Pimp your Sketchbook: A Tale of Two Projects

While I was doing my Btec Art course at school, I would desperately trawl the internet looking for sketchbook ideas and inspiration. Unfortunately I couldn't find much, and what I did find was lacking in detail and helpful tips. That is why I'm creating this post: to help and inspire anyone doing GCSE, A level or another Art qualification at school.

People often forget that the sketchbook is just as important as the final piece. Examiners are interested in the creative and artistic process, that is to say, what research you did, how you used this in developing your ideas throughout the project and what techniques you have learned. The best sketchbooks are full of mini works of art in their own right- I've sometimes been more proud of the work that I've created in my sketchbooks over my final piece.

Here are a couple of different projects from my final year at school...in detail of course.

PROJECT 1: HUMAN FORM-PRINTING PROJECT
Due to the distinctive nature and aesthetic of printing techniques, I decided to create a sketchbook to match by using block colours, clean lines, and often uniform text.
My first calling point with any project is research. I usually Google or Pinterest search the overarching themes of the project, focusing on particular artists or styles that catch my eye.

I've written around the images information such as the artist's background and inspiration, what techniques/materials they use, the main ideas of their pieces etc. As long as you show some analysis and opinions on your artist research the examiner will be happy.

For this printing project, we had to try and present many different types of printing techniques creatively in order to pass.

Ripped up pieces of black card in the background add form and interest to an otherwise plain page. Here, both my initial research and finished print are presented side by side: a simple yet effective layout.

We also had to include our printing tools into the book so I cut a page to fit my lino cutting and stuck it on, creating it's own little flap.

Every time you have a new focus or idea, write it down in whatever form works, to show the examiner how the project is developing. Remember, the sketchbook should present your creative process. Towards the end of the project I sketched the basis for my final piece, mainly as practice before carving the image into lino. Many people don't like those unpolished practice pages in a sketchbook but you can bet that your art teacher will beg you to keep them: they will get you marks, I promise!

PROJECT 2: GROWTH AND DECAY-PAINTING PROJECT
Sometimes, I start my projects with an initial ideas page, using research (often secondary sources) to tie in all of the overarching concepts involved in the project. Growth and Decay was such a broad and complex topic that I needed some way to gather and narrow down any possible ideas: cue mood board creation...

 You can see how this sketchbook required a more organic, nature related aesthetic in comparison to the first project. Paint also allows more freedom with colour and texture, something that I tried to get across on this page.

I made a list of every aspect of Growth and Decay I could think of, and put them all together, praying that an interesting line of focus would jump out at me.

Examiners go crazy for artist studies so here is a study of Jason deCaires Taylor's underwater statues in watercolour pencils.

Another thing that examiners love, is use of primary sources, and these are easier to get than you may think. If you see something around you that could link to your project in whatever obvious or obscure way, take a picture of it, sketch it, film it and get the evidence in your sketchbook. These are photographs that I took myself, lovingly explained and embellished with that hidden gem of collage materials: an old magazine.

I presented the focus of my project which was 'Growth and Decay in the city' with a two page mixed media collage (a reoccurring favourite of mine).

My favourite part of the sketchbook by far are the next few images. I needed a clear yet fun way of presenting Growth and Decay in Paris. Using primary sources, secondary sources my own sketching and painting, I created a section that resembled a cross between a lift the flap children's book and an architecture enthusiast's travel journal.

I thought this montage looked so effective, it was the major inspiration for my final piece. It is usually the case that ideas for final pieces pop up unexpectedly while playing around in your sketchbook. Even though sticking research onto a page or trying out a particular material or technique might seem pointless, it could just lead you to your final goal.

So there we go! Thank you for reading my most epic blog post to date. I hope that it has given those of you in the icy grip of exam season some inspiration and helpful tips.