Are You Afraid of the Blank Page?

Hi friends! Nothing strikes fear in many artists’ hearts quite as quickly as a pristine white canvas or page in their sketchbook. Hey, I totally get it! That white page could be ANYTHING, your potential masterpiece, something that sells for enough to cover your rent (so I’ve heard), or a creative breakthrough! I think that’s why it’s so easy to draw on the back of an envelope or a smudged-up page in a sketchbook, but that first perfect, white page, forget about it! Today, I am going to share a technique for pre-grunging your pages so you can jump into drawing with no inhibitions! It worked for me, maybe it will work for you!

I took that sketchbook on my cruise, and it was just the ticket! Even my 3-minute sketches looked good on the painted and stamped backgrounds! If you want to see what I drew on my cruise, as well as what I brought in my travel sketch bag, you can watch the video below!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JLJxoa5oG90

I decided that I am going to finish this sketchbook with sketches done from photos I took on the trip. I will scan all the pages after and share them here and on Instagram.

Supplies I used in this book (affiliate links used)

• Supplies I brought (affiliate links used) Stillman & Birn 3.5″x5.5″ Beta Series mixed media sketchbook: Blick: http://shrsl.com/4wkqm Amazon: https://amzn.to/3F9Nqfp

• *I prepped the pages with stamps and stencils from my new collection at CraftWorld: https://collabs.shop/gaarqv

• The Portable Painter Palette: Blick: http://shrsl.com/4wkqo or Amazon: https://amzn.to/3Z4D2MG

• Various watercolors from Daniel Smith: https://amzn.to/3H9sEwQ and Qor: http://shrsl.com/4wkr5

• Derwent waterbrushes: Blick: http://shrsl.com/4mrh1 Amazon: https://amzn.to/4jqsKxJ

• Travel collage ephemera (similar) https://amzn.to/3ZBY31l

• Washi tape: (similar) https://amzn.to/44Owkhs

• Pentel Pocket brush pens in black and sepia: http://shrsl.com/4wkr9 *best price on black pen: https://amzn.to/4kHHsBn and black refills: https://amzn.to/43m6S1O

• Derwent line makers .3 and .8: http://shrsl.com/4vjmr

• Prismacolor pencil stubs in black and white: http://shrsl.com/4i8co

• Tombow Fude black hard tip pen: http://shrsl.com/4wkrc or https://amzn.to/43xEFDM

• Permanant glue stick: https://amzn.to/4my0MCM

• Flat compass: https://amzn.to/4jqyDuJ

• Derwent eraser sharpener: https://amzn.to/44ZY0QF Here is a budget option: https://amzn.to/3SnAIfV or http://shrsl.com/4wkrd

• Kneaded eraser in a case: http://shrsl.com/4wkrn

• White uniball signo gel pen: Blick: http://shrsl.com/litk-n87-kshgs7_1-1 or Amazon: https://amzn.to/44QRP1b

• Mechanical Pencil: https://amzn.to/4myKuJM Zipper

• Pouches to keep stuff organized: https://amzn.to/43M6R7e

• Cut up credit card for scraping Old sock with the toe cut off for wiping brushes

• This bag is similar to what I use: https://amzn.to/4jDQQVX

• Other stamps: https://amzn.to/4jrxiUh and https://amzn.to/43ibGFj

Happy crafting!