What I Learned From My Early Sketchbooks

[@Coananlover]

'Lousy Sketches' *pulls out a work of art and scoffs* Your art is astounding.

[@XiaoFeng895]

Little Mac For hobby I do calligraphy and design with chinese and english characters. I also think that my calligraphy is not good.Yet my friends think my calligraphy is good. Maybe that is because they dont do calligraphy drawing but i feel that i can always keep improving my art.

[@XiaoFeng895]

Little Mac Having a sense that you are not good enough is good. It helps too motivate me to keep making me a better calligraphy artist.

[@bozomahoney]

Teoh, I found your channel 4 days ago and I have been watching it every day all day... I love that you have no music in the background because it makes for easy listening. Your camera work is excellent. You show the work at hand and what you are doing. You sketching style is amazing! Your product reviews are exactly what I have been looking for. You talking about how the paint glides across different paper styles. THAT is exactly the information I needed. It is so informative, I could watch over and over again. I just need to look back at one of the videos where you were in a book store and you recommended a book for beginner sketchers; that would be me !! Thank you so much !!!

[@teohyc]

+LuvAndHugs Thanks for your support 😄

[@francisco5434]

Your style is very free and flowing. You are very open to experimenting with media, equipment and technique. Most importantly you are prolific, doing lots of drawings. It goes to show that you only need to dedicate 30 minutes to an hour a day and you can build skills and confidence and have something to show for your time in a short period of time. Thanks for sharing your work!

[@teohyc]

+Fran Cisco Thanks 😁

[@jimcordle3085]

Hi Teoh....I am retired and wanted learn to sketch just for fun. I have viewed most of your work and really have enjoyed your presentations. You provide wonderful instructions and provide easy to understand examples. Thank you for taking the time to share your talents with us. Happy sketching! Jim

[@mikenoneofyourbusiness7122]

Nice! I wish you joy and fulfillment on your artistic journey! ❤

[@maggielatham656]

So very nice to see and here about your progression as an artist. You and your videos serve as an inspiration to people all over the world.Your open, honest and down to earth nature is wonderful and refreshing.

[@teohyc]

Thanks ヾ(⌐■_■)ノ♪

[@aartistanimation4186]

hear

[@2003mandiman]

I totally agree!

[@mikenoneofyourbusiness7122]

I don’t see much progress, just drafts and more drafts… never anything properly finished.

[@MarcosSilveira]

That sketchbook of Cambodia is a must have!! Beautiful!! You're a very skillful artist!

[@lilbluebell]

Love that you can look back at earlier sketches and learn more. This inspires me to sketch more

[@renatogonzaga1481]

I love "simple" sketch. It transmit the ideia of the original place with lightness and the style of the artist. Really like your color drawings

[@rogerehinger6694]

Yeah, I'm an older man who once enjoyed painting and working with pastels. The people in my world get impatient when I'm still working on some sketch or painting after an hour. Thank you for saying approximately how long a painting took to do. I gives me a silent satisfaction knowing that I am not the only one who can take time to get a piece done. My companions may be bored but I am enjoying my time spent at paint and paper.

[@lurklingX]

The line work I find is very interesting, even in the early sketches. The transition to gray washes, fascinating. Then the color style I just find so compelling. Some of the colors/compliments you chose just floored me, they look incredible! It’s funny that the style is loose and almost cartoonish, and yet has so much emotional content. Fantastic! I absolutely love it. Don’t dismiss your early work! I think my favorites were in the grey washes phase and the early loose color phase, and the right after that when you were more clean lines. (Current phase lost some of that loose expressionism, which i seem to prefer in your work. But still many beautiful pieces and wonderful color choices.) thank you for sharing! I cant believe you can do these so quickly! Now i need to watch you work (i hope you filmed a few. About to go look! 😆👏)

[@ravenfox13]

Whenever I feel a little out of sync or I need to feel inspired, I just watch your videos and it makes me feel better. Stay creative and share your talent to the world ;)

[@teohyc]

Thanks for your support :-)

[@mmmmlllljohn]

So practice, practice, and more practice! Thanks for sharing your lessons and talent.

[@ArcaneWorkshop]

6:00 my favorite one, I love the vertical panoramic effect

[@PortrayArt]

I used to sketch a lot growing up especially in high school. Then I got so busy with university and now working full time but watching this video made me reminisce about those days I used to just sketch for me... thanks so much for uploading this! I'm seriously going to buy a sketchbook after work and start drawing again!

[@teohyc]

+PortrayArt That's great. Go get the sketchbook 😁

[@2003mandiman]

Did you start sketching again? 😊

[@mikenoneofyourbusiness7122]

If you work full-time, it’s 37.5 hours per week. You sleep about 7 hours a day. Eating and chores take up to 1 hr per day. If you have to travel to a full-time job, you have 69.5 hrs for your personal interests. If you work from home full-time, you still have 74.5 hours left every week just for yourself! You’re not busy, you’re lazy! Big difference! Do art, stop with excuses!

[@judithsopher4711]

You seem to be critical of the work in the smallest sketchbook, but I think they are wonderful. I like these the best, in fact. I wish I had your patience. Thank you for your videos.

[@LarkOnWheels]

I think your work is marvelous- both older and current. Very inspirational.

[@teohyc]

+Lark in TN Thanks :-)

[@prismatic4793]

Your work is wonderful. I really enjoyed seeing all your neat sketches. Thank you for sharing your work with us.

[@teohyc]

+Prismatic Thanks 🙌😀

[@emmalouie1663]

I like the black and white and gray markers.

[@MsMonika59]

You are such a wonderful teacher. Thank you for sharing your knowledge. 😊👍

[@quinacridonerose3309]

Thank you for the tour of your earlier work...so nice to see the progression and growth in confidence.

[@teohyc]

Thanks ヾ(⌐■_■)ノ♪

[@apricot_rat]

I'm so glad I found your channel! I've been doing lots of stippling and it seems to let me have a lot of control, I'm going to gather the confidence and practice sketching for sure.

[@deejaytori]

Thank you for showing your sketchbooks, including the early ones, which I really like too. Really interesting how the Cambodia notebook shows a distinct point of growth in your work. Great comments on patience. And that tiny sketchbook is such a gem!!

[@thesolitairegambit2556]

Just found your channel and is very awesome. Thank you for your tutorials and showing us all your beautiful work of art. Subscriber won! LOL

[@txin999]

I always go back to this video whenever I get discouraged to continue urban sketching :) Thanks so much, Teoh!

[@joannemoore2556]

All I can say is ."wow"! You can really see how you've improved. Inspiring stuff Thank you for sharing. Your channel has reignited my own art and drawing

[@teohyc]

+Joanne Moore Thanks 😀

[@Amaditis]

So fascinating to see your style developing in these sketchbooks!

[@mikenoneofyourbusiness7122]

But it’s just bunch of drafts 😂 Did he ever even complete a proper adult level drawing or painting?

[@ngan9081]

I know others have said it well but still I want to say thanks for show your progress! It's a great motivation for at times the poor drawings do get me frustrated.

[@keengoon116]

Your video get's me inspired to do more sketches and studies from life, I really need to practice that. Thanks for sharing! :)

[@unechaine416]

wow. I did this exercise with a friend of mine last month with all my sketchbook since 2009 (so a massive amount of sketchbook of all formats) the first things like you said is that you have to be patient. and have passion.And when you see all the space this object take, you can say how much you are passionate :'). just by seeing the amount of draw you can say that you come from far. and I think it's a part of this technic to re-read all this "phase" of your graphic identity. and it drives you to so much emotion like.... sometime you so ashamed of old draw that you just want to burn the book and some time you see your "level up" phase and smile. anyway. Great video. And sorry for the poor English if you read this.

[@alina.kuptsova]

So many lovely drawings! Love your works in color. The progress you made motivates a lot. Thank you for sharing!

[@i.widiastuti8718]

I like the way you pick colors for your sketches, looked so vibrant! The black and white drawings are also very good.

[@MyChristi123]

i LOVE your style. simple but effective, and still has a lot of skill.

[@teohyc]

+Christina C Thank you 😁

[@delnichol8230]

Stunning. All of them. Love your style. Thanks for sharing.

[@lauraluduvig9124]

Hi Teoh! It's so nice to see how your art evolved year by year and piece by piece, with new techniques and with a ton of practice! Thanks for sharing!

[@rabbat1925]

Well, my sketchs're alway in my notebook (lined-paper, of course :v), though I sketch alot, I don't have even a sketchbook, so I never see how they changed through the time. It's great to see your old sketchbooks, it somehow changed me, i think...And that happens with pretty many of your video and posts. Thanks alot for your helpful sharing.

[@moupriya6122]

Among your videos the ones I love the most are the ones with your own sketches. These are amazing. You could sell some of these and young artists can keep them as inspiration.

[@marjoriejohnson6535]

Looking at your first sketchbooks I can already see your style. Although much my improved it is still all yours.

[@bluovalgal]

Very inspirational, Teoh! Though you can see "faults" in your earlier drawings, I still see artistic beauty, and it was really fun and interesting to see your drawing style change yet remain... you. Your style. Anyway, loved this video. Keep it up!!

[@teohyc]

+blueovalgal Thanks you. 🙌😁

[@melanychaiquin8020]

You are SO talented. I ran into your channel by chance a while back, while looking for watercolour tutorials, and I've been obsessed with them ever since then! I would totally buy an urban sketching / watercolour teaching book by you!

[@NoxMoony]

I remember seeing some of your old sketches on your website back around 2009-10 ish, this was really great to see. Your older drawings and paintings were really quite good but you've definitely improved a lot and current stuff looks awesome!

[@teohyc]

+Nox Moony Thanks 😁

[@munnaza23]

I love going through your videos. Thank you for sharing your sketchbook experiences. There are so many tips and things to learn! I love your Cambodia sketchbook, Barcelona sketches and hongkong ones most!really inspiring.

[@cindyluong3860]

I love your art style. So loose and the color combinations are beautiful.

[@teohyc]

+Cindy Luong Thanks 😀

[@hannahjane7469]

Wow I'm glad you listen often to your viewers and open to our suggestions. I think all online creators should be like you :)

[@teohyc]

+Hannah Jane Thanks. Sometimes comments have good ideas for video.

[@mosavitra-coursdedessinapa1031]

You are honest, courageous and talented. I appreciate your honesty stronger than anything. It is a breath of fresh air in this corrupted world; keep the good job. Just draw

[@ItsMe-jd8ou]

I admire your work so much. I like watercolors but I realized I would need to learn to sketch. Thank you very much for sharing your progress. It really inspired me

[@scruffy281]

Your work is beautiful..........some people are just born with gifts. Beautiful!!! So inspiring....❤️

[@blueplague5911]

I love seeing the progress in your sketchbooks. I want to see more videos of your process while drawing in your sketchbook, too. I just love your style.

[@teohyc]

+Blue Plague Thanks. I like process videos too but they are more time consuming to make so I don't make them as often.

[@blueplague5911]

Aw, yeah. Don't overwork yourself too much. I like all of your videos, too xD

[@mararsc]

I found your channel a few weeks ago and I "became addicted" to your videos. lots of useful information and lots of inspiration. Once again, thank you. Obrigada!

[@teohyc]

Thanks 😁

[@sooyaa311]

ahhhhhhh i love your works teoh im a beginner artist and you really helped me alot eventhough im not into sketching outside you really helped me when im purchasing something !! your reviews is just the best . tou deserve more!!

[@NamikazeH]

I want to thank you so much for your continual emphasis on patience and the fact that you gave the approximate time it took for you to draw these sketches-- they're absolutely gorgeous, and the word "sketch" makes it sound like it ought to be something quick and that carries with it connotations of carelessness and maybe less forethought and planning. It makes it sound like you just magically get these done in 45 minutes total, when in fact a lot more thought go into them... Thank you. It readjusts my views on it into something healthier, and really helps with calming down my natural impatience.

[@mikenoneofyourbusiness7122]

I’m curious if he ever made a properly finished painting or drawing? I keep seeing drafts after drafts, mostly primary school level.., but not a single fully completed painting that doesn’t look sloppy and like a draft for a real painting. So… there’s no progress 😂

[@chelseaxie6240]

I'm so glad that I found your channel. I spent my whole week to watch your videos. You inspired me and I've learned so many knowledges and techniques from you. I'm a beginner with watercolour and watch how far you have come really encourages me! Thank you for all your time and heart and soul to take these amazing videos!

[@teohyc]

+Chelsea Xie Thanks for your support 😁

[@woolywonders5546]

Excellent determination and discipline. Great drawings, certainly can see improvement and evolution of your style!

[@beckywebster90]

Love to see your art style develop...inspires me to 'just sketch' have fun with it, practice, practice, practice. Of course, I would be only hopeful that someday my art would look like yours. I really like when you switched from marker to watercolor. I like the loose 'messy' (as you call it) BEAUTIFUL :-)

[@snowbird5381]

I love your urban landscapes and buildings - so impressive and beautiful! I want to learn to sketch like that.

[@Nypintha]

That was so great, to see the evolution of your work. I am only a few years into this journey myself. I jumped right into trying out all the different types of media, trying to find which one I liked best and let's face it,buying art supplies is fun.... and just recently I decided to just go back to just pen & maybe a little ink in a water brush, to focus on that. So when you said that at the end of your video, it was great because it really confirmed my decision to focus in on a single medium for a while and just focus on getting better at drawing. I will say you had a good grasp of perspective even early on in your sketchbooks! Well thank you for sharing your sketchbooks over the years.

[@good_youtube_handle]

I always love watching your videos. I really enjoy hearing the birds from the open window. It's really nice and goes well with your content. ❤️

[@teohyc]

Thanks 😁

[@esthersims9134]

Thanks for sharing - It really helps us to see how you have progressed and learnt as you go. I tend to be embarrassed by my old work - and I don't like showing my failures - but it's nice that you have shown why there is no need to be ashamed of mistakes in art - simply learn from them. Thanks very much. I love watching your videos - they are so relaxing.

[@teohyc]

+Esther Sims Thanks 😀

[@beuvelain]

I love watching your artwork. You inspire me and teach me a lot :)

[@mochiluvr222]

i love seeing the singapore sketches! makes me want to sketch more of my neighbourhood too

[@bryanwatt9751]

Great to see your progress! I'm looking forward to my own to!

[@Vitarusvita]

Just found your channel a couple of days ago and I'm amazed by your art. The amount of useful information and your explanations are perfect! Special thank you for not putting any music background in your videos. Subscribed)).

[@notopoli]

one of the best thumbnails on your channel if not the best xD

[@teohyc]

Thanks LOL

[@KittehNow]

LOVE your work, your style, your instructions and suggestions. Your videos are such a pleasure to watch and im learning so much

[@michaelbabin6606]

Absolute fun and livelyness to your paintings, I love your art and style.

[@JuliodelaYncera]

Teoh, I have been watching many of your videos and I like them a lot. Keep doing an awesome job teaching people. I have learned a few things from watching them. Best Regards

[@cosmin_222]

I love the fact that you can actually see how you evolved over the years, with better proportions and better coloring even in doodles. This kinda' inspired me :3 thx.

[@JaneArtsyOtternutKirkwood]

Thanks for sharing your art journey through your sketchbooks with us Teoh, it gives beginners like me so much hope and encouragement to work towards improving. :)

[@teohyc]

+Jane Kirkwood (Artsy Otternut) Thanks 😁

[@c8Lorraine1]

Thank you for sharing your journals and advice. You have given me some confidence

[@darhopkins5433]

Teoh, thank you so much for sharing your talent. I find your videos very entertaining and inspiring.

[@aoutsky]

Very interesting to see your evolution, Teoh! Thanks for sharing!

[@scooterkev6978]

The ununiform lines are the beauty of the composition. With the dash of transparent watercolour over the top to pop.

[@BleakeACE15]

This is inspirational. Its been 3 years since Ive stopped drawing but Ive started again. my technique is improving greatly thanks to your videos! Thank you!

[@teohyc]

That's great. \ (•◡•) /

[@HaNguyen-zy2em]

Your sketchbooks are amazing. I wish I can own one of them. Especially the Kahdi one. So colorful and detailed! 😍

[@هناديعايد-ش4ش]

I really liked every page. Thank you so much for sharing this with us! I feel so inspired now.

[@sheilasinghal2922]

Another great video! I always try not to look at my old sketchbooks. I will now have the courage to go back and see what I can learn from my old mistakes. 🙃

[@milenabdesign]

So nice to see your progression! I quite like your structured messy style. Wonderful tips! I have such a long way to go...

[@teohyc]

+Milena Brandão Thanks. Have fun drawing 😁

[@LivLuvHaul]

I love your style!!! I'm so inspired now!

[@teohyc]

Thanks ヾ(⌐■_■)ノ♪

[@cottonmouthxx7828]

Thank you for showing these ! :) Its funny how I wish I was at your "cringe" level right now haha :)

[@shelbyminiesta6337]

your art is so stunning and satisfying :) it really took my breath away and it was great to see your progress!

[@teohyc]

Thanks :-)

[@makeitmakesense5577]

Thank you for sharing your sketch books ..I enjoyed your critique of your work...it gives me hope as I learn & progress. I love all your videos! You are GREAT!

[@teohyc]

Thanks :-)

[@ohgolly8854]

Your channel is so awesome your tips for watercolor are very helpful and I know what to buy now!! thank you for posting! I love your videos and hope you keep posting!

[@hemjoo]

Wow, nice to see familiar local scenes sketched. Great sharing. Wish I could sketch like you!

[@teohyc]

+Hem Joo Yeo Thanks 😀

[@kionamcdaniel9552]

Thank you so much for sharing! I recently found an interest in urban sketching and your work is inspiring.

[@olidobolli]

very beautiful... i started reading reviews on your blog, the reviews are very informal and detailed and i really like them... and then i discovered your channel, and it is also great! thank you teoh!

[@teohyc]

+oli dobolli Thanks 😀

[@mrbanana9538]

The cafe at 15:23 is right outside my house. Such a talented artist was so close !

[@rosewang8209]

woow, it is a great found of your Channel today..Absolutely love it🤗

[@confidential5897]

This is immensely helpful! It's really encouraging to see your progression from 6 years ago. Personally, it had finally clicked recently that my own problem is getting values right and from this out appears that is something you really worked to improve. So there's hope for the rest of us, right?!

[@teohyc]

+confidential Thanks. From my own experience, the most important thing about values is actually the difference and contrast, and less about the actual darkness of the value. So you should always think in terms of contrast. If you want less contrast, values have to be closer.

[@mikenoneofyourbusiness7122]

What progression? It used to look like children’s drafts and still looks that way now.

[@higherground711]

It seems to me your drawing skills were always good. Yes there were differences when you first started off, but I think your drawings always looked good whether there were mistakes or not. But you put a lot of effort into working on problem areas and you can really see that when you look back at these sketchbooks. I'm just starting out. I've got a lot to learn admittedly. I aspire to reach your level of skill one day. I'm going to try some sketches in marker as well. These won't be in a sketchbook. Strathmore sent me some Bristol paper and I've been wanting to give it a try. We have a large picture window that over looks a picturesque part of Dayton Ohio. That sketch will be a home work. I'll be grabbing my bike and backpack going out for on location practice as well. I wish I lived in area like yours where the whether's warm year round and just have to deal with rain instead of freezing weather and snow in the winter like here. If I ever win the lottery lol I'm moving somewhere where it's warm year round. ヽ༼ຈل͜ຈ༽ﾉ You just might see me in Singapore.

[@teohyc]

+James Barton Thanks. Haha. It's all about practice to get better. Those who spend more time drawing will get faster better. I know there are young kids nowadays with amazing drawing skills. Singapore is hot and humid. I like the sun but the humidity makes people sweat too easily.

[@higherground711]

I'm from South Carolina. I could handle it. ;-)

[@aliciachapman]

Teoh Yi Chie your art is amazing and very inspiring to me. Thank you for sharing it. :)

[@usta028]

your newer work is very nice and fun to look at. great work!!

[@teohyc]

Thanks :-)

[@anastasijac.r8732]

All your sketchbooks even your old sketchbooks are so pleasant to look at.

[@teohyc]

Thanks ~(˘▾˘~)

[@anastasijac.r8732]

[@haicautrang5304]

I think it is very good that you are open about your learning experiences. I've been drawing for two years and can get discouraged when I see earlier sketches.

[@teohyc]

+Rebecca Nelson You should get encouraged when you see how far you have come.

[@caseyturbos]

Great job Teoh! Thanks for sharing even your old sketches I know that can be difficult, but it was great to see a glimpse into your art journey! Looking forward to your next creative upload! Keep being awesome!

[@teohyc]

+casey turbos I don't mind sharing. I do know there are artists who don't like to share their so called lousy work. One that I know would glue the sketchbook pages together. 😂

[@caseyturbos]

Haha that's awesome I could so see myself doing something like that!

[@eileenjohnston6835]

This was very encouraging to your progress. There is hope for me.

[@arifadu5273]

Invaluable advice, thanks for sharing 👍

[@3dkumar]

Highly motivating ! Thanks Teoh for sharing. Cheers !

[@teohyc]

Thanks :-)

[@MissConscious]

Wonderful video, I enjoyed seeing all of your old work. I use to draw all the time and stopped 6 years ago as I lost interested from depression. I'm getting back into it again and have picked up doing watercolors. I'm constantly trying to remind myself it will get better I more I do it though atm I'm still cringing haha..

[@silvanocece1365]

Excellent thanks for sharing

[@lorijones9579]

Thanks for sharing, Teoh. I enjoy your work very much and you inspire me to do more sketching.

[@teohyc]

+Lori Jones That's great 🙌😁

[@laurelschmitz6750]

These are sketches not final art to be framed and hung. They are feelings, ideas, visual notes, they are not to be perfect. Your sketch books display exactly what a sketchbook is for. If you are doing a study on trees...you go out and sketch trees, study how they grow out of the ground...how the branches twist and turn. I sometimes will be out sketching ...it becomes an exercise ...example: I see something and I'm drawn to it.(no pun intended). I scan (with my eyes) the highlights of what I see...and quickly sketch it. Sometimes I scan it , and then close my eyes and draw without opening my eyes. But they are sketches drawn in a learning process. And I love your sketches. and no right or wrong, good or bad in any of them. Did you have a low self esteem in the beginning of your art?...because, you are really, REALLY good and very talented. extremely talented. I hope I didn't insult you in this comment...I really and truly like your art and videos. Thank you...

[@teohyc]

Thanks :-)

[@lurklingX]

I’d hang many of these, personally. I’d also love to see a book or comic illustrated in this way. ♥️ it’s an immersive experience I haven’t felt in a long time.

[@kickupette]

its been about time i enjoyed any video this much. THank you so much for sharing your works! Love it!

[@teohyc]

+Мария Федорчук Thanks for your support 😁