I bought a new planner and sketchbook today. It reminded me of the easier days of my youth. I felt like I found a piece of me that was missing. Don’t get me wrong I create things everyday, but this is a different kind of freedom. A way to put your thoughts on paper, that only you understand. 

It's a great way to improve your art skills and see the progress in one place. I remember doing a daily sketchbook practice and loving seeing how my art progressed. 

Plus, it's such a nice way to wind down after working all day. I'm using mixed media in my sketchbook, but you can use whatever you want. If you chose mixed media or paint, chose a sketchbook that is appropriate. You will want a thicker paper. 

My last attempt was years ago. I have so many filled books with: list, drawings, magazine clippings, collage and sketches. I love to look back and see my growth. 

HAVE RULES (OR NO RULES AT ALL)

It depends on what type of person you are whether you should have rules or not.
I set out to not have any rules, but I quickly realized that I wanted to only use mixed media, and all of my art needed to be in my small sketchbooks. I also tried not to actually sketch my art first, but just scribble and find inspiration. 

Some rules you can consider are: media to use, art styles to stick to, or subjects to draw or paint.

I've tried sticking to 1 subject before (flowers) and I got bored, so I decided to create whatever I want this time. It's way more interesting for me. 

ALLOW YOURSELF TO MAKE UGLY ART

This one hurts, but sometimes the art you make is going to be ugly. And that's okay. It's part of the process.

When I'm learning to draw something new, the first ones are so bad. Like, so bad that I make fun of me.

But I keep going and it gets better.
This sketchbook practice is like that too. Some days I just didn’t have it in me to create something beautiful. I would usually make it up the next day.

TRY NEW THINGS

The whole point of a sketchbook is to try new things. I've tired experimenting using ink with watercolor to determine my favorite style. I have sketchbooks full of just pencil drawings, pen and ink, paint, mixed media and a digital book as well. 

This is a great way to hone your style, by the way.

I also like trying new color schemes. There are 5 or 6 colors that I reach for constantly, so it's nice to try new colors.

MAKE IT CONVENIENT

I read the book Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain, and this is the biggest lesson that I learned. If you make it convenient, it's easier to do it every day. Also, just draw! 

KEEP IT SMALL

When I was in art school, I started with a massive sketchbook. I had to do 4 times as much work to fill my daily page requirements. Laughing at myself now, then I unstoppable! Now, a mother of two young boys, I don’t have as much time. I mostly sketch cake and cookie designs. I recently bought a small mixed media sketchbook to try out and I quickly discovered how wonderful a smaller sketchbook is. It's way less intimidating than a giant page.

If you have a hard time sketching every day, try a smaller sketchbook. It's surprising how much easier it is to create small art. 

ALLOW YOURSELF GRACE

Sometimes life happens and I would fall behind. I would usually just make a few pieces to make up for the time I missed.

Some days, I would not feeling very creative, so I just paint a quick pattern. Or something else really simple.

MAKE IT JUST FOR YOU

My sketchbook is just for me. I don't plan on using the art for anything or sharing it with anyone.

This removes the pressure to create something great. If it does turn out great, wonderful! But if it doesn't, try to learn from it and do it better next time.
If you love sharing your work on social media, then by all means do that instead.

KEEP IT FUN

Creating in my sketchbook was probably the best part of my day. It felt like a gift that I was giving to myself. Because it's so much fun, it's easier to bounce back after a hideous page. It kept me coming back. I look forward to starting my new daily sketchbook. 

HAVE A SKETCHBOOK PROMPTS LIST

Some days the ideas just don't come to me. So I made a list of ideas to use in my illustrations. I kept them very simple so that I can interpret them however I want.
Some days I draw the objects, other days, I might be more interested in lettering the word. 

Life is crazy busy and it’s important to find things that make you happy. You can fill a blank book with anything! You can write lyrics, poems, short story with illustrations, list with doodles or you can scribble and see what you can find. Sketchbooks are an escape from reality.