The Usefulness of Sketchbooks

Sketchbooks, something that I've always wanted but I never had the money to have. Whatever supplies I have (which is a fair amount) they're either old or other people bought them for me or just gave them to me. But recently I was able to buy a sketchbook and wow! I love it, it's like my friend and I hope I can have another one when I finish filling this one up with my practices and ideas and stuffs. In this blog I'd like to talk about some uses for sketchbooks.


First to say what kind of sketchbook I have, which is a Strathmore sketch book, the paper is 50lb (74 g/m²) and 9in x 12in (22.9cm x 30.5cm), it contains 100 sheets. It's good for pastels (the kind I have) ink if you don't press hard on the paper or layer it too much, and colored pencil, as well as normal pencils...okay on to “how to use” a sketchbook, or better some of the uses of one.

1: Freedom

The thing about a sketchbook is that you don't have to finish anything, it doesn't have to be good drawings, you don't even have to draw if you don't want to. It's like a diary of sorts you put your emotions and ideas in to it and make beautiful things without needing the judgement of “but it's not finished” or “it looks terrible!”. You don't need to do any of that, it's just fun!

2: Practice

Pastel and colored pencil practices

I don't know about you, but for me as stated in the opening, I don't have money to buy paper all the time so if I buy good paper I don't want to “waste it” by not finishing drawings; But with this sketching book I can doodle and plan out drawings with ease, no “guilt”, no feeling bad, that's its purpose, to be used for the less of par to make the good drawings great with better planing. And following tutorials, making terrible drawings in the process doesn't feel like I wasted anything. I can feel the accomplishment of finishing a tutorial without being like 'goodness me this looks terrible I wasted a page for nothing!” Also you can practice new mediums which is daunting if you're using good paper but in a sketchbook you can just have fun!

3: Pre-planing

I used this to draft my points system in a game I'm working on.

If you have a sketchbook you can pre-plan your drawings, doodle, work out kinks and bugs. It's a good tool for composition and story-boarding also. As well as writing notes, doing ideas for things like books and games. I personally use my sketchbook to plan out games, writing code that I think up or drag and drop options, as well as splash-screen design and menus. And many other things. Even if you don't stick to the original idea you can still use the pre-planing to help you do your final result on your project.

4: Doodling

This is a doodle.

I know that sounds like a childish thing to do, but doodling can actually teach you a lot. I've learned a lot about pastels by doodling with them, drawing without a sketch and just going alone made some nice results. I've also done things with just a pen, doodling that way is quite lovely and fun. You come up with ideas that way too!

This is a doodle too.

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Now that you've heard some good things about sketchbooks I'm going to talk about a few random things in closing.

Types of sketchbooks:
There are countless types of sketchbooks, some are in flimsy paper like the one I use, some that are almost like watercolor paper and everything in between. The size as well ranges from pocket sized to coffee table sized. You are not limited in any way to be free in what you want to do. You just have to be able to buy it, and for most that isn't a problem.


When to use one:
I  encourage those who are really in to committing to sketching as a good way to learn, to bring a book with you everywhere you go that it's permitted. Got a doctor's appointment? Doodle in the waiting room, it'll relax you. Have a late flight? Sketch a bit so you don't slap the people at that desk that can't help the plane is late but we still blame anyway.....But really putting snarky humor aside I really do think that taking a sketchbook with you can be wonderful! I took a drawing book with me when I was on my 15 minute break, so I could work on a picture a bit. If you can take one with you, do it! And don't feel bad if you don't get to use it every waking moment, it's supposed to be fun not a whip to the back.
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I hope this was helpful to somebody!




Blessings and Health to all you know and love!




~ Firefly

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