the ULTIMATE bullet journal inspired SWATCHBOOK | one year UPDATE

I've been using this swatchbook for a whole year now (at least!) and I have some thoughts. We're going to answer THE question: was all this work worth it?
check out how I created this swatchbook a year ago: • SETTING UP MY ART SWAT...
⧉Links⧉
- Get a 30 day free trial with my referral link on Epidemic Sounds: share.epidemicsound.com/eniwe1
- Get a 30 day free trial on Skillshare: skl.sh/3wdXHhN
- Then go check out my first Skillshare class: tinyurl.com/56zuvs8h
- Jackson’s Art Supplies: tinyurl.com/mvhdudnr
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✘CHAPTERS✘
00:00 bonjour
02:31 swachbook tour
15:44 The PROS
19:00 The CONS
23:52 What would I do different
26:07 in a perfect world…
28:04 final final thoughts
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✄MATERIAL✄
sketchbook- strathmore vision mixed media
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⌁ TOOLS ⌁
camera (video)- Sony ZV-1
mic- Deity V-Mic D3 Pro
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☺ KEEP IN TOUCH ☺​
website- laurenceplouffe.com
art instagram- / laurenceplouffe_art
personal instagram- / plouffffe​​
✉ [e-mail]
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[@OleanderStarr]

I’m so glad I found you and this video because I’ve been trying to find a good layout for making my own swatch book. You can easily convert your current bound book by removing the wire binding and ordering binder rings on Amazon so that you will be able to add and move around pages as you wish and add pockets! For the Table of Contents, instead of using page numbers (and having to re-number when you move something) I would suggest color coded sections in the index ( Blue for Color Theory, Yellow for Watercolor Swatches, Green for Ink Swatches, etc) and then under the colored section you can get more detailed (Yellow Section: Daniel Smith Swatches pages 1-14, Windsor Newton Swatches pages 15-18, etc) that way if you do need to re-number pages it will be just the colored section and not the whole book. For the template, trace it out onto sturdy card stock or the back of a watercolor pad, cover it nicely on both sides with packing tape or laminate it and then cut out the spaces with a craft knife.

[@LaurenceP-art]

These are such good ideas! I think I’ll have to try out the binder, everybody keeps suggesting it. It would be nice to use different types of paper which would be easy in a binder. And I love the color coding! I’ll implement that too :) thank you!

[@fgtortiz1]

You can get stamps done with your desire squares (or anything you would like) for swatching and then just stamp your way away. You could add the keys to the stamp so it’s easier to keep up with it.

[@LaurenceP-art]

That’s a good idea! Everything would be so much simpler this way…

[@CeruleanCzarina]

Not sure if this would work for you as well, but my current system for swatching is sheet protectors bound with binder rings where I can tear out and add my swatch sheets from a Canson XL Mixed Media journal, similar to the Strathmore Vision. I slip the completed swatch pages into clear sheet protectors which allows me to use other watercolor papers and not be committed to the Canson XL paper. I currently use a half-letter sheet size system (5.5x8.5 inch) since it travels well. I used to use an actual three-ring binder, but the loose rings keep my system more compact. Another option, particularly suited to the size of the paper in your journal, is using an art portfolio like Itoya. I hope this helps and look forward to seeing if you decide to change your system!

[@LaurenceP-art]

Thank you so much for this! I think a binder is where it’s at. Looking at all the comments I got, it’s probably what I’ll do next. It would be great to be able to switch paper types as needed!

[@daisyodell2770]

I love your swatch book and love that you have art hauls with the dates in it. That is such a fun way of journaling and keeping track of new supplies! If you really want to be able to add and remove pages you should look into a discbound system. Someone below mentioned it too, there are a lot of options and you can customize it to work the way you want. You can buy or make dividers for different sections and there are pocket and zipper bags to add too for your reference keys and warm and cool reference. I use notebooks for tracking projects and if I am working on more than one at once and don't leave enough pages for one of the projects I write an arrow at the bottom of the page and the page number that the project continues on. I do the same at the top of the continued page. Then I don't have to always refer to my table of contents to see where to go next. I agree it is nice to have all the same pages in order in the book, but loose pages and I aren't super friendly, even with my disc bound, they sometimes wear out or I take them out and then they just never go back in. Oh, and for the stencils you were talking about. An artist on youtube, Alyona's Watercolous Creations, she has an Etsy store where she sells stamps for making swatch squares and color wheels. Here is a link to one of her videos where she uses them kzbin.info/www/bejne/hXmnhppqmamropI not sure if these will work for you, but this is what I thought of when you mentioned the stencils.

[@LaurenceP-art]

Thank you so much for that detailed comment! Lots of good advice there. I’ll check out that discbound system, it seems super interesting! I think what you do with the arrows is probably what I’m going to end up doing for now. It’s not perfect but requires a lot more effort than changing my whole system haha! And YES I love Alyona! Could watch her all day 🥰 I’m aware of her stencils. They could be a good start, however I’d like to have my own personalized set. But it’s not a must either so I’ll continue to think about it!

[@veystone2580]

1. There are some sketchbooks that have removable pages, that will solve the problem of needing more space and going back and forward adding or removing. 2. If using a mixed media sketchbook, (which are cheaper that watercolors') you can always use watercolor paper to do your activity and then glue it on your mixed media, skectchbook. If using a wc sketchbook (cause you said you use more water soluble media) then do the opposite. Work separately on mixed media paper and then glue it on your watercolor sketchbook, that solves the issue of having 2 separately sketchbooks, since your idea was to have all in one place. 3 And finally, to have your table of content always upgraded, start by using one of those sketchbooks I mentioned that have removable pages, then, instead of using numbers for your pages, make them into colored sections. Example: have a blue section for all that is watercolor, then put one of those separators (I don't know the name, they are small plastic rectangles that have a little tape, and you use them to mark a page.... like to easily open your book on a particular page.... men, I hope u know what Im trying to explain!!!!) Anyways, u put one of those things, on each section, then whenever you need to add something, instead of having numbered pages, you will have colored sections. That way you will always have everything in the right place no matter how many things you add. You just need to check how many categories you have, and then use a color to identify each one. Divide your table of content into the amount of mediums you use. See them as categories, leaving plenty of space. Perhaps a column per each category, two colums per page, and use as many pages as you need. Like in the first page, half of it for watercolors, the other half for inks. Next page again, two columns per category. Each identified by a color, and the skechbook marked with those plastic thingies I mentioned before. I wonder what is the name of those things!!!!

[@LaurenceP-art]

So many good advice! I’ll have to check out these sketchbooks. Or maybe I’ll have to go with a binder! I didn’t want to but if I decorate it maybe it won’t be too bad… and I never thought about the color coded sections! You gave me a lot to think about… Thank you! :)

[@veystone2580]

@@LaurenceP-art Aww! So happy I could be of help! AND SUPER HAPPY and proud of myself, I was able to make sense cause English is not my first language. Although Im still wondering what is the actual name of those plastic things to mark a page I was so desperately trying to describe! 😆

[@LaurenceP-art]

You’re doing great in English! I would have never know it’s not your first language :) and I’m not sure how it’s called but I get the idea!

[@veystone2580]

@@LaurenceP-art aww thx! You're too kind! Btw, had to know the name! Found them!!! Self-adhesive sticky tabs! 😃

[@keepyourshoesathedoor]

The books with the removable papers are not sturdy and rip apart with a slight movement. The rest of your advice is solid.

[@izabelacichanska5781]

I'd like to have this kind of sketchbook for color mixing, color palettes, color charts and exercises in one place...apart from swatches. I keep my swatches in business cards holders in a folder (a4 size holds 10 swatches on one side). This way I can change the order and layout of swatches. They are organized by brands.

[@LaurenceP-art]

That’s a good idea! I could do change paper types according to the medium I’m swatching… hmm I’ll think about it! But I do recommend a sketchbook for mixing and color exploration, it’s so useful and fun!

[@katarinaholik]

I think with mixing charts making them often is enough to see where the color can take you and to have some idea how to choose your palette. I never feel bad for not using charts. I do use color wheel sometimes, but I also have it memorised and have most of the complementary couples in my head while I'm painting.

[@LaurenceP-art]

Same I have it memorized! But I have to admit I don’t yet master the cool and warm color mixing. I need to practice!!

[@heidikarpa2278]

Very impressive! You’re doing such a great job with learning your materials and how you’d like your system to work for you. I’m setting up my own system now and you’ve inspired me. Thank you.

[@LaurenceP-art]

I’m so happy I could inspire you! Art making is so much fun omg. I love that it’s always evolving 😍

[@berolinastrassmann]

This was very useful. You could always cut the pages and fit them inzo a binder, if you prefer a loose sheet system. A good copy shop can cut through it in onego with a paper guillotine. I prefer a loose page system in a binder for colour wheels, colour charts and other colour mixing experiments. I can choose the paper for each media. I can add pages if needed. I use my own template for swatches in an ATC (artist trading card) size. I print them on an A4 sheet with a laser printer on watercolor paper (usually Canson XL Aquarelle). I cut the swatches to size. I store the swatches in plastic sheets for ATC/baseball cards. I can always take them out as I need them. Loose pages are the way forward for me. I use office type binder page dividers to separate colour charts and the like from swatches. I look forward to your next update. Thanks again

[@LaurenceP-art]

This is an idea I’m seriously considering! I’d love to print on watercolour paper, il would solve a lot of issues. I could do more complicated color charts/swatches! I need to check if my printer can do it. If so I would love to create little swatch cards like you!

[@lauriehendricks8587]

I’m setting mine up now - I love your idea! Thank you for the videos. The only difference is I’m using watercolor paper and punching the pages to place in a disc binder so the pages are movable.

[@LaurenceP-art]

That’s a good idea! I’m still hesitating about using a binder next time but I’m definitely going to use watercolour paper!

[@Xharaly]

You can do your own stencil with acetate sheets, laminated sheets, or an old x-ray sheet. Just cut it to the size of the page, cut the squares out with an x-acto knife, and done!

[@LaurenceP-art]

Oh that’s interesting! I’m going to look into it, thank you! :)

[@allysonfromatl]

​@@LaurenceP-artYou can use a cricut maker to make stencils also

[@uhh_duh]

Make your own journal! Hole punch and add the canvas and other pages you want. As for the table of contents velcro the numbers and labels so you can move them around! I don't know how well that will work, but could be worth a shot lol

[@LaurenceP-art]

Yes I think that’s where I’m headed…. Everybody seem to think it’s the best option!

[@allysonfromatl]

Thanks so much for this review! I was going to make one just like that. Now I'm going to go with the sheet protectors and rings instead.

[@LaurenceP-art]

Glad I could help!

[@CastleMc]

How elaborate! I use a 3 ring binder and plastic sheet protectors (over various papers) for my swatch sheets and some favorite mixes and charts because the format is so flexible.

[@LaurenceP-art]

It’s a very good option too, I hesitated a long time between the two and I still don’t know which one is the best!

[@lauramaccary9159]

Thanks, Laurence, great video follow up, I was curious how it worked out. I am a total watercolor swatching nerd, I have whole WC sketchbooks of tests I did on the way to figuring out a flexible minimalist palette (so I could travel light). I ended up with a dual primary system, as you have, and our 6 primary colors seem to be the same except one: I have Quinacridone Pink rather than Quinacridone Rose. This was on the advice of a man named Joe who used to teach and work at the Daniel Smith flagship store. I've lost his last name, he had a blog on their site, he was very knowledgeable. Anyway, I was testing reds and magentas (they provided samples at the time) and he saw my frustration, figured out what I was trying to accomplish (create a 3 primary system that was as good as possible), and recommended I try the pink. It works. I can mix black from that plus phthalo blue (now called phthalo blue green shade, I think?) and a good neutral yellow, like Azo, and I can even mix red from the pink & yellow! The rose has too much blue and shifts mixes away from pure color. I usually use an expanded palette that includes Cad yellow & red (I prefer gouache for these for intensity). Burnt umber is also essential. I add other colors to experiment, but those 7 are always there. Also, are you familiar with Handprint.com? Click on the color wheel and you will have your mind blown. He provides so much information about pigments and color selection and mixing. He has a chart that showed me visually why I prefer my 3 primaries: they're the furthest out towards the edges, meaning all the colors within that triangle can be mixed from them. Quinacridone rose was inside, and I proved to myself that indeed I could mix it. I started down this rabbit hole with The Artist's Guide to Selecting Colors, by Michael Wilcox, which is excellent, but I seem to always end up at Handprint when I'm trying to find a color that will mix the way I'd like. Best of luck to you, and thanks to the commenters with the page sleeves suggestion, I think that's where I'll be going next. And I will try to be more orderly like you, my swatches are total chaos!

[@LaurenceP-art]

Omg i feel so validated haha! When I finish my rose I’ll try the pink! I think I could have an even smaller palette but it’s fun to have extra colors for convenience and experimentation! I’ll check out handprint, I didn’t know about this ressource, it seems amazing! Thank you so much for that and I love reading about your thought process and color journey!

[@lauramaccary9159]

I agree, convenience colors are really necessary unless I'm doing very small sketches or something where accurate color doesn't matter. I keep trying greens, hoping one will be satisfactory. I've evicted phthalo greens from my palette because they dominate so badly in mixes. That might be a use for student grade paint, eh? LOL. Right now I'm trying sap green, but Daniel Smith's seems too yellow, and yes, has some phthalo in it. I tried green apatite, but it's weak and grayed. Great colors for a larger palette.

[@lauramaccary9159]

I should point out that I can get accurate colors by mixing just my 3 primaries, or with a paint selection that includes those, but it's time consuming so I don't always go to the trouble, that's when colors get inaccurate. Also, some mixtures seem weaker than the color I'm trying to match. My red mixed from yellow & pink matches cad red in color, but is weak. Maybe it's too transparent?

[@lauramaccary9159]

I paused your video to write down some greens and oranges I'd like to try. I'd like to find an orange that lets me do street signs in urban sketches more easily. My approximations are nice, but not as saturated as I want.

[@LaurenceP-art]

I love my phthalo blue gs though! It’s true that it’s very dominating but I only put a touch of it in my mixes. Or I use it as a pop of color! I’m very into that color this summer :)

[@hugoarraes99]

You can use round stickers to put numbers on your page in the conner and write the number with pencil. And buy a binder to organize your's pages. Also there is this New system called "diskbound notebook". U can buy a notebook and make your own watercolor pages, u'lll need a diskbound punch to adapt the watercolor paper. So u can move the pages as many times you need, and you can also add different types of paper.

[@LaurenceP-art]

I had never heard of this before, thanks! I’ll definitely check it out. It would be fun to be super organized like that. I think some kind of binder is the best option….

[@M0odyBlue]

Is the disc bound notebook better than using a binder and punching holes in your watercolor paper? I like the idea of removable pages.

[@LaurenceP-art]

I didn’t go for a binder because I liked the sketchbook format but if you like a binder, it might be a better option for you! I can see how having removable pages would be super useful. I kinda wish I liked binders, I feel like it would solve a lot of my problems haha

[@aaronsydneygonzalez5771]

Hello your swatch book reminds me of something that I did in highschool for school it was called an interactive notebook, I felt the same way about oh what do I do if I have multiple things I need to fit on a page. So what I did is I had access to the PowerPoint before class I would write the PowerPoint down on as many sheets as I needed and then I would staple/tape them together on the sheet of paper. Then in class I would add extra notes. You could if you have a perforated edge add it to the different ones. As for adding a packet what you could do is get an envelope and attach the envelope to a page or the back cover or front cover and that way you can hold the pieces of paper you were talking about. Just ideas I'm going to be starting water colors next month so this gave me a lot of ideas :)

[@LaurenceP-art]

I think the ideal setup would be a binder… and maybe use a color system instead of a table of contents… or simply accept that stuff will be all over the place but that’s exactly why I have a TOC! But I like the enveloppe idea, I’m going to try it! Let me know how your watercolour exploration goes :)

[@aaronsydneygonzalez5771]

@@LaurenceP-art I definitely will :) and yes a binder can be easier (I've done both I personally preferred the notebook but that might be more because I did chemistry in the binder and I didn't like chemistry) if your mixed media pad has perforated edges then you could switch over to a binder sooner rather than later, and just get sleeve protectors or a hole punch that lines up with the binder holes :) I look forward to your update next year :)

[@LaurenceP-art]

I think I prefer the sketchbook feel but who knows how things will evolve! We’ll see in a year ;)

[@keepyourshoesathedoor]

I want to really make one, but not like a bujo.

[@LaurenceP-art]

To each their own! :)

[@juradodevoz]

Stencils??? Really??? 😂😂😂😂 There’s something called “printer” and guess what?? Modern printers can print most any kind of paper (including watercolour paper) till 300g/m2 (140 lb). I use the Epson XP960 since years and I’m very happy with it. The ink won’t smudge with watercolour or any other medium.

[@SusanCat5098]

But her pages are bound in a book. Stencils are a great idea.

[@LaurenceP-art]

I don’t think my ‘’printer’’ is good enough for that so stencils remain the best option! I’m glad I made you laugh though