Because social media is the way it is, you might feel like a “good” artist just sits down and jots off a stunning piece of art in their sketchbook with speed and ease.

Maybe they do.

But…

Maybe they filmed that Reel 14 times before landing on art they were proud to share.
Maybe they had 10 hours of footage for YouTube but could only salvage 15 minutes of “good” art.
Maybe they are just drawing or painting familiar subject matter, something they’ve drawn thousands of times.

Social media art content is meant to look easy. It’s enjoyable to watch. I make art content that’s enjoyable to watch too! There’s nothing wrong with that.

However, I like to drop periodic reminders to your brain as well as mine that the art looks easy because it was preceded by years of practice.

Practice makes a confident artist.

Practice makes it easier to make the art you want to make with ease.

That’s where consistent sketchbook practice helps.

Feeling creatively stuck? Sketchbook practice. Frustrated by a lack of foundational drawing skills? Sketchbook practice.

Annoyed by an inability to get the ideas from your head onto your paper? Sketchbook practice.

Trying to find your artistic voice? Sketchbook practice. Trying to revamp your art style? Sketchbook practice.

I’m not saying that sketchbook practice will cure every art ailment but also, I kind of am saying that 😉

What I’ve learned through my own experience with cultivating a sketchbook practice is that it works best with a gentle structure to support your creative growth.

Sort of like how some flowers in your garden need support to grow and bloom.

While the level and specifics of that gentle structure will be a little different for everyone, I want to share what works for me. Maybe this will work for you too or at least give you some ideas for structure in your own sketchbook practice.

Depending on your personality type, the idea of structure around creativity could be off putting but I’ve found time and again that having even a hint of structure creates a sense of creative freedom and endless space for art exploration.

My gentle structure for sketchbook practice is grounded in three “I” words: intuition, iteration, and intention.

Intuition

Everything in my sketchbook practice starts with intuition or what I call “following the what ifs.”

In this first phase, logic and planning are not invited. Judgement is not allowed.

It starts with a curiosity about drawing or painting a subject matter. A fruit dove, for example. I don’t know how I want to render it right away, but I am curious about the shapes, the textures, and the colors.

I might instinctively reach for a certain paint tube or brush. I might wonder about being playful with proportions. I might feel called to try something a little different this time or I might feel comforted by taking a tried-and-true approach.

It starts with curiosity, and it continues with curiosity, with openness.

What if I try this brush instead? What if I layer these colors to capture that beautiful green? What if I make the eye smaller? Or larger? What if I simplify the wing shape? What if I simplify all of the shapes?

And that leads us to the next part of the structure…

Iteration

“Following the what ifs” inevitably leads to iteration. We don’t just settle on the first decent thing we draw or paint and call it a day, do we?

Well, maybe we do. Sometimes. If I just painted a perfectly decent fruit dove, why bother with another one?

Curiosity and growth. That’s why.

If I painted a perfectly good fruit dove, I’m going to take a second to celebrate it. I’m going to pay attention to why that painting feels so satisfying, because I’ll need to know that for the next phase and for future art making too.

Knowing that I’ve celebrated the art, that I’ve noticed what feels so satisfying about the work or the process, now I can “follow the what ifs” again. Now I can iterate, trying out different compositions, colors, materials, layouts, techniques, all from a place of fun and curiosity.

Maybe a happy accident will lead me to a new art discovery. Maybe I’ll just enjoy the process of making art, which I always do, but decide I’m happiest with my first fruit dove painting.

Iteration is also key when a piece of art goes sideways. If I’m not satisfied with a piece of art, first I look for the bits and pieces of art or process that I do like, then with that knowledge I ask myself what I could do differently. And then I give it a try, bouncing between intuition and iteration until the art feels better to me or until I accept that it just ain’t happening today. I can always come back tomorrow with fresh eyes or fresh subject matter.

Intention

The first two phases in the structure, intuition and iteration, are usually the messy parts for me. I’m figuring things out, letting my art wander, going with the flow in the best way my uptight self can 😂

The final phase, intention, is when everything I’ve learned during the intuition and iteration phases comes together.

It’s important to note that sometimes this entire process, all three phases, takes weeks or even months. Sometimes it takes days or even hours.

My sketchbook practice helps me settle into the joy of process instead of focusing on the outcome, so I let the “what ifs” do their wandering for as long as they want but when it’s time to bring everything together to make some Art, it’s time to visit with intention.

For me, intention in my sketchbook practice means planning. Sometimes a little, sometimes a lot.

It could mean planning a painting with some light sketching instead of going right in with painted shapes. It could mean choosing a color palette in advance or even choosing a feeling or vibe for the art. It could mean revisiting notes from previous sketchbook sessions or reviewing photos of a process for a quick refresher.

Whereas in the intuition phase, I’m starting with just a vague idea, in the intention phase I have a loose plan for the art process. Sometimes that plan gets ditched halfway through the process, but that’s just part of being an artist, isn’t it? What matters to me is starting this part of the process with a few thoughts on getting from idea to art.