How I use mine to grow as an artist—and how you can too

The Beginning (and Beginning Again)

I’ve had sketchbooks my entire life—some from when I was just a kid, filled with dreamscapes and messy lines and sparkles of imagination. But you know what I didn’t have? A finished one.

That changed in 2019 when I made the quiet but powerful decision to finally fill one cover to cover. It didn’t need to be beautiful. It just needed to be mine. That choice changed everything.

Since then, I’ve filled over 12 sketchbooks—and counting. I currently have five or six more in progress, and an ever-growing stack of brand new ones just waiting to be cracked open. These books are now my most trusted creative companions.

Different Books, Different Stories

Along the way, I realized one sketchbook simply isn’t enough for how I work—and that’s a good thing.

Each of my sketchbooks has a different purpose:

One for gouache-only exploration
One for my 100 Faces Challenge
A “messy sketchbook” for warm-ups and thumbnails
A sketchbook where I try techniques I’ve never used before
Another dedicated to portfolio-driven work
One that holds all my color palettes and art supply testing

What determines which sketchbook gets what? Usually... the paper. If it’s high quality, I save it for my “good stuff.” If it’s thinner or finicky, it becomes a place of total freedom—no pressure to be perfect.

Sketchbooks Are Practice (Not Performance)

My 2019 Sketchbook that started it all!

I used to cringe when I would see all the flaws (like how that one eye is just a. tad too low and overlapping the nose)- now I admire myself for having the guts to try and really invest time in this piece. She is the foundation from which I am growing. I couldn’t be more thankful for this page.

The best part of sketchbook practice? You don’t have to perform.

It’s a place to get messy, to make something weird, to get it wrong. It’s where I’ve developed:

My personal color preferences
Confidence in line weight and restraint
A deep love for mixed media
Pieces that eventually made it into my professional portfolio

And most of all, it’s where I’ve learned to keep going—even when the art doesn’t turn out. Even when the perfectionism kicks in. Even when I want to abandon it all.

In fact, that’s why I keep multiple sketchbooks at once—so when one doesn’t feel good to return to, I can just pivot. But I always come back.

My Sketchbook Rituals

These days, I often sketch in the evenings at my dining room table. Sometimes I’m building out a pattern for a challenge, sometimes I’m just moving my hand to see what comes. I’ve started keeping a mini sketchbook with me too, trying to train myself to be more of an “on-the-go” artist—still a work in progress!

My go-to materials include:

Chalk pastel pencils with erasers (the best for base sketches)
Micron fine liners
Caran d’Ache Neocolors
Angora opaque colors (gorgeous transparency)
Derwent Graphitint paints
And a healthy rotation of gouache + watercolor for layering

I consider myself a mixed media illustrator—I love combining materials to chase a feeling or texture or energy. The sketchbook is where I experiment before committing to a bigger piece.

Ready to Start or Refresh Your Sketchbook Practice?

I made a free gift to help you do just that:
🎨 Download my Sketchbook Warm-Ups Guide
It includes five of my favorite rituals for loosening up, reconnecting with your creativity, and finding your artistic rhythm again. There’s no opt-in required—just click and download.

✨And if you love it and want even more inspiration, you’ll also find a link inside the guide to access my Art + Soul Journal: 365 days of creative prompts for artists, dreamers, and soul-seekers. It’s my gift to you when you join my mailing list.

Want to See My Current Sketchbooks?

I’m sharing the behind-the-scenes of my sketchbook practice—what I’m learning, trying, and experimenting with—over on Patreon.

Come see:

What’s in my messy sketchbook this week
How I’m developing portfolio pieces
Tips on organizing multiple sketchbooks
Answers to your questions about materials or methods

Whether you’re here for encouragement, ideas, or just to see how the artistic sausage gets made—I'd love to have you there.

💬 Let’s Talk Sketchbooks

Have you ever filled a sketchbook from cover to cover? Are you in the middle of one right now? Tell me about your sketchbook journey—and tag me on Instagram @starthistle.and.quartz if you try the warm-ups. I’ll be cheering you on.

You’re more ready than you think. You already have what you need.
Now… make a mark.