Sketchbook ideas | making art for yourself | materials & processes

I love sketchbooks - here’s a whole video dedicated to how I use them indoors and outdoors
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00:00 Working outside & approach to using sketchbooks
09:44 Main materials I'm using
12:34 Sketchbook tours, methods & ideas

[@raerae6422]

Its a beautiful feeling when we let go of ego, forego perfection and use sketchbooks a wild place to learn, practise and generate ideas.

[@OrlaStevens]

Absolutely! One of the best feelings 😊

[@susanmarcoux7005]

Hey Orla, are you familiar with Sandi Hester? If not, I think you would both enjoy each other's work and process. I am going to suggest this to her as well. ❤

[@OrlaStevens]

Hey! Yeah I am, I love Sandi's videos and painting practice :) She was really kind to give me a wee shout out on instagram, which is I think how quite a few folk here have found me 🎉

[@jackblack9589]

Hey, amazing, I found Sandi the other day, because at first glance, I thought the it was a video from Orla. I love coincidence and tend to trust them on my journey. I guess I now have two favourite teachers.

[@cindypatterson8157]

I agree, Sandi is a fabulous artist 🎨

[@KoolKookyKreatures]

Hi Orla! A new subbie here - just found your channel and love your artwork and your calming way of presenting it :) ❤

[@jackblack9589]

Love this, thanks Orla, I found you the other day, being a beginner you inspired me to go and purchase a square sketch book, and these last few nights I have been laying washes of acrylic to build up a number of pages to work with on holiday soon. You’re a star, sharing with and encouraging the likes of me.

[@OrlaStevens]

Jack, thank you so so much for your kind words. It really helps with extra motivation to make & share, knowing it's resonating and helping! 😊

[@chrisjohnson7609]

Thanks for sharing Orla, the whole video process must take up quite a bit of your time so I really appreciate you giving us that gift. I have never really understood the reasoning behind sketchbooks, it's always seemed like a waste of art. I always wanted to spend my time on art that ends up as a finished piece. Listening to your thoughts and processes I feel a penny has dropped! Using your sketchbooks as a library has really changed my way of thinking. So I'm doing the 100 day challenge that starts on Feb 18th I think, and posting on Instagram. So I'm going to do 100 days of sketchbook pages, all of a sudden I'm excited about starting my library of creativity and ideas that I can use for inspiration. Thank you so very much😊

[@OrlaStevens]

Hey Chris, Thanks a million, I really appreciate that. Filming is pretty time consuming, but it's a really rewarding and enjoyable process too :) Ooooo I saw that 100 day project on instagram, that's a great shout. Haha, I often feel the same, it's also why I love working loose leaf, so I can do more with the things I make. Best of luck, hope you enjoy!

[@AmandaInEly]

Amazing! You are the only youtube person I watch over and over. Apart from yoga ofc.

[@OrlaStevens]

thanks so much - that really means a lot! honoured to be up there with yoga 😄

[@deborahmeyers551]

I love your beautiful organic sketches colour pallets and your intuative process the idea of pictures amd words are always engaging and expressive thank you for sharing 💜

[@susansmail3364]

Hi Orla...I recently found you and really enjoy seeing your adventures outdoor in your country & seeing your processes. I am in the States (Wisconsin, specifically) and have always loved the outdoors and the creativity it inspires in me. I also love seeing the amazing color you use to interpret the world around you. Thanks for being an inspiration!

[@OrlaStevens]

hey! Wisconsin landscape looks amaaazing, it must be really inspiring!💙

[@ninisteyn3671]

Your art is so inspiring and so amazing. So different from many other artists- I just resonate with it!😊

[@Lightpoetry.]

Just wow, thanks for such inspiration! Here we have non stop rainy days but can't wait to be back outdoors again! Photography and markmaking, so many ideas to try out!

[@OrlaStevens]

I hope it stops raining for you soon and you get a creative session in! Time between the showers are few and far between here too at the moment 🥲

[@TheDabshear]

You are also creating valuable memories, feelings, and emotions to bring forward into your work. Adding to your bank!

[@OrlaStevens]

that's a lovely way to think about it, like a memory bank! ☀️

[@sreedevi92]

I love your sketchbooks. So inspiring ❤

[@lovebacken]

I love this video! Your use of colour, your lines and marks, simple as they are, so divine. I just want to paint NOW!!!!!!

[@OrlaStevens]

woooooo!! Hope you found some painting time ♥️ 🎨

[@ChantelleArts]

This is wonderful, you are a massive inspiration ☺☺☺

[@OrlaStevens]

Chantelle thank you so much! 💙

[@julesbrunoart]

I love this idea of recording the actual experiences to refer to later, collecting a little arsenal of textures and colors-so helpful to keep in mind❤

[@pattykelly6621]

Ahhh, the wind came to help. You are very brave. I would have a lap full of ink by the end and probably not nearly as much on the page. LOL

[@OrlaStevens]

Hahah it’s the fun of it, it’s always turning the pages, and I keep forgetting to take my page clips outside 🌬️

[@manuelaruther8425]

Hello Orla, thank you very much for sharing your beautiful sketchbooks with us....I am very impressed!....I have been binding all of my sketchbooks myself as a watercolor artist for a long time and it is wonderful that this can also be part of the artistic process ......sketching and collecting impressions means a lot to me!..Many Greetings from Germany....😊

[@OrlaStevens]

Hello! thanks so much - oh wow, sketchbook making sounds so exciting, I'd really like to get back into it! An artform in itself 😊

[@daughter.of.beetles]

Me watching you paint: "omg" "gasp!" "oh no" "oh"

[@donatellaciardella7626]

Sempre belli i tuoi lavori...😊

[@debbiedrawsfunny]

Thank you for sharing your process and letting us have a look in your sketchbooks 😍 just found you and subscribed 😊

[@OrlaStevens]

thank you, glad you enjoyed a peek into the mayhem haha :) x

[@CandyMorrigan-pk8in]

Loved this orla ❤

[@OrlaStevens]

Aw thanks so much! ✨

[@Stormy-14-]

I just discovered your channel and I love it👍👍❤️❤️

[@OrlaStevens]

aw thanks so much, and welcome!

[@marieallen8073]

Thank you for your generosity in sharing your process, materials etc! Your work is really interesting and inspiring, and very helpful tome as I want to start taking sketchbook and materials out on walks with me and actually doing something with them, rather than feeling fearful of them (if that makes sense!!) . Beautiful videos to watch with your lovely open energy!

[@OrlaStevens]

I totally know what you mean, it can feel like a barrier to break them out and get going :) hope you get some painty walks when it feels good! 🍃

[@cotedelpiano]

Lovely video Orla ❤thanks for sharing some of the process and the tour, it’s so interesting to watch. This week I’ve been working outside my sketchbook and plan to take it outside tomorrow, perfect timing to watch your video 😊

[@OrlaStevens]

aw lovely, and thanks so much! hope you had a great session!

[@geraldinesarmiento-pableo8666]

This is wonderfully inspiring, Orla❤️I’m going away this weekend and definitely bringing my sketchbook with me

[@OrlaStevens]

hope you have a great session!

[@letslistentobooks894]

Oh my I'm so glad to have found you ... ❤

[@DazzlingStar07]

So glad i found you! Love your outdoor sessions❤

[@OrlaStevens]

Thank you! 🍃

[@tasticola]

Hi Orla, I've just stumbled upon you recently. So glad i did! Love your free way of drawing and painting. Love listening to you too. Thank you for sharing your art, ideas and thoughts x Nell.

[@OrlaStevens]

Hey Nell, thanks so much! Glad you’re enjoying the videos 😊 x

[@RoxannePonds]

I loved this video so much! Thank you so much for sharing part of your process. you explain things beautifully. Have a great weekend!

[@OrlaStevens]

Thanks so much Roxanne, and you!

[@Loki-Landsby]

I’m so happy I found you and your channel💐💜

[@OrlaStevens]

Thank you! ♥️ lovely to have you here!

[@juliebowden9754]

Such a great video and inspiring art. Thank you for sharing so much of your art and the landscape in which you live. 😊

[@OrlaStevens]

Thank you Julie! 💙

[@christinecovert7995]

❤ and big up!

[@TristenMacDonald]

Thank you for all this info! I'm so curious about which paper you use when you do your series paintings on watercolor paper. I want to try to do multiple paintings at a time like you do and wondering if you have a favorite paper to use.

[@OrlaStevens]

I'm still finding and exploring different types, but right now I'm loving Fabriano's 100% cotton cold pressed watercolour paper in extra white! The paper itself is lovely, I'm just on the hunt for the perfect tape as my usual go-to (tesa sensitive) isn't sticking quite as well. My fave budget is seawhite recycled watercolour paper, which takes mixed media really well!

[@TristenMacDonald]

@@OrlaStevensthank you!

[@alatsaf]

How to avoid copying? i just cant get out from this. copy and copy... i seem like not having any idea how to invent my own subjects, thank you for your videos

[@OrlaStevens]

It's a really good question! Is it finding the right subject matter to explore, or the right process/materials you're finding harder? I think the main thing is to be kind on yourself. Painting is just like learning any other language: we learn from other people through copying how they speak until we have enough understanding of the basics to start to make things in our own way 🌿

[@cindypatterson8157]

Hi Orla, im new to your channel. I have just come across a book & artist you might like to check out....Frances Hatch...she had a trip to the Antarctic 😊

[@OrlaStevens]

Hey! Welcome 😊 oh amazing, I don’t know them, thank you for the recommendation - I’ll check it out!

[@tiwantiwaabibiman2603]

Greetings - Please take better care of your paint brushes. Cleaning them fully/properly - even the cheaper ones will help them last and perform better. I have useable paint brushes from 1979-1997 because I clean and store them properly... Just sayin... 🖌 🖌 🖌 🎨 Your sketch book (from your plien air trip) is kickin!

[@OrlaStevens]

Thank you! 😊 and thanks for the tip - I really like the gritty textures they make when they’re a bit broken, it’s part of the enjoyment and mark making for me ☀️