This blog is a review of the book: Keeping a Creative Sketchbook by Emma Block. If you are struggling to find inspiration for your sketchbook or aren’t really sure how to even start, keep reading. Follow along with me to learn about what this book: Keeping a Creative Sketchbook, has to offer.
Introduction
This book has been on my wishlist for a while now, and I recently received it as a Christmas gift! Honestly, I had forgotten it was on my list and couldn’t remember why I had saved it to begin with. But man am I glad that past me saw something in this book worth earmarking it, and that I was gifted it. This book really helped me break through a wall and begin to fully use my sketchbook.
The author Emma Block takes the reader through her struggle to use a sketchbook. She felt like you could only make traditional pencil sketches’ in a sketchbook. Which is how I felt about sketching and maybe you might feel that way too. She goes on to say how a sketchbook is more than just a place for sketches. It is a place for you to ‘play’ and should be only for you! Much like a journal or diary.
Learning to see my own sketchbook that way took the pressure off and I finally enjoy using it. Working in my sketchbook is now a restful and rejuvenating practice instead of something that just needs to be done. Without spoiling too much I will breakdown how she lays out the book and why it is so helpful.
Keeping a Creative Sketchbook: Getting Started
First, Emma Block has an introduction briefly walking through her journey. She jumps right in with different practices that you can begin in your journal right away. This is not a ‘how-to’ book in the technical artist’s sense. Although she does go briefly into color theory, she is not going to tell you how to hold the pencil or how to make your lines, but instead she shows you “how” to use the sketchbook. This is really helpful because she meets you where you are at. Whether you are a beginner, or have been drawing for a while. Everybody experiences the ‘fear’ or ‘freeze’ of seeing blank page. Emma Block gives you tips and techniques to overcome that and begin creating.
Keeping a Creative Sketchbook: Mini Artist interviews
As Emma Shares her experiences and gives you practical tips, she also does mini interviews with other artists. She asks them questions and shows snippets of their sketches. I love this! It’s a nice little break in the book. You can also see other artists this way, and see if maybe you resonate with their style or the technique that they each use their sketchbooks differently. It really helps take away the façade of ‘perfection’ and shows that every artist you admire got there through ‘practice’ and ‘play’.
Final Thoughts
In conclusion, “Keeping a Creative Sketchbook” By Emma Block would be a great book to add to your ‘how-to’ arsenal. You will find that it is a quick and easy read. The book is filled with lots of practical tips and inspiration that will continue to benefit you over and over. You can find the book at Barnes and Noble or here on amazon affiliate link If you enjoyed this article check out How to build the habit of drawing everyday or Art Kit Review: Mossery X Angela Pan!