Course Overview

Course Overview

Here's what you'll be covering over the course of the class. It's set up over the course of 30 days, but you can take as much time as you need. The class consists of lectures, technique demos, and prompts to build your habit. This is an open ended class for anyone who wants to spark their creativity and build a habit you can maintain for years to come.

Module 1: Beginning Your Sketchbook

  • setting an intention for your sketchbook practice

  • choosing your materials

  • creating a lightweight, portable sketchbook kit so you can draw anywhere

  • the history of artist sketchbooks

Module 2: Creating a Habit

  • adding journaling to your sketchbook practice

  • an overview of contemporary sketchbook artists

  • creating tonal studies using ballpoint pen

  • using ink washes and a negative space technique

Module 3: Maintaining Your Practice

  • tips on maintaining your sketchbook habit when life gets busy

  • transforming your drawings into paintings

  • working in your sketchbook using a traditional dry brush approach

  • working from life

The Sketchbook Habit (Recorded)

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Welcome to The Sketchbook Habit!

  • Intro Video (length: 2:25 min)
  • Course Overview
  • Recommended Sketchbook Materials List
  • Video: Choosing Your Materials (length: 23:18 min)
  • Frequently Asked Questions

Resources and References

  • Historical Artist Sketchbooks
  • Contemporary Artist Sketchbooks
  • The Sketchbook Library
  • My Sketchbooks Through the Years
  • Sketchbook Artist Interviews

Module 1

  • Video: My First Sketchbook (length: 8:18 min)
  • Video: Historical Artist Sketchbooks (length: 24:21)
  • Video: Beginning Your Sketchbook (length: 14:37 min)

Day 1: Sketching Prompt

Delayed 7 days

  • Beginning your sketchbook
  • Your inside cover:
  • What to draw today:
  • Video: Ball Point Pen - Lemon Drawing Demo (length: 5:59)
  • Video: Ballpoint Lemon drawing demo, extended (length: 1:16:30)

Day 2: Sketching Prompt

Delayed 8 days

  • Inspiration: Sketchbook drawings by Michaelangelo Buonarotti
  • What to draw today:

Day 3: Sketching Prompt

Delayed 9 days

  • Inspiration: the sketchbooks of Albrecht Durer
  • What to draw today:

Day 4: Sketching Prompt

Delayed 10 days

  • Inspiration: the illustrated letters of Vincent Van Gogh
  • What to draw today:

Day 5: Sketching Prompt

Delayed 11 days

  • Inspiration: the sketchbooks of Adolph Menzel
  • What to draw today:

Day 6: Sketching Prompt

Delayed 12 days

  • Inspiration: sketchbooks by Pablo Picasso
  • What to draw today:

Day 7: Sketching Prompt

Delayed 13 days

  • Inspiration: the travel sketchbook of Eugene Delacroix
  • What to draw today:

Module 2

Delayed 14 days

  • Video: Writing In Your Sketchbook (length: 7:51)
  • Video: Contemporary Sketchbook Artists (length: 19:33 min)
  • Video: Ink Wash & Negative Space Demo (length: 11:33 min)
  • Video: Ink Wash and Negative Space, part 1 (extended, length:18:52 min)
  • Video: Ink Wash and Negative Space, part II (extended, length: 42:19 min)
  • Video: Lemon Painting Demo (length: 6:58 min)
  • Video: "Lemon Painting Demo (extended, length: 20:30 min)

Day 8: Sketching Prompt

Delayed 14 days

  • Inspiration: Sketchbooks by William Turner
  • What to draw today:

Day 9: Sketching Prompt

Delayed 15 days

  • Inspiration: the sketchbook sanctuaries of Frida Kahlo
  • What to draw today:

Day 10: Sketching Prompt

Delayed 16 days

  • Inspiration: the sketchbooks of John Singer Sargeant
  • What to draw today:

Day 11: Sketching Prompt

Delayed 17 days

  • Inspiration: the sheep sketchbook of Henry Moore
  • What to draw today:

Day 12: Sketching Prompt

Delayed 18 days

  • Inspiration: sketchbooks by Edgar Degas
  • What to draw today:

Day 13: Sketching Prompt

Delayed 19 days

  • Inspiration: sketchbooks by Andrew Wyeth
  • What to draw today:

Day 14: Sketching Prompt

Delayed 20 days

  • Inspiration: the nature sketchbooks of Beatrix Potter
  • What to do today:

Module 3

Delayed 21 days

  • Video: Apple Painting Demo (length: 10:52)
  • Video: Apple Painting Demo (extended, length: 1:19:56 min)
  • Video: Plein Air Demo (length:13:59 min)
  • Video: "Plein air demo" (extended, length: 1:10:41 min)

Day 15: Sketching Prompt

Delayed 21 days

  • Inspiration: sketchbooks by John Constable
  • What to draw today:

Day 16: Sketching Prompt

Delayed 22 days

  • Inspiration: the sketchbook of William Blake
  • What to draw today:

Day 17: Sketching Prompt

Delayed 23 days

  • Inspiration: the childhood sketchbook of Peter Paul Rubens
  • What to draw today:

Day 18: Sketching Prompt

Delayed 24 days

  • Inspiration: a sketchbook by Theodore Gericault
  • What to draw today:

Day 19: Sketching Prompt

Delayed 25 days

  • Inspiration: the sketchbooks of Salvador Dali
  • What to draw today:

Day 20: Sketching Prompt

Delayed 26 days

  • Inspirartion: the Latin textbook of Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec
  • What to do today:

Day 21: Sketching Prompt

Delayed 27 days

  • Inspiration: the Paris sketchbook of Ilya Repin
  • What to do today:

Module 4

Delayed 28 days

  • Video: Creating Texture with Rock Salt (length: 9:05 min)
  • Video: Rock Salt Texture Painting Demo (extended, length: 1:10:07 min)
  • Video: Start With Abstraction (length: 14:56 min)
  • Video: Start with Abstraction: (extended, length: 1:56:21 min)
  • Video: Continuing Your Habit... (length: 10:35 min)

Day 22: Sketching Prompt

Delayed 28 days

  • Inspiration: the ledgers of Edward Hopper
  • What to do today:

Day 23: Sketching Prompt

Delayed 29 days

  • Inspiration: the Rome sketchbook of Jacques-Louis David
  • What to draw today:

Day 24: Sketching Prompt

Delayed 30 days

  • Inspiration: the sketchbook of Bella and Marc Chagall
  • What to draw today:

Day 25: Sketching Prompt

Delayed 31 days

  • Inspiration: the summer road trip sketchbook of James McNeill Whistler
  • What to draw today:

Day 26: Sketching Prompt

Delayed 32 days

  • Inspiration: the sketchbook of Berthe Morisot
  • What to draw today:

Day 27: Sketching Prompt

Delayed 33 days

  • Inspiration: the sketchbooks of Isabella Lilias Trotter
  • What to draw today

Day 28: Sketching Prompt

Delayed 34 days

  • Inspiration: the sketchbook of R. Crumb
  • What to draw today:

Day 29: Sketching Prompt

Delayed 35 days

  • Inspiration: the 172 sketchbooks of Charles Ritchie
  • What to draw today:

Day 30: Sketching Prompt

Delayed 36 days

  • Inspiration: sketchbooks by James Jean
  • What to draw today:

Day 31: Sketching Prompt

Delayed 38 days

  • Inspiration: sketchbooks by James Gurney
  • What to draw today:

Day 32: Sketching Prompt

Delayed 39 days

  • Inspiration: sketchbooks by Luke Adam Hawker
  • What to draw today:

Day 33: Sketching Prompt

Delayed 40 days

  • Inspiration: sketchbooks by Nicolas Sanchez
  • What to draw today:

Day 34: Sketching Prompt

Delayed 41 days

  • Inspiration: sketchbooks by Olga Andrushchenko
  • What to draw today:

Day 35: Sketchbook Prompt

Delayed 42 days

  • Inspiration: sketchbooks by Guno Park
  • What to draw today:

Day 36: Sketchbook Prompt

Delayed 43 days

  • Inspiration: sketchbooks by Morton Schelde
  • What to draw today:

Day 37: Sketchbook Prompt

Delayed 44 days

  • Inspiration: sketchbooks by Cesar Santos
  • What to draw today:

Day 38: Sketching Prompt

Delayed 45 days

  • Inspiration: sketchbooks by Giacomina Ferillo
  • What to draw today:

Day 39: Sketching Prompt

Delayed 46 days

  • Inspiration: sketchbooks by John Mullane
  • What to draw today:

Day 40: Sketching Prompt

Delayed 47 days

  • Inspiration: sketchbooks by Gareth Jones
  • What to draw today:

Day 41: Sketching Prompt

Delayed 48 days

  • Inspiration: sketchbooks by Luis Colan
  • What to draw today:

Day 42: Sketching Prompt

Delayed 49 days

  • Inspiration: sketchbooks by Lena Sen
  • What to draw today:

Day 43

Delayed 50 days

  • Inspiration: sketchbooks by David Morales
  • What to draw today:

Day 44

Delayed 51 days

  • Inspiration: Sketchbooks by Alphonso Dunn
  • What to draw today:

Thank You!

Delayed 38 days

  • Stay in touch!