There is a well-known image of the “real“ artist, who always carries a sketchbook and has paint stains all over their clothing. I’ve been an artist all my life but this was never a case for me. I like to work in my special dedicated place, and always felt awkward drawing in public.

When I decided to go full on with by botanical art journey I knew I was missing a part in my practice - a dedicated sketchbook, where I would collect simple drawings of all the plants I’d like to paint one day.

HOW IT ALL STARTED

So I got myself a plain A6 Leuchtturm 1917 sketchbook and decided I will dedicate some time to sketching plants that I like or find during the summer hikes, and flowers that were available to me. I wanted to have a creative routine that was not overwhelming, did not require much time, and that will give me freedom to experiment with the line and very simple, natural approach.

I also made a dedicated account on Tumblr, solely for the purpose of sharing these sketches, feel free to check it out annafarba.tumblr.com

WHY KEEP A SKETCHBOOK

When drawing from real life, that’s similar to “stop and smell the roses“, capturing the memory, the moment, or a beautiful place you’ve visited, or even just a small things you’ve noticed. I’d like to think that this experience also gives you a chance to appreciate the nature, and you can definitely stretch it to writing down notes about plant’s appearance, adding color and having quite a serious naturalist’s journal.

Every time you draw something you learn.

There is the entire universe of flora to learn from, and create beautiful art from, and when this art is also personal - this means taking it to another level. Creating more personal pieces always will be on my goals list and a priority when possible.

WHERE TO BEGIN AND HOW GET INTO IT

Buying a sketchbook may seem overwhelming when you don’t know what to look for. Here are some tips you can think about before you decide to go and buy one. Your choice should also depend on where you plan on using the sketchbook - at home/ studio/ school or outdoors.

Size: A6 is a perfect pocket-size notebook to just grab and go drawing outside. A4 is a standard size for sketchbooks and these are also practical to carry with you in a backpack or a bag. Everything that is A5 or less is too small for me personally, but may not be to you. You can also get a square or landscape option - there are so many nowadays.
Paper: Depending on whether you want to draw of paint in your sketchbook you can opt in for smooth paper, watercolor or mixed media paper, handmade, recycled or color paper options. Every type of paper is great for a specific technique and may not be good for the other. For example my Canson Art book has 65 lbs./96 gsm. paper, that is perfect for pencil drawings, ink and very light washes of watercolor, but is definitely too thin and will buckle if I try to layer multiple washes of paint. There are also great options from Moleskine Art Collection, they are 165 gsm/111 lb., so definitely will work better for watercolor, but not so much if you work with quite a lot of water.
Bound: Of all the options I prefer a hard bound, simply because it’s more durable. My recent discovery with Canson Art sketchbook was their magical stitch binding that allows this book to lay completely flat when open, that is a great feature if you plan on scanning your sketches. Most of other features are totally up to preference - elastic or magnetic closure, cover material, color, etc.

Sticking to a routine is the hardest and what matters the most. I prefer having a dedicated time, like every weekend I try to find time to draw. And I take a sketchbook with me every time I travel somewhere - it can be a vacation, mountain hike or a simple weekend getaway, and sketching during these times feels especially relaxing.

First blank page is always scary, even for experienced artists. You have to find a way that works for you to start every new piece. If you feel anxious laying down a small flower sketch, you can start with small strokes to mark out the composition layout, or a very light one line drawing, that you know you will erase later.

Nothing needs to be perfect in an artist’s sketchbook. Sketchbooks are meant for experiments, notes, visualizing your thoughts and simply trying new things. Trying to make every page perfect and beautiful will only take away the progress you get from learning and experimenting with your craft.

HOW KEEPING A SKETCHBOOK HELP ME IN WORKING WITH CLIENTS

Developing a sketch is one of the process steps that I follow when working on every illustration - personal or for a client. Any time a new project comes in and all the details are outlined - the first thing that I get back with to the client is a Sketch, or more likely 2-3 sketched options, with a light shading. So how does drawing plants on a regular basis actually help me?

Speed - when practice regularly, it is easy to draw fast multiple options.

Accuracy - most illustration requests I receive required to be botanically accurate, that means all forms, proportions and textures have to look quite similar to real life. When used to drawing different species - accuracy becomes one of the skills.

Attention to detail - I like to think that all the magic happens within the details. The composition of the leaves, a sharp edge of petal, or a point of view can turn around the feeling of the piece completely. That’s the details I’m always attentive about in my sketchbook as well as in every piece.