Afraid of Ruining Your Sketchbook? How to Start Anyway
A beautiful new sketchbook can be a little frightening. The pages are so clean, and your drawings might not be. If you have ever left a sketchbook on the shelf because you were scared of ruining it, you are in very good company.
When I first started making art, I thought every page in my sketchbook had to be finished and complete. Over time, I realised I was allowed to make a mess, so I started a sketchbook dedicated entirely to messy practice. (I actually have a tour of it here on YouTube!) Separating my work into a messy sketchbook and a tidy, polished one was completely freeing, it gave me the permission I needed to just play.
The short answer: lower the stakes. Use a sketchbook you do not mind spoiling, make the first page messy on purpose, and remember that a sketchbook is for practising, not for showing.
Why the blank page feels so scary
Most of us were taught that art should look good. So we wait until we feel ready, or until we have a great idea, or until we are better. A sketchbook works the other way round. You get better by filling it.
Seven gentle ways to begin
Choose a sketchbook you are not afraid of. A cheaper one gets used more than a precious one.
Make the first page messy on purpose. Scribble, test your pens and write the date.
Give yourself permission to tear pages out, or turn them over. Nothing is permanent.
Draw small. A little box on the page is far less intimidating than a full spread.
Set a timer for ten minutes and stop when it rings, however it looks.
Draw things that do not matter, like your mug or your shoes.
Draw alongside other people. It is much easier when everyone else is making mistakes too.
Afraid of Ruining Your Sketchbook, What if a page does go wrong?
Most of the time, the pages you like least turn out to be the most useful. Keep them. They show you how far you have come. If you really cannot bear it, cover it with a layer of paint or collage and carry on.
A tiny exercise to try today
Open your sketchbook to any page. Draw the three nearest objects, small, with a pen. No rubbing out. Done. You have started.
Keep going
Once you have begun, 7 easy tips to make sketching a habit will help you keep going. If you do not know what to draw, try 50 drawing theme ideas to fill your sketchbook.
If you have ever felt afraid of ruining your sketchbook and left it sitting on the shelf, you are in very good company. If you would like a friendly group to draw with, the Sketchbook Circle meets live on Thursdays at 6 PM UK time. For short, low-pressure sketching sessions with just a pen or pencil, try the Sketch Hub.
