apples, apples and more apples | my thoughts on using multiple sketchbooks (spoiler alert: I love it) (Patreon)

Hi! I’m working on October Patreon rewards and wanted to show you what I come up with so far!

(today is a very gloomy dark day, so some pictures might be a bit blurry on the edges??)

These will make a nice sticker sheet! I’m going to draw a few more mini illustrations like this cause I’m not sure if there’s enough of them already.

Yeeep, I made these designs on a loose sheet of paper and then transferred them into the sketchbook. I like to use this technique when I’m short on time and/or want to have very neat illustrations!

This sketchbook spread was done with absolutely no purpose, it was a form of warm up!

But maybe, just maybe I’ll be able to make a wallpaper based on this?!

I have an initial sketch for October print. I didn’t take any pics of it yet, but it looks similar to this sketchbook spread but it’s vertical!

Working in multiple sketchbooks at a time is my absolutely favorite thing to do.

Did you know that I used to think that an artist can use only one sketchbook at a time?

The idea was simple. Just draw in one sketchbook, finish it as soon as possible and then (and only then!) start a new sketchbook.

Otherwise it’s… well. Is it what? Cheating? Inconsistency? Being messy? Not being able to ever finish a sketchbook? Breaking made up rules? Right now I can’t even tell you where this limited belief came from but it was REAL.

Well, it just led me to tearing off tons of pages from my sketchbook cause I really needed to look at some of my older drawings/sketches while drawing other things.

I didn’t wanted to use several sketchbook but I didn’t have anything against tearing pages from the sketchbook (not because they were ugly, I teared empty pages to draw on them).

OKAY, to be completely honest, I was doing it but wasn’t proud of it and would rather keep it to myself (hello perfectionism, my old friend)

Isn’t THAT cheating?! (to be clear, I don’t think it is (what an absurd), but following the “logic” of past me, it probably would be???)

No wonder I couldn’t finish any sketchbook and even thinking about using them would make me nervous. I actually finished this first inglorious sketchbook (with tons of loose pages lol) not that long ago (it took me 3,5 years). A sketchbook tour is coming!

But back to here and now. After I changed my mindset and allowed myself to do whatever feels right (which for me is drawing in multiple sketchbooks), my creative juices are flowing more than ever.

Why would anyone use several sketchbooks, you might wonder.

I don’t know about other people but I like to draw the same thing several times and it’s just easier for me to be able to look at my other drawings while drawing (as I mentioned before).

Sometimes I’d get inspired by some of my older drawings or color palettes.

We can’t forget about the ability to showcase my illustrations in the interesting way! I don’t know about you but I just love seeing a few illustrations in one picture!

Phew! I hope you enjoy reading more vulnerable (longer?) posts like this one!

Marta