Do you ever get the urge to draw in your sketchbook, sit in front of it and then don’t know what to draw? Maybe you feel pressured to make a ‘perfect’ instagrammable spread, or you’ve got a new sketchbook and are scared to start. But don’t worry. I found 20 beautiful sketchbook spreads to inspire you and get you creating.
These sketchbook spreads vary from fully finished artworks to messy sketches and unfinished pieces. Use your sketchbook however you like but remember that the purpose of a sketchbook is to get your ideas onto paper. They don’t have to be beautiful and you don’t have to show it to anyone. So don’t pressure yourself!
If you’re looking for a new sketchbook, these are some of my favorites:
- My favorite sketchbook for Mixed Media
- I love the Strathmore Toned Gray series for charcoal and colored pencils
- Good for everyday and pencil works
- Great for Watercolor
Here are the 20 sketchbook spreads to spark your creativity:
1. Urban Sketches
This monochrome spread will make you want to get outside and create some urban sketches. I especially love how fluid and messy this drawing looks.
2. Colorful Gouache Sketches
I love the colors of this spread! Leigh mostly uses Gouache and colored pencils for her sketchbook paintings.
3. Inky Flowers
This artist only uses a black pen to create this beautiful drawing of some flowers. Changing your perspective and turning your sketchbook sideways is also a different starting point.
4.Floating heads
Do these head drawings not make you want to pick up some colored pencils and start drawing some colorful heads?
5. Scenic Landscapes
Another great use of colored pencils: a windy landscape.
6. Oil Paint in Sketchbook
One of my favorite artists and one of my favorite sketchbook spreads. Jimena uses oil paints often on her primed sketchbook pages. If you want to learn more about starting with oil paints click here.
7. Animal Sketches
Another sketch with oil paints. This time of a moving horse.
8. Detailed Architecture
These drawings with black ink pen are masterworks.
9. Acrylic Landscapes
This artist makes beautiful acrylic paintings in her sketchbook.
10. Pencil Portraits
Using just a pencil and drawing some portraits is always a good idea.
11. More Portraits
If you get tired of the grey pencil try drawing portraits with colored pencils like this artist does.
12. Little Paintings
A few small paintings with a great color selection spread over the pages.
13. Sketchbook Glory
This is how a sketchbook should be used. Experimental paintings and sketches but nothing perfectly finished.
14. Sketches
Another spread by the same artist as before. Beautiful composition of the different sketches.
15. Paint Explosion
I love how this artist puts paint all over the pages and lets flowers emerge out of it.
16. Oil Portrait
Another stunning portrait painted with oils on a sideways turned sketchbook.
17. Colored Pencils with Fountain Pen
Messy flower and landscape sketches.
18. More Pencil Portraits
Another sketchbook spread with pencil portraits. I love the dab of color on the noses and lips.
19. Watercolor with Ink
This landscape painted with watercolors and ink pen is just stunning.
20. Draw It again
I love how this artist made a pencil sketch and a painting of the same subject.
I hope these sketchbook spreads are as inspiring to you as they are to me.
Are you interested in learning how to draw hands? Then check out my free How To Draw Hands e-Guide here.
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