I think it's really fun and creative. I don't see anything wrong with making cool chunky sketchbooks. A sketchbook can be anything you want it to be. If you want to stick crayons and trash and activities then go for it. If you want a sketchbook that's just for practicing and doodles then that's also fine. No need to judge anyone for their sketchbooks no matter what!
I love the feeling of high quality sketchbooks but I feel like I learn more in the crappy ones cause I’m less afraid of “messing up” on cheap paper idk. But I like how you called the pretty sketchbooks, just artbooks. Maybe if artists did that more, we’d make art more accessible to beginners
OMG literally same!! i have two sketchbooks im workin on rn, one with real gud quality paper, and the other is a tiny little notebook i picked up from cvs. ive drawn sooo much more in the shitty little cvs notebook than the actually good quality sketchbook its insane actually
I think they are really quite wonderful, art isn't just drawing and painting. Even if they don't realize it and are referring to it as 'chunky sketchbooks' they are literally turning their sketchbooks into found object sculptures which is cool as hell. Its great to see artists experimenting and having fun like this especially the younger ones they will only benefit from it. If they ever go to art school they will love and have a great time when they get asked to incorporate found objects into their work.
i don't know what half of this means because i'm autistic and don't have tiktok. but everyone should just do what they like to do so that we can all have fun
I love chunky sketchbooks. Except in the case of people making them just to post it on social media or making it chunky just for a trend, I see no problem with making something fun and calling it what you want, especially if it's hard to define bc it mixes different stuff (some call it journal, sketchbook, trash journal, etc). I like to mix drawings, meaningless receipts, notes, etc
I started my first sketchbook last year and I totally felt this pressure but ultimately I found it helped me get out of my comfort zone, prevent art block, and helped me discover my love of mixed media! I made a tour on yt to share because I was proud of myself and called it a “sketchbook” because I didn’t know what else to call it. I hope I’m not perpetuating unrealistic standards myself but I think the important thing is to bring awareness for beginner artists so they don’t feel unnecessary pressure instead of policing what is and isn’t a sketchbook. I bought a sketchbook and I drew in it (at various levels of quality lol) and I expressed myself. I hope every artist can learn to just do whatever they want in their sketchbook with no pressure either way! I loved the video it’s a topic that needs more discussion :)
You're not perpetuating something unrealistic. You made art and explored ideas in a smaller format than if you'd dedicated the hours to a big piece. That's what sketchbooks are for! It sounds like your work wasn't curated to be "as pretty as possible" but it was a place for you to explore your thoughts and practice techniques. Which is perfect.
I do see your points. The trash collection is hit or miss for me because sometimes a wrapper is designed really well and I appreciate it and want to remember it - but other times it's more what the wrapper represented (gum given to me by someone I like, etc.). If people are having fun with making their chunky bois and making art then ultimately I think that's most important. But as for the ones that are basically a curated gallery... super agree that it'd be better to call them artbooks. While a lot of artists are able to whip out AMAZING work in their sketchbooks... it is dishonest for every page to be a "perfect illustration" and say "it's just a sketch." Sketchbooks are supposed to be places for you to try new things, think out ideas, and just draw without the pressure of making finished art pieces. It's okay to have unfinished drawings that you never go back to. It's okay for the art to be UGLY. And it's okay for it to be whatever you need it to be to make it work for your artistic process. But language is so so important with how to describe the finished product and manage expectations.
I understand where you're coming from. I do think that sketchbooks are mostly a tool for trying new things and drawing, but personally, I think that having a chunky sketchbook is part of the fun, experimental enjoyment of art. I don't really see anything wrong with it, even when sketchbooks in media seem more beatified and whatnot. I take those for inspiration to try new things rather than a social sketchbook requirement. plus sketchbooks to me are also like your own little time capsule and can be used as a way to record the events of your life. so adding a few receipts here and there, it can just be a way to say "Look at what I bought" idk, thats just my own opinion. ,')
I think calling them art books makes way more sense and them being called sketchbooks did almost discourage me from creating art in sketchbooks because I felt like it had to be perfect. They're both inspiring and discouraging. But now I'll think of them as art books
I really think that people who want to make these types of "sketchbooks" need to get comfortable with the fact that they are just scrapbooking. I think there's like a weird connotation people have assigned to scrapbooking--that its something maybe only your 40 year old white mom does when she's bored while you practice soccer or whatever. There's obviously some misogny rooted in that idea, its made to seem lesser because its something women are seen enjoying, and because of that I think it's not taken seriously as the completely valid form of art and expression that it is even amongst other creatives. I'm gatekeeping sketchbooks because these are not sketchbooks---they are scrapbooks and words have meaning!!
I sort of think everyone's overthinking it. Unless you have a specific mandate from a school or job, just do what you enjoy. Boom. Besides, in terms of being 'sketchbook tour' worthy, the art is important but also so is the comentary. I've clicked off videos of the coolest, most eclectic chunky sketchbooks because the comentary was so dry and dull, I've been enraptured by sketchbooks of crappy pencil doodles because the artist sounded so passionate. And my two pence on the naming thing is I think trying to enforce categories could get difficult and also just silly quickly, most books are not 'one' or 'another', and besides 'art book' already has a different connotation.
I feel like a lot of these chunky and fancy sketchbooks on social media are made with the idea that someone else will see them. I’ve had this before, where I would subconsciously write things next to sketches, or sketch stuff that would only matter to other people who’d want to look in my sketchbook. While I do still sometimes write ‘ew’ next to a drawing I don’t particularly like, I do it so much less frequently because I’ve realized these books are just for me.
Thank you for saying it! The curated art book tours were SERIOUSLY putting me off using my sketchbooks, and killing my motivation to keep learning watercolor
I really enjoy multi-media so I feel kinda called out by this lol, I really like collage and making weird backgrounds or drawing on things that aren’t paper. To make sure I keep drawing even if I don’t have the energy to do crazy stuff I often doodle in the back and do my finished stuff in the front :)
I used to view my sketchbooks like this. I would get so overwhelmed from spending 30 minutes on one pencil sketch constantly erasing to make it "perfect". I was also so worried about composition, how much color i was using, and that my sketchbook wasn't "pretty enough". After being inspired by some other artists, I realized my sketchbook is meant for practicing, bad drawings, and making mistakes. I started drawing pretty much only with markers, fine liners, and highlighters in an attempt to fight that perfectionism. And holy crap it worked. I started filling pages much faster because I couldn't fix every little mistake and I became less afraid to draw new things because well there were already so many mistakes in there. I'll use sticky notes occasionally (for the drawings I REALLY don't like) and it adds so much character to the pages. If you had told me a year ago that I would love drawing with permanent ink now, I would have called you a liar yet here I am having an absolute blast with cheap pens and highlighters. It's only been a few months of me doing this and I've already noticed huge improvements! I sketched with a pencil for the first time in awhile and I noticed i never even used my eraser and the sketch looked great! My line confidence has gotten so much better and all the playing around with alcohol markers has made me better in that medium too. I'll paste things in there occasionally too, but I don't worry about making it a scrapbook masterpiece. So to any other artists reading this, look at your sketchbook as something you have no obligation to. Make bad art, try new mediums, draw anything and everything, practice and have fun! My mindset on how I view my art and my experience making said art has greatly improved because of this. (Saying this to remind myself as well) Just remember you don't have to show your sketchbook to anyone if you don't want to, but I was so surprised at how many people thought my messy practice art was amazing. You're always way more critical of yourself than anyone else. Your work is awesome and so much better than you might tell yourself. Getting better takes practice and patience. They say we all have 10,000 bad drawings in us so the sooner we get them out the better!
Your take on this is so real and refreshing! I think if people would call it what it is like you said a sketchbook and a hand-illustrated art book are not the same, a junk journal and a chunky sketchbook are also not the same even though people use the terms interchangeably! thanks for keeping it real
I appreciate the short and sweet video and totally agree with you. Just changing the name to “art book” would really adjust the expectations I think. Or even a “gallery book” if they wanna sound fancy lol. Then it’s a collection of your top hits, not just practice and studies.
It's so refreshing to hear others start talking about this angle. It Was only within the last year or so I myself decided I enjoy reckless sketching so much more than I ever thought. I don't have much time nor energy but I do have a 30 minute lunch break that I might be able to make a quick little doodle in and for me that means more than anything because I'm actually doing the art not battling with myself to find the energy to be a professional for no profit
I feel like you lowkey lost the plot when you took a shot at people who "admitted" that they have another sketchbook that isnt as polished. People who say they have a curated sketchbook and a working sketchbook aren't lying, lying would be saying that the curated one is their only sketchbook. "Admitting" that they have another one is exactly what they should do: be upfront and honest about the amount of work it takes to make the curated one so nobody compares their regular sketchbook to it.
Sure, it's not lying, but the fact that they never show those messy sketchbooks is the point. If it's highly curated, it's not a "sketch"book anymore. It's still a very weird phenomenon of only showing the good parts of your art, when we all know art isn't always pretty and perfect.
i think people can present their art online in whichever way they want, but calling a fully rendered illustration "a sketch" is just wrong and can be actually harmful for beginner artists who yet have no idea what purpose a sketchbook should serve, so i fully agree with you on that! still tho I personally also enjoy gluing stickers and some random things in mine just for fun (and to make it "pretty" yes) and it actually helps me not no tear up a whole page when there's the smallest thing i hate and can't stand looking at lol so i just cover it instead and move on to the next page. trying to make it "chunky" on purpose seems kinda unnecessary to me tho.... but yeah I see your point and I think it's valid and reasonable
This is really well said, thank you for making this video! The nuance you approached this with especially by the end of the video is really refreshing to see, instead of this usual "this is WRONG and people who do it are BAD" dramatic stuff I often see it art videos (unfortunately ^^;;). I appreciate that you make it clear that people who are doing this aren't doing anything wrong necessarily, just that it's not really your cup of tea and that you think it should maybe be called something other than "sketchbooks". Super glad it showed up on my recommended :) Also I wanted to say thank you for the proper captions, it's really appreciated!!
I started to feel bad about not being able to make a chunky sketchbook like the ones I saw around, at most they end up bloated because I like to stick stickers, pieces of things like glass, oder drawings i made in diferents papers for tests and etc, but never one of those gigant schetbooks i saw on social midia 😢
i say all the time that i miss when sketchbook tours were tours of sketchbooks and not art books or portfolio books or whatever. i remember a decade+ ago when a sketchbook tour would show thumbnailing and trial and error and doodles etc etc, and now the only time i see that are in "look at my suuuuuper old sketchbooks" or "this is my *ugly* sketchbook" type videos. the "ugly" sketchbook used to be just a sketchbook!! but then social media grew and grew, and it started with artists showing their like... art school application sketchbooks, and then extrapolating off of that into more and more art book styled sketchbooks, and something so beautiful was lost. and i see younger artists aching for it! and they've made up the ugly sketchbook to fill that need, because it really is a *need* imo. and i look to the future and i can see one where the "ugly sketchbook" is just as curated as a "sketchbook" is now, but slightly differently with planned "doodles" and perfectly placed and arranged "practice sketches", and i hope that doesn't happen because it would break my heart a second time.
I follow someone and they basically introduced me to chunky sketchbooks. I fell in love with the concept, a book filled with everything I love? Yes. And I was basically already making full illustrations in my sketchbook anyway. I personally disagree with a lot of the points made but I understand the frustration of calling it a sketchbook when it’s perfectly curated compilation. I just call mine a sketchbook for simplicity but I agree that it’s an inaccurate word when I have my best works in them the way that they are. It’s more like, just an art book? With the garbage point, I’d say that if the item isn’t moldy, unsanitary, etc I’m against it. But cutting out the photo of a granola bar you had because you like the little granola picture? Sure I think that’s fine My brain isn’t working so idk how to end this but I did really like hearing your perspective. This is the first video I’ve seen of yours :3
I like your editing style. It definitely makes for an entertaining video. This trend of chunky sketchbooks has been kinda annoying to me too, but personally it doesn't bother me that much. Like, people should be allowed to create art in any way they want to. If that means adding a calculator to the sketchbook, then go for it. For whatever reason, this kind of sketchbooking is appealing to a lot of people. So who am I to judge? But that's just my two cents.
I started tapeing paper over sketch’s I don’t like looking at. I don’t hate my old art I see them as learning experiences, at one point in my life that was the best I do could and I was happy with that. I like my progress so I add over to my sketches to have new learning experiences.
I really wanted to try this, by the practicality is uhh. I cant bring it to school, I dont get to draw at home often even at the weekends. I just get sleepy once I return from school recently. This feels more like a scrapbook at times. This is cool, but im kinda concerned idk how to explain it. We need to like differ the types of ntobeooks stuff like sketchbook, artbooks, scrapbooks.
i dont even know why they'd call a book full of finished arts "sketchbook" when it's not, it's more like art book. i mean the word sketch in sketchbook means "a rough or unfinished drawing or painting, often made to assist in making a more finished picture." as Google says. also when these art creators says to not be afraid of making bad arts in your sketchbook while they make the masterpiece arts, like how's that gonna help lol.
I don't have that problem but I just throw random stuff on it, from watercolor washes to making a collage. I think it's best to remember at the end the first page won't matter, I don't regularly look at the first page once I finish a sketchbook, I normally look in the middle or end because it has the art I like more because I improved.
my sketchbook is chunky because i take old school printouts that don’t have drawing space and i put them between pencil pages so they dont smudge each other lol
I mostly make my journals chunky. My sketchbook is mostly just sketches lol. I do tend to mod podge pages together if theyre absolutely horrible to look at though lol
the meaning got kind of dilluted. sketchbook as place for doodles, studies, sketches, and an occasional nice piece. sketchbook for nice pieces only. sketchbook as a youtube-tour-worthy masterpiece collection, basically a portfolio. however this is my first time seeing "sketchbook as trash can" :)
As far as the chunky sketchbooks go, I don’t see any issue with them assuming you’re using mostly recycled materials and not just buying stuff to essentially waste it- there actually is another name for this kind of activity though and that’s junk journaling! Kinda wish people would call them junk journals instead of just sketchbooks if they’re doing more “junk” than “sketch” lol but that’s just my personal opinion
In a way I do agree with your sentiment abt choosing the right words to describe an art/craft vessel as it does imply how we tend to view said book of stuff depending on its purpose For example, I’ve heard these also get called “Junk Journals” way back, which honestly I prefer the term more ᕕ( ᐛ )ᕗ Junk journalling is a great way to save scraps of papers, bits of craft supplies, ends of washi tape, torn fabric; generally all things most people would consider “Junk” in their eyes but still “useful” to us, it honors that trash but actually using it and giving it purpose The reason love the term “Junk Journal” over scrapbooking is because scrap books tend to be a little more put together, they tend to be used as memory books often too; I feel the need for a scrap book to be neat, but I don’t need a junk journal to be aesthetic
so obviously this video doesn't 100% apply to me because i'm not doing exactly what you're saying i think that, as far as your point for young artists goes, this video could also seem discouraging in certain ways. As someone who uses my 'sketchbooks' for everything I do I can see how anybody with similar methods to mine could be made to feel insecure about their art. my sketchbooks contain all my sketches, finished pieces, journal entries, lists, notes, mixed media, collages, and all kinds of experiments that could result in something a little chunkier and would probably have people offended by my calling it a sketchbook. anyways thats just my two-cents since this is the internet and thats what a comment section is for
My sketchbook is only filled with finished pieces cus of my autism i can't leave my drawing unfinished or not perfect I'm scared of white on the page 😭
I dunno, I think it's a nuanced topic. I don't think it's anyone's responsibility whether a hypothetical beginner will feel discouraged upon seeing their sketchbook (not saying that that's what you meant ofc). and about whether or not chunky sketchbooks can be considered a sketchbook if there's less drawings... well, if a book has mostly empty pages and only 3 drawings in it, does it stop being a sketchbook? I don't think so. I think people can call it whatever they want 🤷
great video!! i agree with your thoughts... sketchbooks can be for all sorts of things, so the key point is definitely that beginner artists shouldn't get the idea that a sketchbook must look a certain way. having high expectations for a sketchbook is like expecting a musician's practice sessions to be as good as their performances! (´。＿。｀)
YES YES YES YES YES I SO AGREE..... my sketchbook is truly ugly as fuck because all of my worst drawings are in it, but like thats what its FOR. its just another version of the "just a quick sketch!" type posts like you mentioned. i wish people would start calling them art books or scrapbooks. i think theyre cool too but im sooooooo sick of it and i agree that it can make it really difficult for people starting out and not understanding that your sketchbook probably SHOULDNT look very nice. if every page in your sketchbook is a finished piece thats not a fucking sketchbook that is a rendered piece book.
It’s kind of weird to me. How are you supposed to make finished pieces or improve if you never actually sketch? I have a few friends who make sketchbooks like this irl and i just don’t get it 😢
is this not just scrapbooking? whats wrong with calling it scrapbooking?? why did they choose sketchbook as a name when they already have a name (scrapbooks)???
ngl adding random crap into my sketchbook makes me more motivated to use it and is fun for me to look at so idc if other people do the same 🤷♀️
I think that everyone in the world could benefit from worrying about labels less and just enjoying the creation and experience of art !
Fun stuff
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I think it's really fun and creative. I don't see anything wrong with making cool chunky sketchbooks. A sketchbook can be anything you want it to be. If you want to stick crayons and trash and activities then go for it. If you want a sketchbook that's just for practicing and doodles then that's also fine. No need to judge anyone for their sketchbooks no matter what!
Didn’t see any judging here. Clarification is not judging.
I love the feeling of high quality sketchbooks but I feel like I learn more in the crappy ones cause I’m less afraid of “messing up” on cheap paper idk. But I like how you called the pretty sketchbooks, just artbooks. Maybe if artists did that more, we’d make art more accessible to beginners
OMG literally same!! i have two sketchbooks im workin on rn, one with real gud quality paper, and the other is a tiny little notebook i picked up from cvs. ive drawn sooo much more in the shitty little cvs notebook than the actually good quality sketchbook its insane actually
I think they are really quite wonderful, art isn't just drawing and painting. Even if they don't realize it and are referring to it as 'chunky sketchbooks' they are literally turning their sketchbooks into found object sculptures which is cool as hell. Its great to see artists experimenting and having fun like this especially the younger ones they will only benefit from it. If they ever go to art school they will love and have a great time when they get asked to incorporate found objects into their work.
i don't know what half of this means because i'm autistic and don't have tiktok. but everyone should just do what they like to do so that we can all have fun
real
I love chunky sketchbooks. Except in the case of people making them just to post it on social media or making it chunky just for a trend, I see no problem with making something fun and calling it what you want, especially if it's hard to define bc it mixes different stuff (some call it journal, sketchbook, trash journal, etc). I like to mix drawings, meaningless receipts, notes, etc
I started my first sketchbook last year and I totally felt this pressure but ultimately I found it helped me get out of my comfort zone, prevent art block, and helped me discover my love of mixed media! I made a tour on yt to share because I was proud of myself and called it a “sketchbook” because I didn’t know what else to call it. I hope I’m not perpetuating unrealistic standards myself but I think the important thing is to bring awareness for beginner artists so they don’t feel unnecessary pressure instead of policing what is and isn’t a sketchbook. I bought a sketchbook and I drew in it (at various levels of quality lol) and I expressed myself. I hope every artist can learn to just do whatever they want in their sketchbook with no pressure either way! I loved the video it’s a topic that needs more discussion :)
You're not perpetuating something unrealistic. You made art and explored ideas in a smaller format than if you'd dedicated the hours to a big piece. That's what sketchbooks are for! It sounds like your work wasn't curated to be "as pretty as possible" but it was a place for you to explore your thoughts and practice techniques. Which is perfect.
I do see your points. The trash collection is hit or miss for me because sometimes a wrapper is designed really well and I appreciate it and want to remember it - but other times it's more what the wrapper represented (gum given to me by someone I like, etc.). If people are having fun with making their chunky bois and making art then ultimately I think that's most important.
But as for the ones that are basically a curated gallery... super agree that it'd be better to call them artbooks. While a lot of artists are able to whip out AMAZING work in their sketchbooks... it is dishonest for every page to be a "perfect illustration" and say "it's just a sketch." Sketchbooks are supposed to be places for you to try new things, think out ideas, and just draw without the pressure of making finished art pieces. It's okay to have unfinished drawings that you never go back to. It's okay for the art to be UGLY. And it's okay for it to be whatever you need it to be to make it work for your artistic process. But language is so so important with how to describe the finished product and manage expectations.
I understand where you're coming from. I do think that sketchbooks are mostly a tool for trying new things and drawing, but personally, I think that having a chunky sketchbook is part of the fun, experimental enjoyment of art. I don't really see anything wrong with it, even when sketchbooks in media seem more beatified and whatnot. I take those for inspiration to try new things rather than a social sketchbook requirement. plus sketchbooks to me are also like your own little time capsule and can be used as a way to record the events of your life. so adding a few receipts here and there, it can just be a way to say "Look at what I bought" idk, thats just my own opinion. ,')
I think calling them art books makes way more sense and them being called sketchbooks did almost discourage me from creating art in sketchbooks because I felt like it had to be perfect. They're both inspiring and discouraging. But now I'll think of them as art books
I really think that people who want to make these types of "sketchbooks" need to get comfortable with the fact that they are just scrapbooking. I think there's like a weird connotation people have assigned to scrapbooking--that its something maybe only your 40 year old white mom does when she's bored while you practice soccer or whatever. There's obviously some misogny rooted in that idea, its made to seem lesser because its something women are seen enjoying, and because of that I think it's not taken seriously as the completely valid form of art and expression that it is even amongst other creatives. I'm gatekeeping sketchbooks because these are not sketchbooks---they are scrapbooks and words have meaning!!
It is really stupid because scrapbooking is a super valid form of mixed media! You hit the nail on the head.
I sort of think everyone's overthinking it. Unless you have a specific mandate from a school or job, just do what you enjoy. Boom. Besides, in terms of being 'sketchbook tour' worthy, the art is important but also so is the comentary. I've clicked off videos of the coolest, most eclectic chunky sketchbooks because the comentary was so dry and dull, I've been enraptured by sketchbooks of crappy pencil doodles because the artist sounded so passionate. And my two pence on the naming thing is I think trying to enforce categories could get difficult and also just silly quickly, most books are not 'one' or 'another', and besides 'art book' already has a different connotation.
I feel like a lot of these chunky and fancy sketchbooks on social media are made with the idea that someone else will see them. I’ve had this before, where I would subconsciously write things next to sketches, or sketch stuff that would only matter to other people who’d want to look in my sketchbook. While I do still sometimes write ‘ew’ next to a drawing I don’t particularly like, I do it so much less frequently because I’ve realized these books are just for me.
i think 'scrapbook' is a better term. i mean, it's called SKETCHbook for a reason, but it's up to the owner of the book
Thank you for saying it! The curated art book tours were SERIOUSLY putting me off using my sketchbooks, and killing my motivation to keep learning watercolor
I really enjoy multi-media so I feel kinda called out by this lol, I really like collage and making weird backgrounds or drawing on things that aren’t paper. To make sure I keep drawing even if I don’t have the energy to do crazy stuff I often doodle in the back and do my finished stuff in the front :)
I used to view my sketchbooks like this. I would get so overwhelmed from spending 30 minutes on one pencil sketch constantly erasing to make it "perfect". I was also so worried about composition, how much color i was using, and that my sketchbook wasn't "pretty enough".
After being inspired by some other artists, I realized my sketchbook is meant for practicing, bad drawings, and making mistakes. I started drawing pretty much only with markers, fine liners, and highlighters in an attempt to fight that perfectionism.
And holy crap it worked. I started filling pages much faster because I couldn't fix every little mistake and I became less afraid to draw new things because well there were already so many mistakes in there. I'll use sticky notes occasionally (for the drawings I REALLY don't like) and it adds so much character to the pages. If you had told me a year ago that I would love drawing with permanent ink now, I would have called you a liar yet here I am having an absolute blast with cheap pens and highlighters.
It's only been a few months of me doing this and I've already noticed huge improvements! I sketched with a pencil for the first time in awhile and I noticed i never even used my eraser and the sketch looked great! My line confidence has gotten so much better and all the playing around with alcohol markers has made me better in that medium too. I'll paste things in there occasionally too, but I don't worry about making it a scrapbook masterpiece.
So to any other artists reading this, look at your sketchbook as something you have no obligation to. Make bad art, try new mediums, draw anything and everything, practice and have fun! My mindset on how I view my art and my experience making said art has greatly improved because of this.
(Saying this to remind myself as well) Just remember you don't have to show your sketchbook to anyone if you don't want to, but I was so surprised at how many people thought my messy practice art was amazing. You're always way more critical of yourself than anyone else. Your work is awesome and so much better than you might tell yourself. Getting better takes practice and patience. They say we all have 10,000 bad drawings in us so the sooner we get them out the better!
Your take on this is so real and refreshing! I think if people would call it what it is like you said a sketchbook and a hand-illustrated art book are not the same, a junk journal and a chunky sketchbook are also not the same even though people use the terms interchangeably! thanks for keeping it real
love the video, like the nuance with which you approach the topic and leave it open-ended instead of forcing a dramatic conclusion!
I appreciate the short and sweet video and totally agree with you. Just changing the name to “art book” would really adjust the expectations I think. Or even a “gallery book” if they wanna sound fancy lol. Then it’s a collection of your top hits, not just practice and studies.
It's so refreshing to hear others start talking about this angle. It Was only within the last year or so I myself decided I enjoy reckless sketching so much more than I ever thought. I don't have much time nor energy but I do have a 30 minute lunch break that I might be able to make a quick little doodle in and for me that means more than anything because I'm actually doing the art not battling with myself to find the energy to be a professional for no profit
I don't go here but you're so correct and you should say it. The over-the-top chunky artbook covers are honestly giving engagement bait
I feel like you lowkey lost the plot when you took a shot at people who "admitted" that they have another sketchbook that isnt as polished. People who say they have a curated sketchbook and a working sketchbook aren't lying, lying would be saying that the curated one is their only sketchbook. "Admitting" that they have another one is exactly what they should do: be upfront and honest about the amount of work it takes to make the curated one so nobody compares their regular sketchbook to it.
Sure, it's not lying, but the fact that they never show those messy sketchbooks is the point.
If it's highly curated, it's not a "sketch"book anymore. It's still a very weird phenomenon of only showing the good parts of your art, when we all know art isn't always pretty and perfect.
i think people can present their art online in whichever way they want, but calling a fully rendered illustration "a sketch" is just wrong and can be actually harmful for beginner artists who yet have no idea what purpose a sketchbook should serve, so i fully agree with you on that! still tho I personally also enjoy gluing stickers and some random things in mine just for fun (and to make it "pretty" yes) and it actually helps me not no tear up a whole page when there's the smallest thing i hate and can't stand looking at lol so i just cover it instead and move on to the next page. trying to make it "chunky" on purpose seems kinda unnecessary to me tho.... but yeah I see your point and I think it's valid and reasonable
This is really well said, thank you for making this video! The nuance you approached this with especially by the end of the video is really refreshing to see, instead of this usual "this is WRONG and people who do it are BAD" dramatic stuff I often see it art videos (unfortunately ^^;;). I appreciate that you make it clear that people who are doing this aren't doing anything wrong necessarily, just that it's not really your cup of tea and that you think it should maybe be called something other than "sketchbooks". Super glad it showed up on my recommended :) Also I wanted to say thank you for the proper captions, it's really appreciated!!
i agree its not a sketchbook but. yk why not have fun w the *chounky* book
I started to feel bad about not being able to make a chunky sketchbook like the ones I saw around, at most they end up bloated because I like to stick stickers, pieces of things like glass, oder drawings i made in diferents papers for tests and etc, but never one of those gigant schetbooks i saw on social midia 😢
i say all the time that i miss when sketchbook tours were tours of sketchbooks and not art books or portfolio books or whatever. i remember a decade+ ago when a sketchbook tour would show thumbnailing and trial and error and doodles etc etc, and now the only time i see that are in "look at my suuuuuper old sketchbooks" or "this is my *ugly* sketchbook" type videos. the "ugly" sketchbook used to be just a sketchbook!! but then social media grew and grew, and it started with artists showing their like... art school application sketchbooks, and then extrapolating off of that into more and more art book styled sketchbooks, and something so beautiful was lost. and i see younger artists aching for it! and they've made up the ugly sketchbook to fill that need, because it really is a *need* imo. and i look to the future and i can see one where the "ugly sketchbook" is just as curated as a "sketchbook" is now, but slightly differently with planned "doodles" and perfectly placed and arranged "practice sketches", and i hope that doesn't happen because it would break my heart a second time.
It feels like a combo of an art journal and a sketchbook. I like the concept but yeah I probably wouldn’t call that a sketchbook 😂
I follow someone and they basically introduced me to chunky sketchbooks. I fell in love with the concept, a book filled with everything I love? Yes. And I was basically already making full illustrations in my sketchbook anyway. I personally disagree with a lot of the points made but I understand the frustration of calling it a sketchbook when it’s perfectly curated compilation. I just call mine a sketchbook for simplicity but I agree that it’s an inaccurate word when I have my best works in them the way that they are. It’s more like, just an art book?
With the garbage point, I’d say that if the item isn’t moldy, unsanitary, etc I’m against it. But cutting out the photo of a granola bar you had because you like the little granola picture? Sure I think that’s fine
My brain isn’t working so idk how to end this but I did really like hearing your perspective. This is the first video I’ve seen of yours :3
personally i keep a semi chunky sketchbook but thats because i paste paper over sketches i dont like so i dont waste the page
I like your editing style. It definitely makes for an entertaining video. This trend of chunky sketchbooks has been kinda annoying to me too, but personally it doesn't bother me that much. Like, people should be allowed to create art in any way they want to. If that means adding a calculator to the sketchbook, then go for it. For whatever reason, this kind of sketchbooking is appealing to a lot of people. So who am I to judge? But that's just my two cents.
I started tapeing paper over sketch’s I don’t like looking at. I don’t hate my old art I see them as learning experiences, at one point in my life that was the best I do could and I was happy with that. I like my progress so I add over to my sketches to have new learning experiences.
Also I’m a silly person and like random things so I will be tapeing them into my note book because I’m crazy. Like candy wrappers for the fun of it.
I really wanted to try this, by the practicality is uhh. I cant bring it to school, I dont get to draw at home often even at the weekends. I just get sleepy once I return from school recently. This feels more like a scrapbook at times. This is cool, but im kinda concerned idk how to explain it.
We need to like differ the types of ntobeooks stuff like sketchbook, artbooks, scrapbooks.
i dont even know why they'd call a book full of finished arts "sketchbook" when it's not, it's more like art book. i mean the word sketch in sketchbook means "a rough or unfinished drawing or painting, often made to assist in making a more finished picture." as Google says.
also when these art creators says to not be afraid of making bad arts in your sketchbook while they make the masterpiece arts, like how's that gonna help lol.
I always get so stressed when i get a new fancy sketchbook. What do people even do on the first page
I skip it and instead decorate the cover either by painting it or sticker bombing the front/back.
It breaks in the sketchbook for me
I don't have that problem but I just throw random stuff on it, from watercolor washes to making a collage. I think it's best to remember at the end the first page won't matter, I don't regularly look at the first page once I finish a sketchbook, I normally look in the middle or end because it has the art I like more because I improved.
my sketchbook is chunky because i take old school printouts that don’t have drawing space and i put them between pencil pages so they dont smudge each other lol
i got all my art info from the internet, so until now i thought a sketchbook was another way to say personal artbook or just art book
Been doing these years before it was popular
I mostly make my journals chunky. My sketchbook is mostly just sketches lol. I do tend to mod podge pages together if theyre absolutely horrible to look at though lol
the meaning got kind of dilluted. sketchbook as place for doodles, studies, sketches, and an occasional nice piece. sketchbook for nice pieces only. sketchbook as a youtube-tour-worthy masterpiece collection, basically a portfolio.
however this is my first time seeing "sketchbook as trash can" :)
As far as the chunky sketchbooks go, I don’t see any issue with them assuming you’re using mostly recycled materials and not just buying stuff to essentially waste it- there actually is another name for this kind of activity though and that’s junk journaling! Kinda wish people would call them junk journals instead of just sketchbooks if they’re doing more “junk” than “sketch” lol but that’s just my personal opinion
In a way I do agree with your sentiment abt choosing the right words to describe an art/craft vessel as it does imply how we tend to view said book of stuff depending on its purpose
For example, I’ve heard these also get called “Junk Journals” way back, which honestly I prefer the term more ᕕ( ᐛ )ᕗ
Junk journalling is a great way to save scraps of papers, bits of craft supplies, ends of washi tape, torn fabric; generally all things most people would consider “Junk” in their eyes but still “useful” to us, it honors that trash but actually using it and giving it purpose
The reason love the term “Junk Journal” over scrapbooking is because scrap books tend to be a little more put together, they tend to be used as memory books often too; I feel the need for a scrap book to be neat, but I don’t need a junk journal to be aesthetic
so obviously this video doesn't 100% apply to me because i'm not doing exactly what you're saying i think that, as far as your point for young artists goes, this video could also seem discouraging in certain ways. As someone who uses my 'sketchbooks' for everything I do I can see how anybody with similar methods to mine could be made to feel insecure about their art. my sketchbooks contain all my sketches, finished pieces, journal entries, lists, notes, mixed media, collages, and all kinds of experiments that could result in something a little chunkier and would probably have people offended by my calling it a sketchbook. anyways thats just my two-cents since this is the internet and thats what a comment section is for
My sketchbook is only filled with finished pieces cus of my autism i can't leave my drawing unfinished or not perfect I'm scared of white on the page 😭
I dunno, I think it's a nuanced topic. I don't think it's anyone's responsibility whether a hypothetical beginner will feel discouraged upon seeing their sketchbook (not saying that that's what you meant ofc). and about whether or not chunky sketchbooks can be considered a sketchbook if there's less drawings... well, if a book has mostly empty pages and only 3 drawings in it, does it stop being a sketchbook? I don't think so. I think people can call it whatever they want 🤷
great video!! i agree with your thoughts... sketchbooks can be for all sorts of things, so the key point is definitely that beginner artists shouldn't get the idea that a sketchbook must look a certain way. having high expectations for a sketchbook is like expecting a musician's practice sessions to be as good as their performances! (´。＿。｀)
YES YES YES YES YES I SO AGREE..... my sketchbook is truly ugly as fuck because all of my worst drawings are in it, but like thats what its FOR. its just another version of the "just a quick sketch!" type posts like you mentioned. i wish people would start calling them art books or scrapbooks. i think theyre cool too but im sooooooo sick of it and i agree that it can make it really difficult for people starting out and not understanding that your sketchbook probably SHOULDNT look very nice. if every page in your sketchbook is a finished piece thats not a fucking sketchbook that is a rendered piece book.
i relate so much
i love chunky sketchbooks.
It’s kind of weird to me. How are you supposed to make finished pieces or improve if you never actually sketch? I have a few friends who make sketchbooks like this irl and i just don’t get it 😢
is this not just scrapbooking? whats wrong with calling it scrapbooking?? why did they choose sketchbook as a name when they already have a name (scrapbooks)???