Exercise 1.0 – What sort of sketchbook should I use?

Over the years I’ve used many many sketchbooks, notebooks and it was only when started using my “everyday” sketchbook I pretty much put the rest away!

Since April 2019 I keep a personal sketchbook on me, this is used for everything (BUT notes and colour swashes) I don’t like to write in my sketchbooks (I will be happy to stick post in notes in my book) this is partly for a good reason as had a habit of my sketchbook turning into note books before April 19. This is something I be willing to open up to more along the courses (just started to add more in my KSI sketchbooks).

I started with A5 in size which easy to carry around. I like my sketchbook being “hard back” as a lover of books it feels like my own book collection and my sketchbooks are displayed on my shelf like so. I liked A5 size for carrying however I felt very limited by the paper room and tried a seawhite 195×195 square all media sketchbook and I’m very happy with this choice for my personal as it can easily fit in my bag to carry.

For this course I have got a Seawhite All media 25x25cm square sketchbook (A bigger version than my personal) reason being is I never worked in this size, I like the square format and think it will be fun as it nice and chunky.
The paper is 140 Gms and from experience I know can handle a bit / light washers.
I also find this sketchbook to be in a decent price range, it not cheap yet also not too expensive. (just right!)

I find that most of the times the cheaper the harder it is to work the paper and that can stop my “flow” and ruin some of the creative mark making as be scared the paper cannot handle it. On the other hand if too expensive I hold back as I don’t want to “ruin” the paper and this fear can also stop me being fully creative. Seawhite I found are my perfect middle ground.

My love for hardbacks does have some flaws, such as wear and tear and needs extra love when gets full. This all being said I feel it is part of the charm, just like with books you can tell which books are loved and read repeatedly, guess it is like that with my sketchbooks

I do and will add papers/pages as I tend to sometimes jump in my ideas and try more so in my OCA sketchbook keep things together, not just better for assessment but for me to refer back to quickly.
The other type of paper I add is bleed proof, I have a personal hate for bleed on the other side of the paper, as I like to use both sides, I do not really care that sketchbook end up messy, transfer of mediums used, but I really dislike bleed though ruining another page. If do use markers direct in my sketchbook the other side is likely to be a painted image / moodboard type of page.
I also add textures, pattern paper and postcards (tend to collect from museums)

I have my own personal sketchbook (like above the seawhite) lucky I’m about to start a new one (Will be sketchbook 5) I feel the two will cross over as it did for key steps in illustration, cannot help when creative inspiration strikes! this is my everything, so suppose in many ways this is my “everyday” just not in order of my “course sketchbooks”.

Also as I like to challenge myself I will also be doing something I’ve always wanted to do and have a Digital Sketchbook.
This won’t just be just putting together digital pieces in one book but I will be doing my best to use like would a physical sketchbook, so no CTRL-AlT-E for this. So will see me working out on “paper” without me editing. My physical sketchbooks will be my “main” however this is something on the side which I will be doing and printing at the end of the course. I will be curious to see how different the physical and digital medium end up!
Another reason I do not want to ignore / negligent my digital art skills while doing this unit as I found a happy growth within key steps that I want to continue in my own little way.

I’m not turning my nose up at hand made sketchbooks, I have a book binding kit and very keen to investigate and explore. My brain is already coming up with ideas of how to incorporate into my “main” sketchbook.