Throwback Thursday Sketch: From the 30-Day Sketchbook Project
This is Day 8 of 30 from the 30-Day Sketchbook Project by Minnie Small
Planning to purchase a new sketchbook for 2024? Or do you have any old ones lying around? The 30-Day Sketchbook Project: Daily Exercises and Prompts to Fill Pages, Improve Your Art and Explore Your Creativity by Minnie Small is the perfect book to get you started or fill up any old blank pages!
“One of the best ways to hone a particular art skill or develop a certain style is to look at the work of admired artists. By dissecting their work and attempting to recreate and recapture what it is that makes it attractive to us, we offer ourselves a fun and interactive research session for which the pages of our sketchbook are perfect.”
“There are plenty of ways and reasons you might do a master study. You might be looking at the artist’s technique or their use of a particular medium or color, the contrast in their pieces, the composition or a general mood that is conveyed or their style. You don’t have to aim for an exact replica of their work, just a chance to really investigate the parts of their process that appeal to you. Focus in on those things and keep them in mind as you work; rather than just trying to copy their work, make an effort to deconstruct and understand it.”
“There are plenty of ways and reasons you might do a master study. You might be looking at the artist’s technique or their use of a particular medium or color, the contrast in their pieces, the composition or a general mood that is conveyed or their style. You don’t have to aim for an exact replica of their work, just a chance to really investigate the parts of their process that appeal to you. Focus in on those things and keep them in mind as you work; rather than just trying to copy their work, make an effort to deconstruct and understand it.”
— Minnie Small
”I chose this painting because I find it fascinating how Van Gogh made such effective use of his brushstrokes, especially when blending one color into another. It is a very impressive painting to look closely at, to see each individual brushstroke and then regard the painting as a whole, even squinting, to see how all that detail blends together.”
The 30-Day Sketchbook Project will forever transform the way you view your sketchbook. Through gorgeous yet simple step-by-step projects for each day of the month, illustrator Minnie Small will help you improve your skills, build your confidence and eradicate your fears of the blank page. Each day presents a new practice with three forms of inspiration: first, an overview of the topic with an approachable tutorial, followed by a prompt to help you make the lesson your own. Last, you'll get a glimpse into Minnie's process, as she shares some of her own sketchbook pages. Through this insight, you'll not only learn how to put the prompts into practice, but you'll also gain a greater appreciation of intuitive learning and the beauty of creative imperfection.
Get started in the first days with exciting exercises like the Timed Challenge and Master Study before easing into more elaborate ones like Observational Drawing and Monochrome Paintings. Keep the rhythm going with Collage Paintings and Ink Illustration. Then, see how far you've come when you reach more advanced lessons like Plein Air, Realism and Alternative Self-Portrait.
Whether your artwork lives only in the pages of your sketchbook or you use these exercises as a launching point for other work, it won't take long to see the positive impact of this daily practice in your art. Let your imagination run wild, your love of creativity renew and your faith in your skills flourish, one day at a time.
Minnie Small is an illustrator from South East London who uses her YouTube and Instagram platforms to share advice on filling sketchbooks and making art the mindful, intuitive way. She has partnered with brands such as Strathmore, Winsor and Newton, Sprite(R) and IntelUK(R).