Keeping an Art Sketchbook

You don't need formal art training to enjoy drawing. All you need are a few supplies, a sketchbook, and desire to learn.

There are many drawing options to choose from, including pencil, charcoal, and pastel, which are quite common. It is also fun to experiment with other less common media like oil pastel and watercolor pencils.

Select a sketchbook that is a manageable size for you. You might want one that is small enough to be portable but not so small that it becomes confining. 11 x 14 or 9 x 12.

You can find books with a variety of covers. some are bound like a traditional book and some have a spiral bound edge. I prefer the spiral bound edge because it then lies flat and doesn't try to close on you as you're drawing.

The type of paper you select will need to work with what medium you plan to work with. The tooth, or texture, of the paper matters. If you plan to work with pen and ink you will want a smooth paper without much tooth. Pencil, charcoal, or pastel call for a rougher paper with more tooth.

If you would like to use watercolors in your sketchbook, you can buy books made of watercolor paper. This paper is designed to accept water media and won't curl up like other papers do.

Pastel, charcoal, and even graphite pencil can smear easily, so it's good to have a can of spray fixative. Some fixatives, called "workable" fixatives, allow you to keep working on the drawing but keep the existing work from smearing.

There are many good books out there to teach you techniques and give you exercises to work on. One classic which makes a nice starting point is Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain. You can also find books that explore your favorite medium in more detail.

A good place to see tutorials, talk to other artists, and receive critiques is wetcanvas.com.

Drawing from life, rather than from photographs, is the best way to learn to draw. Photographs flatten the image and don't show as much detail as objects you see in real life.

The more you draw, the better you'll get. It can be fun to date your drawings so that later you can look at them and see how you've progressed. Drawing is a skill that takes practice; the good news is that with practice anyone can learn.