For the longest time, I didn’t use a sketchbook. I simply didn’t have one. Even after becoming a professional illustrator, I worked primarily in Photoshop, diving straight into commercial projects. Years passed before I truly understood the purpose and value of an illustrator’s sketchbook—a collection of victories, experiments, and even spectacular failures.
At one point, while studying illustration at Cambridge School of Art, we had an assignment:
Get a few sketchbooks, pick a topic that is interesting to you – like my village, or dogs and their owners, or people on bus stations, and go draw. Don’t come back until you’ve filled your sketchbooks.
― Cambridge School of Art
I walked away feeling frustrated and confused. Why do I need this? I already know how to draw… This is a waste of time!
But I had to do the assignment. So, reluctantly, I started sketching. At first, I grumbled about every messy line, but step by step, I found myself enjoying the process. And yet, I still failed that semester. Because I didn’t fully grasp the true power of a sketchbook—something I only came to appreciate years later…
Now, I can say without hesitation: my sketchbooks are the most valuable and inspiring part of my creative journey. And I’m in good company!
- Leonardo da Vinci filled around 13,000 pages of notes and sketches—observations of the world, thoughts, and early concepts of groundbreaking inventions.
- Pablo Picasso kept 178 sketchbooks filled with composition studies, color experiments, and thematic explorations—ideas that later became some of his most famous works.
- British sculptor Henry Moore once filled an entire sketchbook with drawings of sheep, inspired by the view outside his studio window.
So, why are sketchbooks such an essential tool for illustrators, creatives, and visual storytellers? Let’s find out
1. A Sketchbook is a Treasure Chest of Ideas and Observations
Think of your sketchbook as an endless well of inspiration—a place where you collect thoughts, pictures, and visual notes. You can always flip back through old pages and rediscover ideas you forgot about.For Japanese illustrator Fumi Kamijo, a sketchbook is a physical archive of experiences:
Everything I have lived through is in my sketchbooks. The things I’ve seen, eaten, heard, felt, and dreamed— they are all there.
— Fumi Kamijo
2. A Safe Space for Exploration and Experiments
Your sketchbook is not meant to be perfect. It’s a playground, a testing area, a judgment-free zone where you can scribble, make mistakes, and try new things. It’s a space where you can let go of perfectionism and simply create.American artist Paul Madonna puts it best:
I don’t consider my sketchbooks sacred… They are raw material. And that’s the beauty of them. My sketchbook is always, always with me—it’s an extension of my mind. I let my thoughts wander and simply follow where they lead.
— Paul Madonna
For years, I struggled with this myself. As a perfectionist, I felt pressure to make every page “worthy”—as if someone would judge it. But once I stopped overthinking and started enjoying the process, everything changed.
3. A Visual Record of Your Creative Growth
On days when you feel stuck—when you think you haven’t improved at all—flip through your older sketchbooks. You’ll see how much you’ve grown. Your progress is there, documented.
Illustrator and author Neil Waldman once said:
Sketchbooks and journals are the streetlights that illuminate an artist’s journey.
— Neil Waldman
Now, my sketchbooks are always with me. I have separate ones for different projects, plus a personal sketchbook for free creative exploration. And I know that no idea—no matter how silly or small—will be lost.
Let’s Start a Travelling Sketchbook Challenge Together!
What if we took this idea even further? In 2004, illustrator Oliver Jeffers took part in a sketchbook exchange project—passing a shared sketchbook between four artists across continents. Over 36 weeks, they responded to each other’s drawings before sending it on. By the time the sketchbook was complete, it had traveled 60,000 miles across the world!
Would you like to try something similar? Let’s create a Traveling Sketchbook Challenge! If you’re interested, drop a comment below, and let’s start something amazing together. 🎨✨
