The Sketch Book Habit
A blank sketchbook is super intimidating, all of us fear that first page and the potential mistake that we feel may mar the entire book. An excellent tip I learned from Dyan Revelery is to skip the first page and start in on the second one. You can always go back and create the first page, say as a title page to the entire sketchbook.
Once completed the sketchbook is a treasure. Fun to flip through, it is full of memories, techniques, ideas and perhaps notes. Keeping a sketchbook is an easy habit to get into, but like all new habits, you have to do it. First get book that you are happy with, the paper appeals to you and works with your medium.
Then, set a time. Maybe ten minutes in the morning while you have coffee or as an evening transition from work to rest. When ever you decide to start the daily habit, anchor it to an existing one. That will help you achieve continuity of working.
Also, take your sketchbook with you always! I carry a book in my pack along with a small palette of watercolor and a pen. It’s with me at work or travel.
You have permission to have several going at the same time, maybe even different sizes!
Go easy on yourself with this, it should be fun not rigid and super structured.
Sketchbook Content Ideas
Explore your environment - urban and natural
do some visual research on a topic you would like to know more about: coffee roasting, birds, flowers, etc
Rummage through your memory box, drawer, photo album.
Draw at museum
People and their clothing - never a shortage here
Follow one of the many prompt lists found on line. Or a prompt group, Instagram is teaming with them, Inktober being one of the popular ones.