersome to use. Lovely video, I enjoyed watching your art and listening your thoughts.

I use watercolor in art creation sketchbook, and it works surprisingly well

Due to the media I work in I only use one side. I don't tend to skip around unless I change media. Strangely enough I only do marker pens on palm leaf plates after seeing someone do drawings on paper plates. For some reason I do not have any particular attachment due a particular sketchbook due to having to send drawings to people a lot so they have to be able to be removed from the sketchbook easily.

02:50 oh my goodness!! I think those mylar balloons of 2020 was the first tutorial of yours i tried to follow when i started trying to learn watercolor. I did it on December 31. 0f 2019 I changed around some of the colors but I was surprised at how well it turned out me being a beginner. I thought no way it's going to look shiny or 3-dimensional. It's sort of an optical illusion

I'm in love with all of your artwork. The ones that 'didn't make the cut' I think are gorgeous!!!!

Fun video!!! Thanks for sharing ❤

Wow. Don't feel bad I have the same problem. Wish I knew where to start getting my craft things in order, in a way I can see it.

This was so inspiring Lindsay! I will do the challenge too lol, I'm in denial about how many sketchbooks I have lol love the idea of a sketchbook snowball! Thank you for the inspiration, so much beautiful art! Lol I get comfort from the fact there are 53 in progress lol, I feel seen :P xx

Only seven unfinished sketch books. In the last two weeks I have finished up two, so only five. Being a beginner it is amazing there is anything I like. But some of the drawings don’t suck. Go me. The best thing for me is can see I have improved!

This is brilliant!

Well done, Lindsay some of your favorites are my go-tos 🙂 Stuck with you & I’m glad with my few in some of the categories 💗🏵🐾🐾🐾🐶Frame the dog art

I really enjoyed seeing your sketchbooks. I have the Sanjoki markers, and one of their dark browns gets yellow ALL OVER the facing page, and the next couple pages in either direction. It’s the only one I noticed that, and none in other brands.

i have been buying the nice small 3 packs of artisto books ,spiral bound 30 pages i filled 17 of them up already ,i need that 600 page book lol,i loved this ,im tired now got up way to early ,it was a great art day

#13 was finished, woo hoo! 💗

Are you kidding Lindsay😂 I wish I could do a workshop with you live! I feel like I'm hanging out in your studio! No sleeping😂

I used to watch nothing but makeup reviews and decluters. This is more up my alley now