Sketchbooks


Welcome to the Sketchbooks section of the Archives. Here you'll find lots of information and inspiration to create sketchbooks packed with drawing, colour, collage, prints and more. Don't worry if you're new to keeping a sketchbook, we have plenty to get you started.

About Working in Sketchbooks

Your sketchbook can become an invaluable resource. It's a place to house inspiration and ideas that you've gathered from myriad sources, maybe with drawing, painting, printing or collage. We love to work into our books with a wide range of techniques and media so you'll find all sorts of approaches and ideas in the workshops. Most importantly, if you're one of those people who think they can't draw, or are nervous of that blank white page, fear not! There are many ways to get your ideas down on the page. Our free video Don't Draw? Trace! is a great place to get started. 

Find yourself eager for more? Our extended course Creative Sketchbooks might be for you. There are four Modules with over 45 video demonstrations. During the course we’ll cover ways to gather inspiring visual material and record it using a wide range of mediums and techniques. The resulting work will form a unique and personal resource for future work which could be developed towards any fine art or craft route, or simply to enjoy as beautiful, colour-filled journals. This course is ideal for beginners or more advanced students requiring a structured framework within which to develop creative skills and good practice.

Video Workshops

Other resources



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Painting

Mixed Media Still Life

Inspiration can come from objects you live with everyday, and setting up a Still Life to work from can be a brilliant way to practise your skills of composition, drawing and painting. In this two-part workshop first Laura shows how to create a consistent environment for your arrangement, and shares tips and ideas for objects you might choose and how to place them.   In the second part Linda encourages you to try a 'back to front' approach of painting first, drawing second, using a combination of oil pastel, watercolour and soluble pencils. It's great fun, and a fast and free way to record what you see - perfect for getting to know your still life subject.

Fabric Dyeing

Surface Design – Sponge Printing

Join Linda in this set of two videos where she demonstrates how effective stamping with compressed sponge can be. This technique is suitable for use on both paper and fabric, but in this class Linda will focus on taking the ideas into fabric and will make a cushion from her stamped fabric that has stitch and beading to enhance the lovely printed texture. 

Quilting

Printed Patchwork Details

Join Linda in this set of two videos where she demonstrates how basic block printing techniques can be combined with traditional patchwork to simplify the piecing and create visually complex designs. We think these ideas can be applied to lots of different designs and will appeal to anyone who would like to add a really individual touch to their traditional quilt making.



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