sketchbook ideas

Is your sketchbook seasonal?

sketchbook ideas / /

I have a new favorite sketchbook.

sketchbook signatures with machine sewn binding

It has:

  • 6 signatures that are sewn with a sewing machine
  • I glue them together when the sketchbook is full
  • The pages are 6″ square
  • I work each signature separately, so I can let one page dry and still be working on another
  • There is no chronological order
  • I glue a print to the cover and back
  • And finish it with a folded paper jacket

I have been using this style of sketchbook for the last few months and I am very happy with how the books have come together.

machine sewn and glued sketchbooks

I am finding that this month has a lot of Christmas themed marks. Using some of the small foam stamps that I made with the Stamp Making + Mixed Media Books class. You can still take the class as self-study.

stamping in sketchbook

I always love:

  • grids
  • trees, birds and houses
  • lately I have included fish and egg shells

holiday grid drawing

I alway have scribbly text.

sketchbook page linda germain

sardine can drawing

I encourage you to find a sketchbook format and tweak it so that sketchbooking is easy and fun for you. I carry mine around and love looking at what I did that day.

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Easy to make library pocket for sketchbooks

mark making, sketchbook ideas, stamping tools / /

I have been enjoying adding little pockets to my sketchbooks. I thought you might like it too. So here is a quick video:

Supplies that you will need:

  • index card or 4″ x 6″ paper
  • scissors
  • glue
  • art supplies to decorate

decorate pocket with stamped marks

You can fill your sketchbook pockets with tiny art work, blank paper or other notes.

library pocket in sketchbook

I often decorate with hand stamped marks, crayon, watercolor and markers.  If you want to learn how make ting foam stamps, then check out the details of my online class, Stamp Making + Mixed Media Books. All the lessons are available now. This technique is great for making holiday tags, cards and small bits of wrapping paper.

hand stamp holiday tags and cards

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Join Me – New Class – stamp making

artist book, collage, combined techniques, monotype print, sketchbook ideas, stamping tools / /

I am excited about the new class that starts October 25th. This class is about:

  • Making small stamps out of sticky backed foam
  • Slipknot book form
  • a gelatin print lesson and
  • a bit of collage

I love this combination of techniques. There is something for everyone. So you can choose a focus that fits your interest at this time.

slipknot book with gelatin print and collage

The slipknot binding is great for sketchbooking, because it can be flipped and folded to always lie flat. It takes a bit of thread management to link the pages together, but it is a pretty easy book form.

Gelatin monotype with stamping

I am including a gelatin print session so you will have prints to respond to with collage and stamping.

The collage lesson is just to get beyond the blank page.

slipknot bound books

Read all the details and join us in Stamp Making + Mixed Media Book Workshop.

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Make FREE events fit your style

book arts, drawings, inspiration, mark making, sketchbook ideas / /

I am a speaker in this years Sketchbook Revival hosted by Karen Abend. The event is packed with:

  • artist teachers
  • topics and materials and
  • Bonus resources

working in multiple sketchbooks

For me it can be a little overwhelming. But I have found a few ways to make the information manageable and to fit my learning style.

  1. I sign up for the FREE subscription
  2. I skim the daily videos
  3. Do only the lessons that inspire me
  4. Tweak the technique to my process

These approaches take the pressure off and let me experiment with new skills that I might want to incorporate into my sketchbook practice.

upside down thumbnail practice

So I invite you to join us in this years Sketchbook Revival. Click here to register for FREE. And be sure to adjust the event to your learning style.

I am teaching my upside down thumbnails technique on October 1st. Hope to “see” you in class.

upside down thumbnail practice by linda germain

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Just Make Marks

inspiration, mark making, masking stencils, mixed media printmaking, sketchbook ideas, stencils, techniques / /

I am learning that it is enough to just make marks. Joyful marks are even better.

mixed media journal page

Sometimes I can get caught up in needing to know why. Then I usually get stalled by the thinking in my head.

artist book page

The thing is when I just make marks and then more marks and then even more the result is a piece that is uniquely mine.

There is plenty of time in the domain of not knowing. There is some time when the marks seem precious.

When I can accept these states:

  • not knowing
  • dissatisfaction
  • preciousness
  • exploration

then I often get to a place of discovery or satisfaction.

mixed media printmaking

My new favorite mark is spraying pigment through found “stencils.” I diluted watercolor and put the mixture into a small spray bottle.

watercolor in spray bottles

If you try this method be sure to protect your table from the over spray. I love how fast it dries and how transparent the layers are.

found stencils for spritzing technique

All my classes are about mark making of some sort. See if there is one class that interests you.

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