#148: Sketchbook prompts for when you don't feel like drawing

Like many things (mornings, exercise, chores), I find that the hardest part of the creative process is getting started.

Fortunately, I’ve collected a few sketchbook prompts that help kickstart my brain. Best case: The creative juices flow! I make art I like! I feel fulfilled by the very act of making! Worst case: I close the sketchbook and try again the next day.

I hope these help you get started, too:

No easier way to put pen to paper than to put pen to paper! Pick a pattern, commit to a color palette (or don’t!), and off you go:

Sometimes the easiest way forward is to look back. I like to structure my diary comics by dividing each page into four squares and drawing a few moments from the day or week prior (Katharine Woodman-Maynard just did a great how-to guide on making these)!

Could be anything—the sky, a bookcase, a pet, your phone. I’ve found nature to be an especially stunning subject.

Why stop at making the recipe? Draw it, too!

When in doubt, look to the work of your favorite artists! I adore Beth Spencer’s whimsical animals, so I took a stab at my own grid of creatures one afternoon:

And for those wondering, here’s what I use in the photos above: MD Notebook (blank pages, A6 size) /Tombow Fudenosuke Brush Pen / Tombow Dual Brush Markers / Penco Clampy Clip

Happy drawing!

PS: Mail club members—don’t forget to sign up for your Q2 delivery here. It’s a fun one (sparkly bug stickers and all):