Sketchbooks

What is a sketchbook?

The Term 'Sketchbook' is open to interpretation. It can represent many different things within a variety of contexts. On some courses, it may be referred to, for example as research notebook/journal or a workbook, rather than a sketchbook.

A sketchbook can take a range of formats: it may be presented as a book, loose pages, an online portfolio or a combination of all these.

The sketchbook is a personal document - it is about you, your thoughts, your work, your responses and your feelings. It can be seen as a 'library' of [your] responses to experiences (Greenlees, 2005, p9)

The sketchbook is an invaluable place to record your visual experiences. These may be documented through:

  • drawings or notes
  • pieces of fabric
  • found objects
  • design development in 2D and 3D
  • colours
  • photographs
  • annotations
  • instructions for making or measuring technical information
  • other visual references
  • texts, for example, poems or quotations

Why are sketchbooks important?

Your sketchbook can provide opportunities for an exploration of visual language in art and design, such as line, shape, colour and texture, volume, pattern and rhythm.

It may also be a place for invention and experimentation with ideas, techniques and media. At the same time, your sketchbook can assist you solving problems.

It can capture the fundamental elements of an idea.

It is a place where you can examine and revise your ideas, and review your development. It is an iterative process, i.e. one that can be repeated again and again.

It shows the development of your concepts, as well as the journey and research undertaken through your project.

It helps to catalogue and develop your thoughts.

Getting started

It is helpful to keep a small research notebook with your at all times. This will allow you to make notes and produce sketches whenever you see something interesting or inspirational, and note ideas as and when they come to you.

You may find it useful to start by sorting your visual research into boxes; for example, you could create one for fabrics, another for objects and another for pictures.

You may prefer to use loose pages to work through your ideas. In fact, some courses may require you to do this.

This has the advantage of allowing you to throw everything on the table and make unexpected connections.

Annotation

An annotation is a written note that provides additional information on the visuals in your sketchbook.

Annotations can take a variety of forms: they may be explanatory notes; reflective, evaluative thoughts; reminders to yourself, or pointers to move forward. A poem could serve as an annotation, as could an advertising slogan or song's lyrics.

On some courses, annotations in sketchbooks are essential to show the development of the design idea, as well as signpost where and how the final design or concept was developed. It is important that the annotations are clear and legible.

They can also be used to identify your references from your visual research, and to produce a research bibliography. By providing annotations, you can distinguish your own work from ideas you have sourced from others.

There are instances where sketchbooks do not require any annotation. This may be because there is a strong narrative through the chosen images and thus no need for words, or because the work is of an emotional, instinctive nature, and not open to direct statements about it.

The important thing for you to recognise is that your decision as to whether to annotate or not will depend on the audience, and whether it is commercial or academic.

Some common issues

For many students, 'how do I start to fill all these blank pages?' is a restrictive and scary process.

Some students throw away their early work because they feel it is not good enough; however, these initial ideas are part of the whole and may be developed in unexpected ways, or used in a later project.

Some sketchbooks may have too much collage, and not demonstrate enough original work, or your drawing explorations and thinking.

Sketchbooks can be very messy - it may be hard for a tutor to find their way through them when they are assessing your work.

The sketchbook may be so personal that you feel you do not want to share its content. In such cases, you will need to decide what to include in the sketchbook when handing it in for assessment.

There may be insufficient evidence of your research or development.

Annotation may be absent when, for example you have included an image that is open to a variety of interpretations.

There may be a tension between sketchbooks required for assessment and the sketchbook as a personal aid to your work. You will need to ensure that you are meeting course requirements but, at the same time, preserve your unique approach to the sketchbook.

Acknowledgements

The ideas in this section were adapted from:
Greenlees, K (2005), Creating Sketchbooks for Embroiders and Textile Artists. London: Batsford

And interviews with:
Amanda Holden, LCF
Rob Lakin, Director of Programmes LCF
Peter Towse, CSM
Dilys Williams, Director of Programmes LCF

Images taken from:
Nielson, D and Hartman, K (2006), Inspired - How creative people think, work and find inspiration. Amsterdam: BIS Publishers