Part 2: Making Your Sketchbook Your Own
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We are going to start by making a sketchbook. You could just use a bought sketchbook, but if you do, we’d like you to spend some time adding on to that sketchbook before you start working in it.

The reason we are going to start by making a sketchbook (or developing a bought sketchbook), is because then the book will start to feel like it belongs to you right from the start. The sketchbook becomes owned the moment you start to make – you make personal choices, and you think creatively from the outset. 

Another thing happens when you make a sketchbook. 

When you turn a page to work in your sketchbook and are presented with a pockets instead of a white page, or a piece of graph paper which unfolds, or a piece of old map, it will inspire you to be more creative in the way you write and draw in the sketchbook. 

So, let’s get started. Decide if you want to make a sketchbook from scratch, which is very simple, OR  adapt an existing sketchbook. Either way, we’d like you to end up with a sketchbook that really feels like it is yours, even before you start to work in it. 

Making an Elastic Band Sketchbook

Elastic band sketchbooks are a really great way to make books which have plenty of personality and character!

Start off by collecting paper of all kinds – recycled paper, white paper, graph paper, brown paper… the more varied the better. You’ll also need corrugated cardboard for the cover, and an elastic band to fasten it all together.

Whatever size sketchbook you want to make, cut a piece of corrugated cardboard which is twice as wide as the finished book. Bend it in the middle to form a spine.

Next cut or tear a series of pages, again twice the width of the finished book. Fold these in half too, and then simply use the elastic bands to fasten it all together. the great thing about these books is that they are completely flexible – you can take them apart, take pages out, and add more pages, and really personalise them.

The cardboard provides a versatile cover which can easily decorated to personalise them further.

Extending a Bought Sketchbook
and adding “Spaces & Places” to regular sketchbooks

Take an existing sketchbook – it can be any kind, shape or size. The idea is to change the structure of the sketchbook. That might mean adding new pages made up of different types of paper, different sizes, even different shapes. Think about how you can create “places and spaces” within a sketchbook. When you start working in your sketchbook, coming across these altered pages can really help you make exciting work in your book.

So for example, you might want to bend and glue pages to create pockets. You might want to add bags to create collecting areas, or add fabric so you can paint on that instead of paper. Add whatever you can find or whatever you are attracted to, to change the shape of the places and spaces within the sketchbook. 

The idea is to be as creative as you can in terms of the way you change the look and feel of the book, so that when you are working in your sketchbook later, you are not only inspired by the world around you and by what’s in your head, but also by the sketchbook itself.

Have fun when you are doing this, and also remember that when you are drawing and writing in your sketchbook later, you are still free to keep changing the shape and the structure and the nature of the pages. That’s part of the fun of working in a sketchbook. So is isn’t a one off process, it is a starting point, and hopefully you’ll keep coming back to it as you continue to work in your sketchbook.

Remember you can post images of your sketchbook work on Instagram
Tag @accessartorguk #accessartsketchbook

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3. Collage Exercise

Introducing different ways to work in a sketchbook

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Collect the Following
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Drawing Materials (whatever you have in the house: pen, pencil, rubber, felt tips, markers, coloured pencils, pastels etc)

Assorted Paper (all kinds, including recycled paper from old letters and envelops, tracing paper, graph paper etc AND / OR

A bought sketchbook (any kind)

Scissors, glue, tape, string

Piece of corrugated cardboard

Large elastic band

It would be good to start collecting a pile of old magazines – if you can get your hands on old gardening supplements, nature magazines or children’s magazines.

As well as magazines you can look out for old wrapping paper, printed paper, postcards, old photographs, old books etc.

Remember you can post images of your sketchbook work on Instagram
Tag @accessartorguk #accessartsketchbook

Next…

1. What Makes a sketchbook “exciting”

What is a sketchbook?

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Part 4: Drawing the Drawing Materials
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This exercise will really help you think creatively about how you use different medium to make drawings. The sketchbook is the perfect place for this exploration to take place. Have fun and see how far you can push it!

Step 1. Collecting the “Drawing Materials”

Go on a trip around the house or classroom and gather together as many “drawing materials” as you can find. You’ll start by collecting the obvious ones: different kinds of pens, pencils, markers, paints, chalks, pastels etc – whatever you happen to have in the house.

And then look even harder, and collect other things which will can be used to make a mark: a candle will produce a waxy mark which will resist paint, a piece of grass can be rubbed on paper to produce green, a flower petal to produce yellow. You can even make your own paint by mixing soil or coffee or tea with water. Gather your drawing “ingredients”!

Step 2. Start with the Obvious

Your challenge is to make drawings of the drawing materials, using the drawing materials! 

Choose a sketchbook page (again you don’t have to work chronologically). Start with just one drawing material, and make a drawing of that material, using that material.

For example, make a sketch of a marker pen, drawn with a marker pen!

And a handwriting pen drawn with a handwriting pen.

Work at different scales, and on different pages, choosing whichever drawing materials appeal.

Step 2. Combine 2 Materials Together

Choose two materials and make a drawing of them using both materials, for example, an oil pastel and a pencil.

Step 3. Explore How the 2 Materials Might Work Together

In this step, you will stop drawing the “object” (or drawing material) and instead just make marks with the materials. For example, try using the pencil over oil pastel. How’s that? Now try using the pastel over the pencil. How’s that different? Which do you like best? Make notes along side your experiments. 

Decide if you prefer working from observation (that is drawing what you see), or making more abstract marks without a form. Or both. Whichever you prefer, keep exploring and let the pages of your sketchbook fill with colour, marks, different media, and notes. 

Remember you can post images of your sketchbook work on Instagram
Tag @accessartorguk #accessartsketchbook

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Part 3: Collage Exercise
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This exercise is to help you develop sketchbook skills. It gives you the opportunity to see how working in sketchbooks can involve lots of different activities: seeing, collecting, sticking, drawing, note-taking, making connections, thinking, doodling, discovering…

The exercise is in three parts:

Collecting Images – You’ll choose a selection of images from magazines, photos, memorabilia, postcards etc

Selecting a word – You’ll choose a word (from the list below)

Connecting – You’ll connect your selected images and the word, and use your imagination and memory to create visual stories.

Step 1. Collecting Images

This is an ice breaker exercise to help you explore some of the activities that can take place in your sketchbook.

You’ll use found pictures and words to create new images which are personal to you. Try not to overthink what you draw or write, just let your ideas flow and don’t talk yourself out of it! 

It may be useful to find some place in your sketchbook, maybe the back, where you can make tiny notes, during this exercise, to jog your memory of the process later. These might just be single words, or short sentences. Don’t worry about joining them up or connecting them.

The first part of the exercise is easy and should be fun too! Just very quickly and simply, without getting too bogged down into thinking, collect and cut out a group of images that you like.

Cut images out of magazines, maps, photographs, memorabilia, newspapers, post cards, wrapping paper, comics etc. Images can be completely random and totally eclectic. What connects them is your liking them and that’s all!

We suggest you allow about 20 minutes to half an hour on this part of the task.

The trick with this stage is not to get blocked or worried about what you’re going to do with the images.

Step 2. Select a Word

Have a quick read through all the words below. Without thinking too much, choose a word that you like the sound of. Just one word.

Fog, Scrape, Christmas decoration, Maraca, Ice-cream, Leaf, Yellow submarine, Ruler, Lightning rod, Internet, Headache, Brick wall, Picture frame, Nail polish, Raisins, Fire extinguisher, Home, Basket ball, Airport, Mirror, Together, Coat hanger, Ball room dance, Shooting star, Upside down, Sideways, Animal parade, Fishing net, South Pole, Doll’s house, Sore throat, Gingerbread man, Tooth brush, Handkerchief, Ankle, Bull’s-eye, Stick Figure, Shoulder pad, New shoes, Newspaper, Superhero, Helium balloon, Belly button, Circus, Seashell, Wine glass, For sale, Goggles, Hula hoop, Sandwich, Fly swatter, Alone, Code, Beach, Slot machine, Lawn, Toilet paper, Coat hanger, ATM machine, Top hat, Light at the end of the tunnel, Type writer, Cork, Crowd, Tennis elbow, Diamond ring, Ice skate, Holiday Cellphone, Broken, Tomato Ketchup, Self-service, Credit card, Peanut, T-shirt, Rosemary

Write the word in your book. You can write it in normal writing, or you can write it in a very visual font (if that appeals). 

That’s it! Now you are ready for Step 3!

Step 3. Working with Images & Words

Go back to your pile of  selected images and start to randomly stick them in your book – you don’t have to work on one page only, but can work on as many pages as you like. If you created “spaces & places” in your sketchbook you can choose which of these you want to work with.  You don’t have to work in chronological page order. If you are stuck for ideas, just start sticking – but have your word in the back of your mind all the time.

The process may seem very random to start with but the combination of the word and images will start to trigger your imagination and evoke memories, ideas or a visual stories. Without realizing it you will start to connect images together.

As you start to stick the images in your book, you may decide to cut your images up further, changing their meaning and using different elements from images. Don’t be afraid to cut into and jumble up images.

Use as many pages of your sketchbook as you like. Follow your instinct. When you hear that voice inside your head saying “I don’t know what I’m doing” or “This isn’t working” just ignore it!!

If a thought or idea pops into your head as you are cutting and sticking, write it down on the page.

The point of this exercise is to get ideas flowing and enjoy the process of working in a sketchbook. There is not a right or wrong way of joining up images and unexpected combinations and connections are likely to be made. 

Have fun!

Remember you can post images of your sketchbook work on Instagram
Tag @accessartorguk #accessartsketchbook

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4. Drawing the Drawing Materials

Exploring drawing materials and thinking creatively

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Welcome to the Developing Sketchbooks Skills & Approaches online course.

Developing Sketchbook Skills & Approaches aims to inspire and invigorate your sketchbook practice – whether you have been using sketchbooks successfully for several years or are new to sketchbook work. We really hope you find the course useful and we hope you’re excited about your sketchbook journey!

Please read the following carefully as it contains all the information you need to prepare for and access the course. If you have any concerns pls email info@accessart.org.uk

How does it Work?

The Developing Sketchbook Skills & Approaches course is made up of four modules, plus introduction. You can access these modules below:

Introduction

Taking Ownership of your Sketchbook

Collage & Visual Association Exercise

Exercises to Develop Drawing Skills

Giving Your Sketchbook Legs, and Time to Reflect

These exercises have been designed to help introduce you to some basic ideas in terms of sketchbook approaches,  to help develop your “sketchbook habit”, and to provide you with a structured framework in which to practise your skills. The modules contain text, image and video. The video is hosted by YouTube so pls ensure You Tube is not blocked by your provider.

If you would like to print out the module, simple click “Print Friendly” at the bottom of the page.

Tutorial groups and feedback

When you have tried the assignments, you have the option to upload your work for the AccessArt artists and other people on the course to comment on. This is a valuable part of the course so we encourage you to share your work (and your experiences). Please choose any of the tutorial groups marked available at the end of each assignment to upload your work, and follow the instructions below. Please also browse other tutorial groups as we know you’ll find the images posted by other delegates and comments of use. Please feel free to make your comments on the work of others too.

To upload your work

If there is a page in your sketchbook that you would like to share, you can either scan it, or take a photo of it, and save a copy to your computer ready to be uploaded as follows. Please make sure your image is around 500 px wide (not much larger) and is saved as a jpg.

You may upload two images per assignment.

Peer to peer comments are encouraged, and AccessArt artists/tutors will also support you in constructive ways. Equally we would encourage you to comment on other students work if you feel inclined – just hit reply under the image and make your comment. AccessArt will comment on 1 of your images, per assignment.

Comments and images need to be moderated so may not appear straightaway.

Preparation for the course

In preparation for the course, pls ensure you have the following at hand, ready for the assignments.

General:

• Drawing Materials (black pen, pencil, charcoal, rubber etc)
• Paper (all kinds depending on preference)
• Scissors, Glue, Tape, String

Taking Ownership of Your Sketchbook

Either:

• Assorted papers (can be recycled, white, scrap, tracing, graph…)
• piece of corrugated cardboard
• large elastic band

Collage & Visual Association Exercise

It would be good to start collecting a pile of old magazines – if you can get your hands on old gardening supplements or nature magazines, they’ll come in handy and anything from children’s magazines to glamour. The source of imagery for this exercise can be completely random and eclectic, but it would be good to have a nice pile ready for the 25th June.

As well as magazines you can look out for old wrapping paper, printed paper, postcards, old photographs etc..

Exercises to Develop Drawing Skills

Simple drawing equipment as above (pencils and black pen).

Taking your Sketchbook into the World, and Reflecting

No special requirements.

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Part 1: What Makes a Sketchbook “Exciting”?
<< back to "Sketchbooks!" course page

The number one rule we have at AccessArt is that your sketchbook should feel like it belongs to YOU, not your mum or dad, not your teacher or your school, just you!

Why? Because once you feel like your sketchbook is yours to do whatever you wish in, then you are well on your way to using a sketchbook to its full potential.

Let’s talk very quickly about what a sketchbook is, and what a sketchbook isn’t!

A sketchbook is a place for exploring the world through drawing, writing, collecting, collaging, sorting, recording, and playing with ideas. A sketchbook is a place of exploration, discovery, wonder and invention. It is a place in which you can ask all kinds of questions, without having to know or find the answer. Mistakes are welcome in sketchbooks as they show you are testing ideas or pushing yourself. 

A sketchbook is not a place where you should feel pressure to work a certain way, or produce marvellous drawings without any mistakes, or to write neatly. 

Now perhaps you will see why you really need to feel like your sketchbook is YOURS. Because the most exciting sketchbooks are not the ones with the “neatest” drawings or most “beautiful” colour wheel. The most exciting sketchbooks are the ones where the personality of the owner comes shining through, whatever that personality is. 

Remember you can post images of your sketchbook work on Instagram
Tag @accessartorguk #accessartsketchbook

Next…

2. Making Your Sketchbook Your Own

Make or adapt your own sketchbook

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Last Updated 28th April 2020

We hope the following information is helpful to teachers looking to use AccessArt to help deliver online learning. Please do get in touch if you have a specific question. 

This will be an evolving list so please bear with us as we respond to a slight change in the type of resources schools now need – but responding we are. We will be releasing new resources over the next few weeks. If you are already registered with AccessArt we will keep you up to date, if you are not registered pls do so. 

There are many more resources available on the AccessArt website than those mentioned below, but we do not want to add unnecessary “noise” at this time, so the resources below have been chosen as starting points for those in an early stage exploration of what AccessArt can offer. 

We have split the resources into “short term: online learning” and “long term: planning”.

Short Term: Online Learning

Firstly, We have created where we will be posting resources we highlight in relation to Covid-19. These are not by any means all the resources our of our 850 which are suitable for home learning; just a highlighted few. These pages will be updated weekly and can be shared directly with staff and parents:

https://www.accessart.org.uk/art-covid-19/

https://www.accessart.org.uk/art-resources-for-home/ 

The above pages are always accessible from the “Covid-19” menu item on every page of www.accessart.org.uk, and contain stand alone projects you may wish to send to children/families.

We have reformatted our online sketchbooks skills course so that it is fully accessible to home users of all ages. You can find this via this page. 

We are also reformatting our “7 steps to drawing” course and “ten minutes five times a day” – which has 5 drawing exercises. They will be ready over the next few weeks. 

Each “course” comprises several elements and realistically could provide a whole terms worth of learning in themselves. Most importantly, when children return to school, they would have learnt valuable skills which will stay with them.

There are lots more resources of course and if you have a particular theme or media in mind then we can respond to that with suggested plan. Drawing and sketchbooks is a great way in for home users though as materials are always at hand (even if its just a biro and an envelop!). 

Long Term: Planning

Many schools are taking the opportunity to plan the art curriculum for when things return to normal. To help with this please visit the page below which houses our Exemplar Plan for EYFS and Primary, plus our Progression Plan. 

https://www.accessart.org.uk/exemplar-primary-art-plan/

You can also find currciulum advice at

https://www.accessart.org.uk/primary_art_curriculum_planning/

(Both the above pages are also accessible from the “I am” menu on the main menu of AccessArt. Choose “Primary Teacher” from the “I am”  menu).

We really hope those links help and we’re very happy to keep talking to help you through this. 

#TeamAccessArt

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From Key Stage One

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From Key Stage Two

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Fruit Pinch Pot Project By Rachel Dormor

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