Become More Creative Using Your Sketchbook

[@paolomasone3754]

as a retired architectural designer and watercolorist/pencil artist and teacher, I like the fact that you made plain that your sketches do not have to be "works of art" or even "good drawings." I've been to too many lectures where say an architect or painter demonstrates their design process with all these wonderful beautiful preliminary sketches and we are all wowed and subsequently immersed in our feeling of inadequacy. While I have known people who spill their coffee in the morning and the resultant stain on the tablecloth could be "art," It is important to realize that for most creatives there were probably many ugly sketches that came before the beautiful ones. One thing I have learned: FAILURE IS THE FIRST STEP TO SUCCESS.

[@julianneaitch]

Brilliant! Finally someone telling ppl what a true sketchbook is… ideas and development. I spoke to someone who only knew art from KZbin and they were shocked, yes shocked that I wrote ideas in my sketchbook. Then I noticed how KZbin has skewed the self taught into thinking they’re only for finished work. Finished work that wasn’t developed it was just done without workings out, is it the best composition, the best colours, textures, effects, media. None of it was worked out. So the ‘finished’ work was in essence a first draft in the trained eyes. I’m glad someone is addressing this dissonance.

[@Cbozflorida]

Yes! You said everything I was thinking

[@ForFuny-os7bu]

I have purchased all of your courses for my birthday as a gift . I started from the beginning course of the art and science of drawing and now i am studying the gesture drawing course and it is very challenging to me but i am eager to learn more from you . Your courses are a life changer and i look forward to seeing all of what you share even if it was a 1 minute video because they are very informative and inspiring . Thank you so much for all the efforts you put in your courses and videos . Much love and appreciation from Baghdad , Iraq 🇮🇶

[@Glassed_in_Nature]

IMO this is THE best sketchbook video on KZbin

[@NavyAssassinOnBLAST]

Thank you for sharing the true definition of sketchbooks. I see so many artists calling their illustrated & art journals 'sketchbooks'. It may be sold as a sketchbook, but when filled with finished art pieces, they've become artists books, artists journals, or illustrated journals. They are not sketchbooks anymore.

[@Mary-du5gq]

Thank you for emphasizing the importance of keeping a paper sketchbook in this world of technology.

[@Antwoni]

It is absolutely mind blowing what you said at 5:31 , this is exaaactly the reason why i have a sketching session every day to just draw in my sketchbook with ink without literally any distractions, no music, no digital references, nothing else than me, my brain and my fountain pen. And having those sessions made me realize how much of a distraction it can be just to be in an environment of unlimited information. Those sessions are the reason why i'm feeling more creative and artistically energetic than ever. Thank you for this video, probably the best one about sketchbooks i've ever came across!

[@oliviajones4588]

This is so inspiring, thank you. I love that you say it's ok to keep your sketchbook private.

[@JH-pe3ro]

Recently I made a breakthrough in my sketchbooking through zinemaking. I have a lot of commercial sketchbooks, and I do use them, but I've mostly used them in a disorganized habit where I do a study or a doodle, then close the book, then open it and do another one, and - while that works towards developing my art fundamentals - it isn't doing a lot in terms of idea development. But the other day, I had some scrap paper nearby from failed print jobs and thought to turn the blank side into booklet zines - something personal instead of for publication. And this also meant that, in effect, I now had a lot of tiny sketchbooks. Suddenly the creative prompt was obvious: put a title on the cover, then make a few pages of follow-through on that title. Not dozens or hundreds of pages - just enough to take one idea and elaborate on it over a longer period. Soon I went into a frenzy of playing around making little "thought spaces" with different book sizes and formats. I made a book with my stapleless stapler titled "Stapleless". Then I dug into my paper stash and made a book with bamboo paper titled "Bamboo". I experimented with cutting paper from my commercial sketchbooks and discovered that I liked 7.5"x11" dimensions. It's the "creativity from constraints" energy - the books aren't unlimited spaces, so they lead me towards adding just the most important parts.

[@Kkkaytey]

This video was like decades of therapy for me, thanks. I have purchased many of your courses in the past few years and enjoyed them all. On my shelf are 20 plus years of sketch books from which I have bulit furniture, fashioned period costumes for pagents and dabbled in cartooning. Thought I was a little crazy but you have validated me. I am gratefult to have ongoing access to your teaching.💌

[@rayewilliams2651]

Your thinking is on a high level. Thanks.

[@alannachristie6495]

Thank you! I've been putting my ideas in a general note book with recipes, grocery lists, sewing and weaving ideas, and alot of other miscellaneous ideas, thoughts, and doodles, etc....not any more! I will be carrying and idea book from now on! You have really helped with my 'white page' fears!!

[@NotTelling-p8v]

I carry a field notes anywhere as a catch-all notebook. Given it’s sometimes difficult to sketch on the go, a lot of our thinking can be put into words. The freedom of having a tool that can replace a phone in your pocket is the most amazing feeling ever

[@PatruccaChan]

Thank you so much for this video!! I have often felt bad or like a failure artistically because most of what is in my sketchbooks are messy, with a lot of written notes, and don't make a lot of sense, let alone are not polished pieces. I also have several "working" sketchbooks that I slowly fill instead of filling a single sketchbook front to back, one at a time. This video is like a creative weight being lifted... I've been holding myself to perceived art "rules"... well, no more! What you say is refreshing to hear! Thanks again!!

[@samsil187]

1. write down all creative thoughts to catch 2. Keep it private 3. Capture ideas immediately 4. Keep Sketchbook with you at all times - can keep multiple sketchbooks 5. Sketchbook not just for drawings. Writing, drawing, lists, plans, collage, etc 6. Its not about good drawings 7. Recommend a physical sketchbook and not a device. 8. Evaluate the books later on.

[@robertadrsvensson]

Hi Brent, I just wanted to express my gratitude, you really taught me how to draw. I love your courses and your videos here on YT.

[@TheMarkEH]

Excellent video. I have an ideas book and I now have some new tips that will improve it. Thank you.

[@ty2u]

I enjoyed your video. I have kept sketchbooks for over 50 years. Mine also include labels from wine or beer, ticket stubs and other things of this nature. There are also rubbings. I use drawings to “reverse engineer” mechanical devices.

[@ImaginethenMake]

I tend to keep a folded piece of printer paper and a pen with me all of the time to record ideas in sketch or text form. I will often times record ideas in text on my phone. Most ideas don't go any further but some do and become a "final" product. I guess i must be practicing art therapy for my whole life because i record new ideas almost everyday; it is a very relaxing practice to me.

[@tomyates5486]

Carl Jung said that the creative impulse is "implanted in the human psyche". He was an artist himself... These are great rules. Follow them and you will never lack for something to put in your sketchbook, and you will not suffer from the "fear of the blank page". Thanks for stating them so clearly.

[@rebeccalilienfeld4519]

I’ve been struggling with my attempts at a sketchbook practice. This was very helpful, thank you!

[@ric8248]

This is solid advice.

[@rezajamshidi8685]

Hi Brent.good to see you. Thanks for the video.🙏

[@anabelaisdrawing]

Great advice! Thanks for sharing.

[@rezajamshidi8685]

Very usefull.👍

[@Joax010]

Love the chairs at 8:40 they have some similarity to some of my furniture projects ^_^ Thanks for this video.. makes me reconsider my way of recordkeeping a bit again :-)

[@CatladyActionFigure]

Awesome!!!

[@MoniqueBourgeois]

Great content and ideas:)

[@1baylor_]

Great video!!

[@dogspur8048]

3:58 KEF LS50 Meta spotted. Yep, this man is an audiophile.

[@johnnywednesday2084]

Brent -- Do you follow a regular routine when using your creative sketchbook? Do you try to fill at least a page or two everyday? Do you do your creative thinking at the same time every day == like every morning? When you draw, do you draw from a reference photo? OR do you draw objects like buildings or figures from observation? OR do you only draw from your imagination when you draw in your creative sketchbook?

[@ForFuny-os7bu]

@@johnnywednesday2084 i think creativity comes by inspiration more than following a routine . Thats why he mentioned having sketchbooks with you everywhere because you don’t know when and where the inspiration and the idea hits . Idk if this is just me but I can’t force my creativity it just comes by itself.

[@hArtyTruffle]

Been trying to buy your course via PayPal but it keeps sending me in circles 🙄

[@evolveyourart]

Sorry to hear this. What website are you using to try and buy the courses?

[@mozartwa1]

this method is not about raising creativity - this method is about raising the understanding that you are busy with something that is not your business.. this is, in fact, art therapy. you can draw such sketches and make notes all your life, if you are busy with something that is not your business all your life - this is a compensatory art therapy function. the ability to draw does not mean that you are an artist, designer or architect - it means that you have mixed up vital doors. to be a designer, artist or architect you need to have completely different qualities that lie beyond the traditionally understood creativity and even professional skills.

[@ollekoos2071]

Yes, you are right, but i d disagree, that the developing drawing skills means you mixed up "doors", because the truth is that we don t know ourselves and our ideas about our identities could changed one day - it s scaring, but it s truly is that way.

[@mozartwa1]

@@ollekoos2071 if you look at successful (established) artists, architects, designers, you will notice that they have not devoted much time to developing their most diverse skills. and precisely because they entered their doors.. art has a goal and it is always external, art therapy also has a goal and it is always internal.. - this is the main indicator of "not your business".. in other words, you always know what you want, or, you don't know - then it is either your door, or not yours. creativity cannot be developed - you can only develop technical skills. this is always visible. creativity can only be directed "to your business" and if it is not directed in any way, then see above))

[@lilybay1]

@@mozartwa1what? I don’t get your hypothesis. Could you drill down and succinctly tell me what this stream of information means.

[@mozartwa1]

@@lilybay1 in one very successful book on the basics of design it is written right on the frontispiece: - "your talent is worth nothing if you don't know what to do with it" - this is the key to understanding what I have written. thus, if you are aimlessly engaged in developing your creativity - this means that you have no goal and it means that this is not yours. akira kurosawa, the famous japanese film director, entering the directing department in his essay on the topic "how to fix the situation with japanese cinema, which is in ruins?" wrote - "if it is in ruins - then fixing it is pointless - you need to create a new one!" - it is a clear understanding of the goal that makes you creative, and not manipulations with your hands and brain. but if you are doing this (developing creativity) - then this most likely indicates problems with the psyche - more precisely with your subconscious, which is uncomfortable on the path you have chosen. excuse my english - it is not my native language.

[@mozartwa1]

@@lilybay1 watch the movie "Basquiat", in which there is a scene where his girlfriend expresses gratitude to the hero for helping her understand that painting is not her calling and that by becoming a doctor she found herself and peace of mind

[@thomasc9451]

Brilliant and respectful , concise, and provocative. 🩵🩵🩵🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽