How to start a new sketchbook! Getting over the fear + paint with me 🎨

[@Eovielle]

"because after some time I forgot what I wanted it to be at first and see it as for what it is" - that one hit home. Thanks for this eye-opening video. 💖

[@luususa6331]

Yeah same for me too! ❤

[@sheilacym]

Definitely true 🤗

[@jessicastrideart]

Such a brilliant insight! I’d never thought of that before! x

[@KatieMoody]

Oh I'm so, so glad it was helpful to everyone! I think we usually have ideas in our head and things don't match up, but when we forget about that we can appreciate our art even more 🥰

[@HelenColebrook]

I absolutely love how that turned out Katie! Gorgeous colours and really inviting 😍

[@KatieMoody]

Thanks so much, Helen! I'm trying to encourage the nicer weather to come early 🤣

[@notbroken4342]

That's a really good explanation for why something we create looks better when we go back and look at it later.

[@KatieMoody]

Definitely makes such a difference! Thanks for watching 😊

[@oliviaunicomb180]

I love this landscape!! So pretty!!!

[@KatieMoody]

Thank you so much! 🥰

[@impish22]

another great video, thanks for posting Katie

[@KatieMoody]

Thank you so much! 💜

[@jessicastrideart]

Your painting is so beautiful Katie, the colours make me so happy!🩵

[@KatieMoody]

Thank you so much, Jessica! It's so nice to have such a colourful and bight spread start my sketchbook 🥰

[@NavyAssassinOnBLAST]

I find drawing my art supplies is always fun & always happy with my results. Art supplies in wonky lines has a special charm 😊 My sketchbooks begin with portraits of my various supplies.

[@KatieMoody]

Oooh I love the idea of drawing your supplies - what a great idea! And totally agree, wonky lines have such charm and I'm sure even more so when drawing art supplies 😊 Thank you for sharing!

[@edithtsacle5257]

I love everything you said and it hits home, too. BTW, your first page turned out beautiful!😍❣

[@KatieMoody]

Thank you so much! 🥰

[@AngelicscalliwagsArt]

I LOVE that you said there was no good or bad art! I'm so taking that on as a mantra for my own art 😆 I really enjoy watching your process. My daughter's at UAL studying visual communications and I can see the freedom she has when creating her sketchbooks. I have no training and I think that is something I lack - the freedom to sort of play about with sketches and different media. Thank you - I really enjoy your videos 🧡

[@KatieMoody]

Oh please do, I think we all need that mantra! 😄 Thank you so much for your watching and your lovely comment 😊 I don't have any formal training with this type of art at all (I did graphic design in university instead!) so I think a lot of it is mindset, experimenting and play! When I wanted to start loosening up I really focused on just what felt enjoyable to me, which was layering with different mediums and playing with texture. That definitely helped me get to where I am now 🥰

[@maryannprzybycien2013]

That's beautiful! Watching your channel has inspired me to dabble in mixed media. I'm just waiting for my acrylic markers to arrive! 😁

[@melaniesalavante]

Same! I thought it was a negative that I couldn’t decide what medium I wanted to focus on, until I started watching Katie’s videos. I’ve started creating more because of her videos and actually using the materials I do have 😊

[@KatieMoody]

Aah so happy to hear that! I hope you have as much fun with them as I do! 🥰

[@KatieMoody]

I love that, Melanie! I don't think it's a negative at all - let's just grab all the supplies and colours we have that bring us joy 🥰 So happy to hear you're creating more because of it too! 💜

[@hanchad]

Great video Katie! I really liked when you mentioned about not ripping the pages out to allow us to see our progression, I’m very guilty of ripping pages out, I don’t tend to have a fear of starting a new sketchbook but I think it’s because I have ripped so many out, so perhaps something I should test out 🙈 I loved the tip about changing out mindset 🩵 and the mood board idea is such a good one! Other tips I’ve heard have been to start on the back page (so you know you will always fill it as the last page is done 😅although I appreciate that it is similar to starting in the middle) and to do something like some swatches or something like that. Happy creating for 2024! And for what it’s worth I really think you achieved what you set out to with the texture 🩵

[@KatieMoody]

Thanks so much, Han 🥰 Once you've turned the page on those spreads you'd be tempted to rip out, you can forget about them and focus on the next spreads - the beauty of a sketchbook! Hopefully then you'll see your progression and even maybe come to like them in the future when you look back through! Haha that tip about starting the last page is great - it makes a sketchbook like Royal Talens feel a little easier to fill as there are SO many pages 😆 Swatches is a great one!! Such a nice way to be creative and really helpful to see our shades too! 🧡

[@arttulip100561]

Thank you for sharing the highs and lows which are so real for everyone. I’m having so much fun doing small landscapes in marker to start with. It helps to take some of the intimidation out of it for me. Thanks!❤

[@KatieMoody]

My pleasure - thank you so much for watching and your lovely comment! Mini landscapes are so fun, I think that's why I love working in panels so much! 😊

[@EmmaDurrans]

I love this painting. The blue is so bright and beautiful and I really like those little pops of purple on the flowers 😍

[@KatieMoody]

Thank you so much Emma! 💜 Definitely made me crave summer and warmth though! 😅

[@megangardner_science_and_art]

This spread is absolutely beautiful 😻. I love your mixed media creations.

[@KatieMoody]

Thank you so much, Megan! 🥰

[@kathymckinstry1649]

I just finished watching your video and I agree with you, adding the pops of purple flowers in the foreground added a lot to your piece. I’m glad you did because I love color and it a good move on your part. A lot of what you said in the video made sense, great job and I’m glad you got this first page fear behind you. It’s all over now Katie 👏🏻👍🏻✅🥰.

[@KatieMoody]

Onwards and upwards from here, Kathy! Thank you so much for watching and your kind words 🧡 The foreground elements really helped add that distance and focus - and I used purple for once! 😄

[@kathymckinstry1649]

@@KatieMoody …. I love that, onwards and upwards!!! You got that right! That purple was the magic color, now you remember that in the future, when you need a little color somewhere… pick up this one!! Have a wonderful, productive and creative day Katie! 🥰

[@ViviGonzalezArt]

Wonderful spread! Thank you for this great video Katie! ❤️

[@KatieMoody]

Thank you so much! 😊🧡

[@GinDasCreative]

I loved watching this video, thanks so much. It doesn't feel so daunting now. I also love seeing how you layer everything. I only just recently bought Neocolours II for the first time and wasn't sure what to do with them. Thanks again, a great and inspiring video❤ Gin xx

[@KatieMoody]

You are so welcome Gin, I'm so happy to hear it feels less daunting now! Neocolor IIs are some of my favourite supplies, they're really versatile once you start layering and experimenting! I have a whole video dedicated to them on my channel too if you need some more ideas! Thanks for your lovely comment and for watching 🥰💜

[@wormmmmmmmmm]

i love your art so much!! it is so beautiful with all the texture and it has such a lively feel to it!! i’ve been having issues with my own art not being fun to make anymore so i have been adding more texture into my own art and that has brought a lot of fun back into the process of making it. im hoping to also make 2024 about creating without a lot of pressure!

[@KatieMoody]

Oh thank you so much! 🥰 It's easy to get a bit stuck but so glad to hear you've found the joy in it again! I find focusing on elements like that (texture or line for example) such a nice way to get enjoyment from creating that doesn't always mean creating finished art. Wishing you a low-pressured and creative 2024! 😄

[@conkrotwife]

Love what you said about distance! Such a great reminder! Several times I have left a piece not loving the end result, then when I look back at the piece I love it more.

[@KatieMoody]

Thank you, so glad!! I always find I like things more after some time so it's always a nice idea to look back 🥰

[@luisalimone4965]

I love your spread Katie. Beautiful as usual. Thank you for your sharing. It was with you that I dared to start a page just for the pleasure of creating.

[@KatieMoody]

Oh that makes me so happy to hear, Luisa! Thank you so much 🥰

[@cindystone3990]

I think this was beautiful!

[@KatieMoody]

Thank you so much! 🥰

[@farbfisch]

Really loved this

[@KatieMoody]

Thank you so much 😊

[@Samantha_tookey197]

It’s a lovely sketch, thanks for this video, I’m terrible at procrastinating sketches x

[@KatieMoody]

You’re welcome 😊 Totally get it! The hardest part is just starting to draw, whether it's the first page or not, but I hope this gives you some courage to create! 💜

[@Samantha_tookey197]

@@KatieMoody it does, thank you x

[@ChantelleArts]

This is so stunning, a gorgeous spread 😊😊

[@KatieMoody]

Thanks so much Chantelle! 😊

[@creativeartwellbeing]

I love it Katie… so vibrant , cheerful and positive. …great first page and has totally inspired me to do the same. ❤

[@KatieMoody]

Thank you so much! I'm so glad to have inspired you, I hope you have fun! 😊🎨

[@liz-anna2365]

I love seeing your process!

[@KatieMoody]

Thank you so much! 😊

[@Janartable]

Beautiful video. Don’t worry…I love the spread enough for both of us. ;)

[@KatieMoody]

Aw that is so lovely 🥰😀 thank you! 💜

[@rororo2283]

Recently found your channel and I love how free/loose your style is with so many different mediums!! Definitely subscribing

[@KatieMoody]

Aah thank you so much! I appreciate the comment and the sub 😄

[@LucyFitzmaurice]

Watching and listening to your videos is so comforting and relaxing! Your art turns out so beautiful and whimsical! You’re such an inspiration 🥹 I really appreciate how honest you are with your journey, you have helped me so much with my art journey! Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts and art process! I’ve never met you but I can just tell you’re such a lovely genuine person! Happy new year!

[@KatieMoody]

Oh what a wonderful comment, thank you so much! I really appreciate it 🥰 Always happy to share my journey - I think it's so important to be open about it all! All I hope for is to encourage creativity and I'm so glad it's inspiring too 🥰❤️

[@miiaproductions]

I think this turned out great and I love the pop of purple 😍 The next royal talens sketchbook I have lined up is purple too, it’s so fun they have so many colors to choose from so you can pick a new color for your next one. I really want to try and do the first page right at the start for my next one. I’m almost done with the one I have now and I just went back to do the first page last week, I put it off for so long that I considered not doing it at all. I really want to try the caran d’ache luminance pencils and I think I want to start with only a few shades, so I can test them and build my collection slowly. I was wondering if you could recommend a green, pink and light blue, and maybe one or two of your other favorite colors, I really love vibrant colors like the ones you often use in your sketchbook 😄

[@KatieMoody]

Yesss I love having one of each colour! Soon I'll need to move on to red and white which aren't my favourite though 😂 That's my fear if I start in the middle, that I won't go back to the first spread ever! Of course, I think that's a great way to build your collection and try them out! For a green, I'd recommend two (a light and dark), so the Olive Yellow 015 and the Dark Phthalocyanine Green 719 (you can layer them for a mid green, too!). Light blue I'd definitely recommend the Light Cobalt Blue 661 and for pink, the Anthraquinoid Pink 571 which is a lovely bold pink! I also love the muted teracotta shade of Burnt Ochre 077, or for a dark tone the Dark Indigo 639 🤗 I think they'd all make a great starting set!

[@miiaproductions]

@KatieMoody That's a goal to one day have one of every colour filled up. Yeah, those aren't my favourite colours either 😂 The sketchbook I'm currently working on I have not done the pages in order, but I definitely want to try that for my next one. Thank you so much for your recommendation, I really appreciate it 😄🩷 It looks like colours I'm going to use and love, so I'm definitely going to start with those!

[@karineoliveira834]

Perfect! So perfect ✨💛

[@KatieMoody]

Aw thank you so much! 😊

[@Kakuyawolf3456]

The arts really pretty...

[@KatieMoody]

Thank you so much 😊

[@fuzzydragons]

i just make a mess on the first page or use the first few pages for swatches of supplies, bonus you find out what works on the paper lovey cliff piece!

[@KatieMoody]

Such a good point about seeing what mediums work best on the paper! And swatching is always so fun too 😄

[@Paintsplash4]

I love this. The colors -- and the fact that you used PURPLE -- brought me to forego my plan to leave my computer and do some adulting, ha. So I'm not sure if you're helping, ha, but I do love your spread. When you don't like your piece, I think you should write something up for yourself about what you learned or what you liked (or didn't like), so that when you return to look at the drawing with a fresher face, it might help you in the future to understand that past you is too judgmental of you. Put your words on a clear or translucent vellum surface and paste them into your drawing with removable adhesive (post-it glue) so that they're temporary. Or write a few notes in erasable pencil in the margins or directly on your surface about what your intentions are or how you felt. Your words (paraphrasing) -- "Even though I didn't like the result, creating this made me happy" -- are the kind of thing you could write. Art is a joy, should never feel like pain. I would love to be at the scene you drew and your drawing took me there for a minute. It definitely made me happy! Thanks for sharing.

[@KatieMoody]

Hahaha, apologies for delaying your adulting!! 😆 I rarely use purple but I'm so glad I did! And yes absolutely, I find just noticing little areas or 'good' points about a piece definitely helps me to see it in a different way (I just don't usually write it down!). The post-it note is such a good idea for documenting those thoughts. I do find I'm quite judgemental of myself so I think that will be helpful - thank you for sharing your thoughts and for watching!

[@Annecad]

❤

[@KatieMoody]

Thank you, Anne! 💜

[@joanpringle-canning2834]

🌻🌻🌷🌷🌸🌸🏵🏵

[@barbarasparkes2718]

with a new sketchbook I randomly open it at any page and use that.

[@KatieMoody]

I know many artists recommend this approach - such a nice way to break it in without the pressure! 😊