9/19/2015 101 Sketchbook Ideas TheVirtualInstructor Blog LOG IN Start Here Drawing Painting JOIN Digital Courses Lesson Plans Fundamentals Blog Forum 101 Sketchbook Ideas Posted on April 24, 2012 by Matt Fussell Facebook Twitter Google+ Pinterest Often times it can be difficult brainstorming ideas for our sketchbooks. We can all agree that the more we draw, the better we’ll get. This is just one of the many reasons that keeping a sketchbook is important. But deciding what to draw in those sketchbooks can sometimes be a challenge. http://thevirtualinstructor.com/blog/101­sketchbook­ideas 1/11 9/19/2015 101 Sketchbook Ideas I decided to do some of the brainstorming for you and create a list of 101 sketchbook ideas. The items on this list are meant to challenge you a bit, but can still be completed in a short amount of time, making them perfect subjects for any sketchbook. 101 Sketchbook Ideas 1. draw old shoes 2. draw a glass of water 3. draw a pile of unfolded laundry 4. draw your non­dominant hand http://thevirtualinstructor.com/blog/101­sketchbook­ideas 2/11 9/19/2015 101 Sketchbook Ideas 5. draw a scene in a restaurant 6. draw a stack of books 7. draw a view out of a window 8. draw your art supplies 9. draw wine bottles 10. draw children’s toys 11. draw a person laying down 12. draw a person sitting in a chair 13. design a typeface 14. draw different types of trees 15. draw objects in your pocket 16. draw game pieces 17. draw a caricature of yourself 18. draw the same object drawn with different techniques (hatching, cross hatching, stippling, etc.) 19. draw your favorite pet 20. draw a copy of your favorite Master’s painting 21. draw a crumpled piece of paper 22. draw a brown paper bag 23. draw an old chair http://thevirtualinstructor.com/blog/101­sketchbook­ideas 3/11 9/19/2015 101 Sketchbook Ideas 24. draw a person from history in which there is no photo reference 25. draw an old person’s face 26. draw a stapler 27. draw an old radio 28. draw an old car 29. draw an old camera 30. draw a pair of glasses 31. draw an open book 32. draw a bicycle 33. draw anything made out of metal 34. draw a hammer http://thevirtualinstructor.com/blog/101­sketchbook­ideas 4/11 9/19/2015 101 Sketchbook Ideas 35. draw tree bark up close 36. draw ocean waves 37. draw a pile of rocks 38. draw a cup of pencils 39. draw hard candy 40. draw any fruit (sliced open) 41. draw any vegetable (sliced open) 42. draw a reel mower (tough one) 43. draw a pine cone 44. draw a seashell 45. draw a banana peel 46. draw an old cabin 47. draw an old factory 48. draw flowers in a vase 49. draw simple forms (cube, sphere, cylinder, etc.) 50. draw old farm equipment 51. draw a sailboat 52. draw people standing in a line 53. draw a bowl of peanuts 54. draw a bowl of nails 55. draw bushes or shrubbery 56. draw several eggs on a surface 57. draw your favorite insect 58. draw a flower up close 59. draw a thumb drive 60. draw an exotic fish 61. draw a scene from history 62. draw a feather http://thevirtualinstructor.com/blog/101­sketchbook­ideas 5/11 9/19/2015 101 Sketchbook Ideas 63. draw any detailed machine 64. draw the insides of a watch or clock 65. draw a skull 66. draw an apple 67. draw a portrait of someone that is a different race from you 68. draw water coming from the faucet 69. draw a creek in the woods 70. draw a pair of socks 71. draw an object that is moving 72. draw a Cubist portrait 73. draw a view from a window 74. draw a candle in the dark 75. draw three random objects from your refrigerator http://thevirtualinstructor.com/blog/101­sketchbook­ideas 6/11 9/19/2015 101 Sketchbook Ideas 76. draw a bowl of popcorn 77. draw a set of keys 78. draw someone peeling off their skin 79. draw your hand holding an apple (or other object) 80. draw your feet 81. draw yourself as a cartoon character 82. draw a patterned cloth on a table 83. draw a wine cork 84. draw a face in profile 85. draw a candlestick 86. draw a fictional woodland creature 87. draw a close up of grass 88. draw an object three times in different lighting 89. draw a pile of jewelry 90. draw a close up of someone’s hair 91. draw a doorknob 92. draw a bird in flight 93. draw a video game controller 94. draw a pile of yarn 95. draw a stack of dinner plates 96. draw a trompe l’oeil image 97. draw hung drapery 98. draw a water sprinkler 99. draw calm water that is reflective 100. draw a person falling http://thevirtualinstructor.com/blog/101­sketchbook­ideas 7/11 9/19/2015 101 Sketchbook Ideas 101. just draw something! This course is for beginner and intermediate artists and features over 300 minutes of HD video instruction and 178 pages of http://thevirtualinstructor.com/blog/101­sketchbook­ideas 8/11 9/19/2015 101 Sketchbook Ideas eBooks covering the true essence of drawing including the elements and principles of art, and a variety of drawing media and techniques. (28 Modules) VIEW THIS COURSE Last updated by Matt Fussell at August 15, 2015. Get Updates to TheVirtualInstructor.com! Sign up for the free newsletter to get updates and 3 free course modules. Get Updates Email Address * Facebook Twitter Google+ Pinterest No related posts. Posted in Drawing, Education 10 Comments Recommend 3 permalink [http://thevirtualinstructor.com/blog/101­sketchbook­ideas] thevirtualinstructor.com ⤤ Share 1 Login Sort by Best Join the discussion… http://thevirtualinstructor.com/blog/101­sketchbook­ideas 9/11 9/19/2015 101 Sketchbook Ideas fiona green • 8 months ago Thanks Matt for the sketching ideas. I find that when I sketch I tend to put too much detail in to try to make the drawing perfect. I am going to limit myself to 5 min a sketch to try to improve this habit. 2△ ▽ Sarah • • Reply • Share › 10 months ago Matt, this was especially good for me. I used to draw and love it but that was 4 decades ago. Now as a retired 62­year­old, I'm looking at doing some of things I used to love but I live in a place (south central KY) where local art stores are about an hour away (oh voila, internet!) and drawing lessons are non­existent, except for yours online. I plan to use many of these to practice blind contour drawing (very good for an older mind)and then translate them into more. Thanks! 1△ ▽ Jenny M • Reply • Share › • a month ago My life has been art! But things changed a few years ago. I've been away from drawing and art in general for 10 years because of having several little strokes. My doctor assured me that my art would come back, he said, "Don't worry, your art will be back in 5 years or so. The brain will re­route around the strokes, it will be back!" I know he was trying to help, but when you spend a lifetime doing something creative everyday and then they tell you it will be back in 5 years, I was devastated! Well, 5 years came and went. This is year 10, I did my first drawing in July! A fawn in grass in the woods surrounded by trees. I had a blast doing the face of that fawn, and the bark of the trees! I've been following you for at least a year. You have been a source of inspiration! THANK YOU MARK! △ ▽ ello • • Reply • Share › 2 months ago gave me tons of ideas! THANKS A BILLION! △ ▽ • Reply • Share › Yanai 3 months ago • This list didn't help me at all, its dump and not useful in anyway. Thxs for notin. △ ▽ • Reply • Share › melissa 4 months ago • there are several things that i have wanted to get into. photography is one of them and art is another. i have absolutely no talent. i knew someone who was very talented and she said it was just a matter of drawing all the time and getting better as she went along. it seems that you are offering exactly what i need and was looking for. i used to live in new york city where there were plenty of art schools but was not interested at the time. was working and had 2 small children. no time and no money. i still do not have money and i no longer live in new york and do not know of any art schools in my area. i think if i manage my time a little bit better with your teaching i should be able to achieve my goals. life without the internet is no life at all. you came into my life at just the right time. thank you in advance. i hope to learn and have fun. △ ▽ • Reply • Share › Deborah • a year ago Thank you Matt, you blessed my day! △ ▽ • Reply • Share › Suzy a year ago • Thanks so much for this! I'm gonna make sure i do everything on this list ! △ ▽ • Reply • Share › http://thevirtualinstructor.com/blog/101­sketchbook­ideas 10/11 9/19/2015 △ ▽ 101 Sketchbook Ideas • Reply • Share › Nancy Lynn • a year ago I was just looking for some ideas for sketchbook assignments for my students. It was like you read my mind...and this popped up. Awesome!! I wanted my students to write about their drawings as well...do you have any suggestions? I have all levels from beginners to advanced. I also wanted to know how you would divide your list of assignments according to experience levels. △ ▽ • Reply • Share › Charles Impavido • a year ago Dear Matt, Thank you for the suggestions. I'm sure they will be of use. △ ▽ • Reply • Share › WHAT'S THIS? ALSO ON THEVIRTUALINSTRUCTOR.COM Build an Online Portfolio Website – A Step by Step Guide 3 comments • 10 months ago late. Everything I said was not the same as you described, is NOW exactly the same as … 5 Things I Never Learned in Art School Palatine — This sounds like law school. The only difference is usually what lawyers produce are not things of beauty. d Add Disqus to your site http://thevirtualinstructor.com/blog/101­sketchbook­ideas Abstract art stirs our imagination and perception about reality. Artistic Self Confidence – Why You Need it and Why it’s Important 1 comment • 8 months ago Subscribe 1 comment • 10 months ago Abstractart Lesson — In­depth explanation. Jen — UPDATE: Okay...I think I have been up too ✉ Understanding Abstract Art ὑ 10 comments • 10 months ago Christine Robinson — I too used to draw as a hobby when I was at school and I dabbled again after I got married and it dwindled … Privacy 11/11
