In the series ‘How Artists Use Their Sketchbooks’, we are celebrating the different ways in which artists use their sketchbooks, spanning across a range of disciplines, to open up minds as to what a sketchbook is and can be, from the perspective of practicing artists.

In this video, illustrator Alice Bowsher shares with us how she uses sketchbooks in a professional capacity, to take notes, write timelines, and generate ideas, as well as also for her own personal practice, as a space to experiment.

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AccessArt is a UK Charity and we believe everyone has the right to be creative. AccessArt provides inspiration to help us all reach our creative potential.

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What We Like About This Resource

“This is a great activity to get students to think about drawing in a different way. Extending reach and accepting a lack of control can lead to really exciting and energised mark-making. It’s great to see that this resource has also been used in SEND settings, demonstrating its accessibility.” – Tobi, AccessArt.

A collection of imagery and sources which you can use to prompt drawing in schools and community groups. 

Please note that this page contains links to external websites and has videos from external websites embedded. At the time of creating, AccessArt checked all links to ensure content is appropriate for teachers to access. However external websites and videos are updated and that is beyond our control. 

Please let us know if you find a 404 link, or if you feel content is no longer appropriate. 

We strongly recommend as part of good teaching practice that teachers watch all videos and visit all websites before sharing with a class. On occasion there may be elements of a video you would prefer not to show to your class and it is the teacher’s responsibility to ensure content is appropriate. Many thanks. 

Orchestras and Instruments

Use the film below to enable children to explore orchestras and instruments. Try to create a sense of momentum – for example you might pause the video 4 times and ask the pupils to make a 1 minute, 2 minute, 3 minute and 4 minute drawing at each pause. 

Encourage close and slow looking by talking as they draw – use your voice to attract their attention to different qualities.

Try the same exercise using different materials, ie handwriting pen, ink and nib, pastel, watercolour…

How might you invent your own instrument? What instruments might you combine? Is it self playing?

This Source Material Is Used In…

Pathway: Music and art

This is featured in the ‘Music and Art’ pathway

using sketchbooks to make visual notes

Show me what you see

See This Resource Used In Schools

A collection of imagery and sources which you can use to prompt drawing in schools and community groups. 

Please note that this page contains links to external websites and has videos from external websites embedded. At the time of creating, AccessArt checked all links to ensure content is appropriate for teachers to access. However external websites and videos are updated and that is beyond our control. 

Please let us know if you find a 404 link, or if you feel content is no longer appropriate. 

We strongly recommend as part of good teaching practice that teachers watch all videos and visit all websites before sharing with a class. On occasion there may be elements of a video you would prefer not to show to your class and it is the teacher’s responsibility to ensure content is appropriate. Many thanks. 

Shells

Use the films below to enable children to explore drawing shells. Try to create a sense of momentum – for example you might pause the video 4 times and ask the pupils to make a 1 minute, 2 minute, 3 minute and 4 minute drawing at each pause. 

Encourage close and slow looking by talking as they draw – use your voice to attract their attention to qualities of the shells.

Try the same exercise using different materials, ie handwriting pen, ink and nib, pastel, watercolour…

Charles Dessalines

Anselmus Boëtius de Boodt

Common Triton Horns, Charonia tritonis (1596-1610) by Anselmus Boëtius de Boodt. Original from the Rijksmuseum. 

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Tritonian murex or Sea trumpet illustration from The Naturalist's Miscellany (1789-1813) by George Shaw (1751-1813)

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This is featured in the ‘Spirals’ pathway

using sketchbooks to make visual notes

Show me what you see

A collection of imagery and sources which you can use to prompt drawing in schools and community groups. 

Please note that this page contains links to external websites and has videos from external websites embedded. At the time of creating, AccessArt checked all links to ensure content is appropriate for teachers to access. However external websites and videos are updated and that is beyond our control. 

Please let us know if you find a 404 link, or if you feel content is no longer appropriate. 

We strongly recommend as part of good teaching practice that teachers watch all videos and visit all websites before sharing with a class. On occasion there may be elements of a video you would prefer not to show to your class and it is the teacher’s responsibility to ensure content is appropriate. Many thanks. 

Water

Use the film below to enable children to explore drawing water. Try to create a sense of momentum – for example you might pause the video 4 times and ask the pupils to make a 1 minute, 2 minute, 3 minute and 4 minute drawing at each pause. 

Encourage close and slow looking by talking as they draw – use your voice to attract their attention to qualities of the water.

Try the same exercise using different materials, ie handwriting pen, ink and nib, pastel, watercolour…

This Source Material Features in…

Pathway: Cloth, thread, paint

This is featured in the ‘Cloth, Thread, Paint’ pathway

using sketchbooks to make visual notes

Show me what you see

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This is featured in the ‘Mixed Media Land and City Scapes’ pathway

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