Art Ed Geek Teaching for Artistic Behavior at Plymouth State University and Beyond

Welcome back to a new and exciting school year in the CRES Studio!

Sketchbooks

We’re starting off the school year by working in our new sketchbooks.  Students will keep their sketchbooks for three years to show their progress and help them keep track of what inspires them.

I started the lesson by asking students some questions about sketchbooks.  Here are their insightful responses.

Why is a sketchbook a tool?

• You practice in it.
• You use it for ideas.
• To sketch your ideas and plan it all out. -Lucy K.
• It is ideas that you might want to do.
• It’s a draft for drawing in.
• Sometimes pictures will help me more than words.
• If you’re going to make a house you need to sketch it first.
• Always sketch before you paint.  You can erase sketches, but you can’t erase watercolor.
• A sketchbook is a place where you put your thoughts.
• A sketchbook is a tool because you use it to build something bigger.
• It’s a place you can try new things

Why is a sketchbook a great place to try new things?

• You don’t want to waste paper.  If you do it in your sketchbook first, the paper won’t go to waste.   
• You can do experiments in your sketchbook.
• If you mess up in your sketchbook it’s ok it’s not your final piece.
• A sketchbook is a good place for trying thing out and see what works and what doesn’t.
• Explore your mind. -Jack
• If you want to draw something you can put it in your journal or sketchbook.
• if you make a mistake you can just erase it as many times as possible, do it over until you’ve got it right.

Why are mistakes important to keep?

• You can make a mistake into inspiration. -Maddie
• You can keep an accident, because you can make it into a “happy accident.”
• The reason why you keep a mistake is because you could turn it into a masterpiece.
• There are no mistakes when making art!
• You can get great ideas from mistakes.  Like happy accidents.  You can learn from mistakes and make your drawings better.
• It’s good to learn from our own mistakes.
• It’s just your sketchbook, not your whole life…don’t over react over anything.
• You can turn your mistake into something else.
• Keep your mistakes in your sketchbook so you can look back and not make the same mistake again.
• There are no mistakes just happy accidents. That means if you make a mistake you can turn it into a beautiful drawing.  -Lexi R.
• You can learn from your mistakes. -Cami

Why do most artists, writers, or other creative problem solvers keep a sketchbook on them at all times?

• You can put your feelings in it.
• It’s good because you can write down or sketch your ideas.
• If you have a great idea write it on a piece of paper.
• You might want to bring your sketchbook with you so you can draw stuff you like.
• It’s good to sketch in a sketchbook
• When you are inspired… don’t fear… get it!

Why might you write in your sketchbook?

• If you make a picture and name it, write it down so you don’t forget it.
• To tell about your art.
• You could draw the picture and then tell how you made it.
• You could write down your idea and save it till you need it.
• You can put your feelings in so you don’t hurt.
• To tell whats in your picture.
• You can write about your picture or instead of drawing the picture you could write it out the idea.
• You can have writing in your sketchbook because later you can read the ideas and make it into art.
• You can write a tip for another drawing. -Cami