Most of my portfolio comes from my sketchbook which I keep permanently on the go. It comes with me everywhere, often prioritised above my phone. Initially I began sketchbooking as a form of physiotherapy, where each day my only task was to go on a walk and find something to draw. Nowadays I'm a lot busier, but it's still a mindful habit and mornings started with a cup of tea and a sketch (usually of that cup of tea) begin the day with a sense of calm and relaxation.
From an artistic perspective, daily drawing is the best thing you can do to improve and learn. Keeping a sketchbook and integrating it into your routine is a fantastic way to facilitate that and , supplemented with things like book-binding and scrapbooking, it can become an excellent gateway into other artistic pursuits.
If you would like to start a sketchbook, I teach workshops and courses on sketchbooking and book-binding as well as create online workshops for illustration activities. My social media is also regularly updated with extracts from my own, which I keep like a diary.
Most of all, I'd encourage you to get involved and start your sketchbooking journey.
I'd love to see artwork that you've created!
Tag me @valerianstudio.
Website design © 2020 Ferox Security
Ms Emma Leyfield currently trading as 'Valerian'. The copyright to all images and graphics used within this website are owned by Valerian, or Valerian has sought the appropriate permissions to use them.
Trademark number: UK00003464494
April Cottage, Kilcott Road, Hillesley, Wotton-Under-Edge, Gloucestershire, United Kingdom, GL12 7RJ