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How to start a sketchbook project - Part 1




Since I've started a new sketchbook recently I thought I could do a diary of sorts to explain how I have put the various sections together. I chose the theme of 'Layering' as I was looking through some old A-Level Art & Design question papers and this topic appealed to me. If you want to create your own sketchbook obviously you could choose any theme you like, just make sure that it's something that interests you and you will find plenty of inspiration.


I favour an A3 size sketchbook but there are no hard and fast rules on this, and it's best to go for a scale that you feel comfortable with. I started out with a title page and a 'mind map' of written ideas of anything that I felt could relate to the theme of 'layering', a brainstorm of sorts. This is a good way to get over the dreaded 'first page fear' when you just can't bring yourself to start your pristine book and any mark you make is overly scrutinised!

So, with the first few pages out of the way, I spent the next 4 pages creating mood boards or 'visual mind maps' which showed a range of images relating to some of the themes mentioned on the previous page.

First page of visual mind map - enlarging some images and interpreting them with a range of media.



Close up of some 'layering' using brown parcel paper and sari silk strands, good old felt pens in a rainbow of colours were also useful.

Tissue paper made a great 'fan' and a fineliner was handy for creating my cabbage slice patterns

Manipulated fabric and coloured card represents shapes in images
Random patterned paper was used to echo the top image (magazine pages are also good) with corrugated cardboard slices also used to represent a few other pictures.

Once the outline of the project had been explored, I started my investigations by selecting one of the themes on my mind map and decided to begin with onions. I took a few out of my kitchen cupboard and took some photos.....


I tried printing some onions - like potato printing which I did as a child!




I sliced my onion too and found the concentric circles very satisfying!

I chopped up some of the photos and used the purple areas to create some rings

Using my photos I tried tracing the image then did some free machine embroidery using the same shape

I then created my own red onion using purple velvet, greaseproof paper and some free machine embroidery - adding some wadding to create a 3D effect (my sketchbook is rather thick already!).
I've just got 2 more pages on onions to do then I will move to the next chosen theme from my original mind map - I think I might stay with vegetables for now and try the red cabbage or the artichoke inspired lampshade!





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