I have a hardback A3 sketchbook which opens to A2 and that was liberating, but you need to use 'big tools", for me it was 15mm Posca chisel pens. You can put colour down fast or if you acrylic pens to draw white or other colours over a dark colour.
Congratulations on getting into a small sketchbook. I draw so many people on phones, I did a little Substack post about it once. They’re the perfect subject as they’re too absorbed in their little screen to notice someone drawing them but equally it feels a bit sad just how many I seem to draw as it’s all so many of us do in our spare moments.
In the station waiting room I saw one woman reading and everyone else was on their phones. I didn't even notice — probably because it is so normal I don't even see it — until I started drawing!
I mean the reason I was so quick to comment on this post is I was awake and staring at my phone when a post notification popped up 😆 won’t be staring at it later though, I’m going running on the trails with my friends
I use A3 as my go to size for real time drawings. These are usually Wirobound as I can keep the paper in the sketchbook whilst drawing live and then take out to scan the image. I have hardback A4 for note taking at exhibitions or travelling sketchbooks (ones with a wallet on the Inside Back Cover is very useful).
As these require large bags, my A3 bag has a least £100 plus worth of pens in it. I wanted to take notes on a walk recently as I do a walk and not carry any heavy bags. An A6 sketchbook was handy and restricted the number of pens I took, I managed four.
You have seen the micro sketchbook, I took away this weekend it was a revelation, that I could work that small. Previous, there was an inch square challenge, which was fun. You need to have the right size pen for the size.
Aww Helen, Hill House is on my upper street in your burgh! (My surname is Colquhoun, it's on Upper Colquhoun Street). I didn't realise the house was in some peril, you've made me want to go again!
I'm the opposite with sketchbook size, I love A6. I think because it's so small, there's less blank page panic.
Although I am coming round, I am loving the little sketchbooks now I have got through the fear and the terrible drawing phase 😂
Surely not! So much to fit on a tiny page!
I'm going to branch out into A5 for my next sketchbook, but A3 seems terrifying!
I have a hardback A3 sketchbook which opens to A2 and that was liberating, but you need to use 'big tools", for me it was 15mm Posca chisel pens. You can put colour down fast or if you acrylic pens to draw white or other colours over a dark colour.
Congratulations on getting into a small sketchbook. I draw so many people on phones, I did a little Substack post about it once. They’re the perfect subject as they’re too absorbed in their little screen to notice someone drawing them but equally it feels a bit sad just how many I seem to draw as it’s all so many of us do in our spare moments.
In the station waiting room I saw one woman reading and everyone else was on their phones. I didn't even notice — probably because it is so normal I don't even see it — until I started drawing!
I mean the reason I was so quick to comment on this post is I was awake and staring at my phone when a post notification popped up 😆 won’t be staring at it later though, I’m going running on the trails with my friends
Ha yes! And you saw my drawings because I uploaded them to my phone 😂
I use A3 as my go to size for real time drawings. These are usually Wirobound as I can keep the paper in the sketchbook whilst drawing live and then take out to scan the image. I have hardback A4 for note taking at exhibitions or travelling sketchbooks (ones with a wallet on the Inside Back Cover is very useful).
As these require large bags, my A3 bag has a least £100 plus worth of pens in it. I wanted to take notes on a walk recently as I do a walk and not carry any heavy bags. An A6 sketchbook was handy and restricted the number of pens I took, I managed four.
You have seen the micro sketchbook, I took away this weekend it was a revelation, that I could work that small. Previous, there was an inch square challenge, which was fun. You need to have the right size pen for the size.
Aww Helen, Hill House is on my upper street in your burgh! (My surname is Colquhoun, it's on Upper Colquhoun Street). I didn't realise the house was in some peril, you've made me want to go again!