Embrace Your Creativity: The Joy of Sketchbooks

Sketchbooks have the potential to be fun, freeing, and personal. However, for many, even experienced artists, they can also feel intimidating. That lovely new sketchbook with its crisp, clean pages can sometimes feel more like a test than a tool. Throughout school and university, there was an expectation to always be recording in your sketchbook. We were never shown a messy working sketchbook filled with imperfect splashes of colour and scribbles from a few minutes of snatched time. In our fast-paced world, many of us look for ways to slow down and find time for creativity. Developing a sketchbook habit is a wonderful place to start, with countless benefits.

Why Do We Struggle to Start?

So, why do so many of us struggle to start or to keep going? How do we move past these barriers? Here are some of the most common reasons I believe hold us back:

Used my fingers for painting! (forgot a brush)

1. The Fear of Not Being Perfect

There’s something about a sketchbook that can feel a little… sacred, especially a new one. The first mark can seem like it needs to be perfect. But sketchbooks aren’t meant to be perfect; they are not a portfolio of completed work. They’re meant to be used. They’re playgrounds, not galleries! Try starting with a messy page, a scribble, or a quote you love. Even just words can break the blank page.

2. “I Don’t Have Time”

We often think we need a long stretch of peaceful time to sketch — and that’s rare! But five minutes is enough. A quick doodle while your tea brews or a loose sketch while waiting for a meeting — it all adds up, and it all counts. I keep an A6 blank notebook in my bag. If I’m sitting with a coffee in a café or out with the dogs, I have something to draw in.

3. Comparison Paralysis

Scrolling through beautifully curated sketchbooks online can make ours feel inadequate. But remember, what you’re seeing is edited. Sketchbooks are for process, not polish. Your messy, half-formed ideas have value. You are not aiming for a polished and pre-edited version.

4. “What Should I Draw?”

Sometimes it’s hard to know where to begin. Try prompts (I have one for Summer 2025 – the Sketchbook Scavenger Hunt… hint hint!), draw from life, or simply play with colour and marks. Your sketchbook doesn’t have to be full of ‘finished’ work. It can be a space to explore, experiment, and record what catches your eye.

I’m sitting here looking at the blackberries starting to turn, ready to pick. But what catches my eye is the light on the fence behind them. The horizontal and vertical lines create a beautiful pattern. A passing butterfly casts its shadow there. The butterfly moves on, and I notice a glint of light on a spider's web.

5. Self-Doubt

“This doesn’t look right,” or “I’m not good enough.” Sound familiar? These thoughts are normal — but they don’t have to stop you. Your sketchbook is for you. It’s a safe space to try things, make mistakes, and grow. You don’t have to show it to anyone.

6. Past Inconsistency

If you’ve started and stopped before, it’s easy to feel guilty or discouraged. But every new page is a fresh start! You don’t have to fill a whole book to benefit from it. Even a few pages can hold discoveries. Heck, you don’t even need pages! Use odd sheets of paper, the back of an envelope, or sketch over writing that is already there. No one is making any rules. Draw today but not for another week… or two weeks!

A Final Thought

Sketchbooks aren’t about being ‘good’. They’re about doing. They’re about playing with lines, colours, and textures. They’re a place to collect images and paint with words. They give your ideas a place to land, your hand space to move, and your creativity room to breathe. Let it be imperfect. Let it be yours.

Are You Ready to Begin?

Why not start today? Even just for five minutes! Doodle, scribble, or write a note to yourself. Make it your own.

If you’d like some encouragement, prompts, or a peek inside my own pages (I’m not even using a book at the moment! It’s a folded sheet of paper), sign up for the Sketchbook Scavenger Hunt by joining my newsletter. Or come say hello over on Instagram.

Let’s make space for creativity together!

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