I find it so hard to find any information on people talking about Swatch books. when I find them so helpful. I have a problem with getting mine organized . So thank you for sharing yours
This is a great system!! You've given me all kinds of ideas. Also, thank you so much for breaking down not just how you put it together but WHY. I myself tend use mixed media, which means that I have all kinds of different papers and products getting swatched. So what I've done is put it all into a three ring binder using clear plastic sheet protectors. I can just slide any size of piece of paper up to 8 1/2" by 11" into these protectors, and they're nice and roomy, so I can put two pieces of paper back to back in one sheet protector. But I suspect this is likely not the ideal thing for the long run, as I have no idea what the plastic material will do my papers and inks/paints in the long run - however, I hadn't come across another way to do it that didn't involve reswatching everything.😵💫 But your system takes care of that, because I can just hole punch what I already have! Thank you so much!! (I do still highly recommend the binder + sheet protector method as a good cheap option if you're not worried about things like acid-free paper, or the supplies you work with are cheaper supplies. It works great!)
Just started my own water color journey last week, like literally bought water colors and everyrhing last week for my birthday. So I'm in the process of learning everything and planning on doing an interactive notebook/bullet journal sorta thing so I can document my entire journey of learning how to paint with water colors :)
I have a traveler's notebook watercolour insert that I use as a swatchbook. To at least have all my watercolours together. For other mediums I use the sketchbook I use for that medium. I also swatch alot just to have something colourful to do. Recently I swatched on watercolour a paper and used those as birthday cards because the came out really fun. 😄 I love your repurlosed moleskine. It seems handy. I'm starting to catch up on your videos after summer camping holidays and busy first weeks of school for the kids. 🥰
I used to use cards for each paint and put them in a binder with clear pockets for collector cards like pokemon cards, magic the gathering, etc and I got lazy and abandoned that system and now, I mostly use my sketchbook to swatch now. I want a more organized system, though, and will probably eventually create a designated book or folder for my swatches in the future to have all in one place.
Thank you for the tutorial on swatching. ❤ This is the video I was literally looking for this summer. I thought there was a right and wrong way to do it. 😂 I’m not sure I why this didn’t come up in my search. However I’m glad I found it now. It’s inspired me to start my own swatch book right away. At 4am 😂. I’m going to use my 10 cent creatology watercolor paper, loose leaf binder, and hole puncher. It’s funny seeing you format your swatch book the same way I do my DIY organizer and writing book. Loose leaf binders, graph paper and a hole puncher helps me get around over thinking my system. Your videos are really inspiring. Thanks again. ❤
Thanks so much for sharing this. I've been watching a lot of videos lately on how to do this. I love coloring books and also have alot of pens. So need a way to gather all the info. You video is so inspiring. Love the discbound system. Use it a lot. Its so versatile. 💙💜🥰😍💕💜💙
I found a small A6 size file and replaced the paper with watercolour postcards. I searched each set of paints, and then swatched individual paints within their brand in a kind of rainbow colour order.
I just swatch in sketchbooks, trying to write on the front covers what's in each one. This isn't really a system, and can make it hard to find things, but it's worked well with oil pastels, acrylic markers, and colored pencils (I consult the relevant swatch page while I'm working, comparing the colors to my subject).
I think swatch books are such a personal thing. It took me months to really figure out what worked for me but now I absolutely love my system. All my supplies are swatched onto individual 1.5 inch square cards that I create using a paper punch, the cards then slide into binder coin sleeves. I organize by colour family rather then brand in my book so that when I’m looking to add a new paint I can see if I already have something similar.
I’d started a swatch book but I don’t like the quality of the paper in the sketchbook I’m using. I have that same Moleskin so I decided to use that one I stead and the swatches are so much better, so thank you
Few months ago I prepared swatch cards for all my pigments, even labeled them. Have it all, folder, trading card pockets, labeled cards, just need to swatch.
@@SketchesnScrubs yes, but I can't make myself do it. Now that rain has finnaly started, maybe tomorrow I'll do it 😀 there are more than hundred paints to swatch 😀
i love the floral swatches! so pretty to look at :) i don't have a proper swatchbook... just a bunch of swatch cards that i hole punched and a ring i stole off my cue cards to keep it together 😂 so it's not as organised as yours but it does the job!
I’m doing diffent swatchbooks for watercolors, one just for the labels, one for the typical squares, and one loose / playful. I think they help me practice a lot my technique. I learned and improved a lot when I did my pencil swatches, so I really embraced the habit for watercolors. That said, the most difficult part for me was to get the right gradation, from masse tone to light, and trying to avoid lines.
I just got a qroquis moleskine sketchbook and a watercolor one. I'm using the qroquis one regularly for colored pencils and other dry media. Watercolor one I'm a bit intimidated with the size, although both are A4, the watercolor one intimidates me.
OMG 😱 Gurl this is by far the BEST EVER SWATCHBOOK EVERRR. Thank You so very very much for sharing your tips and techniques. I Love Love Love your Processes behind experimenting with the Paints. You Rock. I can't wait to watch all your videos and look forward to future videos. Your the Best. 🌈📚🎨 Keep on sharing and inspiring us 😍
@@SketchesnScrubs it's by a brand called Dyvicl. It's a travel set that has color pans in stacked sections that fan out for use. I bought it because Super Rae Dizzle tried it on her channel and gave it such a great review (it's not expensive -- less than $20). You might like it, since you do a lot of plein-air work! PS - sorry, I just realized I've been leaving comments from my two different sign-ons. It's still me :)
You know my swatch book very well! Arteza watercolor sketchbook, and it doesn’t have nearly the organization you’ve achieved here! The ring bound was a stoke of genius 👍❤️🤗😎
Great video. like you, I have changed my methods a few times. I thought of doing one like yours but got lazy. The thought of punching all those holes overwhelmed me. I love all your videos, they are informative and entertaining. And you are a beautiful person!
Ooh I like your swatchbook.i love the fact you can remove pages and compare them then side by side with other swatches. I started my first swatchbook a couple of months ago. Mine is A6 , a hahnemuhle watercolour sketchbook that I wanted to be able to carry with me when shopping for art materials. I have a tendency to go "oh I love that colour!" Buy it, and then discover I have it. Argh! I'm trying to use it for all mediums, watercolour, ecoline pens, coloured pencils, etc.
This is brilliant! I was almost on the way to settling on a way to swatch (and not just watercolours, pencils as well!), but one can easily overthink it. Thank you for sharing how you do it, it has given me more ideas ❤️
Hello! Thank you for sharing your creative knowledge. I found and subscribed to your Channel today through Aussie Crafter. Looking forward to learning more from you. Blessings. P. S. Presently my swatches are completely unorganized and I think that some have been losted, but since I don't really know what I'm doing at this point in regards to painting each time I paint is kind of some form of swatching.😂
After this I WILL have one! I love the Levenger system and use it for other things but had never considered how well it would work with watercolor weight paper. Thank you for all the info and inspiration!
Another great and informative video, I swatch all my supplies in a big file and I keep the labels, but nothing like this🙃 this has inspired me to use my stamps to swatch my watercolours with permanent ink to avoid bleeding but what fun if you don't know what to paint. Don't know how I missed your live 😭😭😭🙂❤
Loved seeing how you swatch. I don’t have many paints so am using an A 5 moleskin water colour sketch book as my swatch book. I may start and write pgiment info too seeing as I don’t have many paints and start as I mean to go on 🤞.. I got swatch stamps from a UK stamp shop called “mama makes” so that my swatches are within either stamped squares or mini colour wheels . Now I need to get better at colour mixing lol xx
You make me want to do a swatch ring bound book also. I can just imagine how nice it must work. I swatch in a a5 sketchbook and also keep the labels. I also swatch on a piece of watercolor paper for my palettes so I always have in handy.
❤️ swatching! Great video to watch after work today! I use a B5 size Fabriano watercolour book (with rings) for swatching. I wish I could re-order the pages, but I don’t see myself going to that level of effort. Wow. You really put effort into your book! I like my swatches to be large enough to see the granulation and the changes in colour intensity, I also do the black line thing so I can tell how opaque it is. However, I really like your extra step to see how the colour lifts! I need to do that going forward. I do swatches of my colours on their own, but I also tend to swatch a few mixes of primary colours as well, to see what the secondary colours will look like. I do think my swatch book would be better with 100% cotton paper since I always paint on 100% cotton and then I’d see the colours more accurately, however, the main reason for choosing the book that I’m currently using is that I decided I don’t like the paper anymore and I didn’t want to waste it. So, I thought it would make an “okay-ish” swatch book ☺️.
Also… I have two types of pages. One type is where I’ll do all of my paints by a specific brand together. If I bought a specific palette, like a Daniel Smith 24-pan set or something, I’d do a page of swatches for that palette. Or, I’d keep swatches of my tubes for a specific brand together. Then, the other type of swatch pages are dedicated to my custom palettes that I make up myself with mixed brands, so that I can see if the 12-15 colours I’ve chosen for a palette has everything I need (and if the paints are single pigment and mix well together and if they don’t, do I have the convenience mix I need).
I LOVE the idea of being able to switch out or remove pages, but a discbound punch and discs aren't really in the budget. Here's my plan: Stillman & Birn make their Beta Series in a spiral bound hardcover. This is the only paper I use anyway, so swatching on the same just makes sense. I'm going to snip the paper inside the coils so that I can gently take them out. It's not as professional-looking as yours, but im going to give it a shot. Thanks for the idea!
@@SketchesnScrubs I didn’t write that well lol sorry! (When I’m at work…) I meant to type I’m very random at swatching. I do them all over my journals when ever I get something new
I use an A4 etcher for the paint swatches which has color name and brand, and then I have an excel spreadsheet with the pigment and sundry info, because my handwriting is a basically unreadable.
I find it so hard to find any information on people talking about Swatch books. when I find them so helpful. I have a problem with getting mine organized . So thank you for sharing yours
You are more than welcome! I’m so glad you found it helpful 💛 happy swatching xx
Love you swatches using flowers. Flowers laugh in color😊
This is a great system!! You've given me all kinds of ideas. Also, thank you so much for breaking down not just how you put it together but WHY. I myself tend use mixed media, which means that I have all kinds of different papers and products getting swatched. So what I've done is put it all into a three ring binder using clear plastic sheet protectors. I can just slide any size of piece of paper up to 8 1/2" by 11" into these protectors, and they're nice and roomy, so I can put two pieces of paper back to back in one sheet protector. But I suspect this is likely not the ideal thing for the long run, as I have no idea what the plastic material will do my papers and inks/paints in the long run - however, I hadn't come across another way to do it that didn't involve reswatching everything.😵💫 But your system takes care of that, because I can just hole punch what I already have! Thank you so much!! (I do still highly recommend the binder + sheet protector method as a good cheap option if you're not worried about things like acid-free paper, or the supplies you work with are cheaper supplies. It works great!)
I have a big one. I use baseball card fillers! 9 cards per page.
Just started my own water color journey last week, like literally bought water colors and everyrhing last week for my birthday. So I'm in the process of learning everything and planning on doing an interactive notebook/bullet journal sorta thing so I can document my entire journey of learning how to paint with water colors :)
I have a traveler's notebook watercolour insert that I use as a swatchbook. To at least have all my watercolours together. For other mediums I use the sketchbook I use for that medium. I also swatch alot just to have something colourful to do. Recently I swatched on watercolour a paper and used those as birthday cards because the came out really fun. 😄 I love your repurlosed moleskine. It seems handy. I'm starting to catch up on your videos after summer camping holidays and busy first weeks of school for the kids. 🥰
Came here from the Aussie Crafter channel. This is such a nice idea for swatching!
Super thanks for this video. I really need to see how people organize their swatches because I have barely been managing to make my own system work
This is brilliant! What a great way to organise swatching 👌
I used to use cards for each paint and put them in a binder with clear pockets for collector cards like pokemon cards, magic the gathering, etc and I got lazy and abandoned that system and now, I mostly use my sketchbook to swatch now. I want a more organized system, though, and will probably eventually create a designated book or folder for my swatches in the future to have all in one place.
Thank you for the tutorial on swatching. ❤
This is the video I was literally looking for this summer. I thought there was a right and wrong way to do it. 😂
I’m not sure I why this didn’t come up in my search. However I’m glad I found it now.
It’s inspired me to start my own swatch book right away. At 4am 😂.
I’m going to use my 10 cent creatology watercolor paper, loose leaf binder, and hole puncher. It’s funny seeing you format your swatch book the same way I do my DIY organizer and writing book. Loose leaf binders, graph paper and a hole puncher helps me get around over thinking my system.
Your videos are really inspiring. Thanks again. ❤
Thanks so much for sharing this. I've been watching a lot of videos lately on how to do this. I love coloring books and also have alot of pens. So need a way to gather all the info. You video is so inspiring. Love the discbound system. Use it a lot. Its so versatile. 💙💜🥰😍💕💜💙
You are so welcome! Thank you so much for watching and your kind words! Happy swatching x
I found a small A6 size file and replaced the paper with watercolour postcards. I searched each set of paints, and then swatched individual paints within their brand in a kind of rainbow colour order.
I just swatch in sketchbooks, trying to write on the front covers what's in each one. This isn't really a system, and can make it hard to find things, but it's worked well with oil pastels, acrylic markers, and colored pencils (I consult the relevant swatch page while I'm working, comparing the colors to my subject).
I think swatch books are such a personal thing. It took me months to really figure out what worked for me but now I absolutely love my system. All my supplies are swatched onto individual 1.5 inch square cards that I create using a paper punch, the cards then slide into binder coin sleeves. I organize by colour family rather then brand in my book so that when I’m looking to add a new paint I can see if I already have something similar.
Great video! I have a watercolour A4 sketchbook as my swatch journal
Hello Im just starting one. Fabulous video thank you.
I’d started a swatch book but I don’t like the quality of the paper in the sketchbook I’m using. I have that same Moleskin so I decided to use that one I stead and the swatches are so much better, so thank you
Few months ago I prepared swatch cards for all my pigments, even labeled them. Have it all, folder, trading card pockets, labeled cards, just need to swatch.
@@SketchesnScrubs yes, but I can't make myself do it. Now that rain has finnaly started, maybe tomorrow I'll do it 😀 there are more than hundred paints to swatch 😀
i love the floral swatches! so pretty to look at :) i don't have a proper swatchbook... just a bunch of swatch cards that i hole punched and a ring i stole off my cue cards to keep it together 😂 so it's not as organised as yours but it does the job!
I’m doing diffent swatchbooks for watercolors, one just for the labels, one for the typical squares, and one loose / playful. I think they help me practice a lot my technique. I learned and improved a lot when I did my pencil swatches, so I really embraced the habit for watercolors.
That said, the most difficult part for me was to get the right gradation, from masse tone to light, and trying to avoid lines.
I just got a qroquis moleskine sketchbook and a watercolor one. I'm using the qroquis one regularly for colored pencils and other dry media. Watercolor one I'm a bit intimidated with the size, although both are A4, the watercolor one intimidates me.
OMG 😱 Gurl this is by far the BEST EVER SWATCHBOOK EVERRR. Thank You so very very much for sharing your tips and techniques. I Love Love Love your Processes behind experimenting with the Paints. You Rock. I can't wait to watch all your videos and look forward to future videos. Your the Best. 🌈📚🎨 Keep on sharing and inspiring us 😍
You are so welcome! Thank u so much for your kind words and encouragement! ❤️❤️❤️ so glad you enjoyed it xx
I love all these different ideas! I just got a new watercolor set, and I am looking forward to trying out some of these techniques.
@@SketchesnScrubs it's by a brand called Dyvicl. It's a travel set that has color pans in stacked sections that fan out for use. I bought it because Super Rae Dizzle tried it on her channel and gave it such a great review (it's not expensive -- less than $20). You might like it, since you do a lot of plein-air work!
PS - sorry, I just realized I've been leaving comments from my two different sign-ons. It's still me :)
Just getting started over 30 yrs leave. Now getting back into the game! Oh my how things have changed over the years1
Swatch books are life!! I love your swatching, so relaxing, so pretty, so organized!!❤️❤️❤️🤗🤗🤗
You know my swatch book very well! Arteza watercolor sketchbook, and it doesn’t have nearly the organization you’ve achieved here! The ring bound was a stoke of genius 👍❤️🤗😎
your swatches are so creative, love it!
Great video. like you, I have changed my methods a few times. I thought of doing one like yours but got lazy. The thought of punching all those holes overwhelmed me. I love all your videos, they are informative and entertaining. And you are a beautiful person!
Ooh I like your swatchbook.i love the fact you can remove pages and compare them then side by side with other swatches. I started my first swatchbook a couple of months ago. Mine is A6 , a hahnemuhle watercolour sketchbook that I wanted to be able to carry with me when shopping for art materials. I have a tendency to go "oh I love that colour!" Buy it, and then discover I have it. Argh! I'm trying to use it for all mediums, watercolour, ecoline pens, coloured pencils, etc.
I just ordered some new sketch books and can't wait to swatch all my colors while listening to you!
This is brilliant! I was almost on the way to settling on a way to swatch (and not just watercolours, pencils as well!), but one can easily overthink it. Thank you for sharing how you do it, it has given me more ideas ❤️
Hello! Thank you for sharing your creative knowledge. I found and subscribed to your Channel today through Aussie Crafter. Looking forward to learning more from you. Blessings.
P. S. Presently my swatches are completely unorganized and I think that some have been losted, but since I don't really know what I'm doing at this point in regards to painting each time I paint is kind of some form of swatching.😂
I think this is a brilliant idea- and one I will likely lean on moving forward!!
Love your system 😍 I especially love swatching because it encourage me to use the art supply because I used it and got a taste for it
After this I WILL have one! I love the Levenger system and use it for other things but had never considered how well it would work with watercolor weight paper. Thank you for all the info and inspiration!
Very fun to see your methods! I have most of my swatches in my A4 Etchr sketchbook.
Lovely swatching!
Great video! tysm!
Another great and informative video, I swatch all my supplies in a big file and I keep the labels, but nothing like this🙃 this has inspired me to use my stamps to swatch my watercolours with permanent ink to avoid bleeding but what fun if you don't know what to paint. Don't know how I missed your live 😭😭😭🙂❤
Loved seeing how you swatch. I don’t have many paints so am using an A 5 moleskin water colour sketch book as my swatch book. I may start and write pgiment info too seeing as I don’t have many paints and start as I mean to go on 🤞.. I got swatch stamps from a UK stamp shop called “mama makes” so that my swatches are within either stamped squares or mini colour wheels . Now I need to get better at colour mixing lol xx
You make me want to do a swatch ring bound book also. I can just imagine how nice it must work. I swatch in a a5 sketchbook and also keep the labels. I also swatch on a piece of watercolor paper for my palettes so I always have in handy.
I went to check out Atlantis Art Store today, good shop to visit, always searching for what's new. Recommended, in case you didn't visit it. 😊
❤️ swatching! Great video to watch after work today! I use a B5 size Fabriano watercolour book (with rings) for swatching. I wish I could re-order the pages, but I don’t see myself going to that level of effort. Wow. You really put effort into your book! I like my swatches to be large enough to see the granulation and the changes in colour intensity, I also do the black line thing so I can tell how opaque it is. However, I really like your extra step to see how the colour lifts! I need to do that going forward. I do swatches of my colours on their own, but I also tend to swatch a few mixes of primary colours as well, to see what the secondary colours will look like. I do think my swatch book would be better with 100% cotton paper since I always paint on 100% cotton and then I’d see the colours more accurately, however, the main reason for choosing the book that I’m currently using is that I decided I don’t like the paper anymore and I didn’t want to waste it. So, I thought it would make an “okay-ish” swatch book ☺️.
Also…
I have two types of pages. One type is where I’ll do all of my paints by a specific brand together. If I bought a specific palette, like a Daniel Smith 24-pan set or something, I’d do a page of swatches for that palette. Or, I’d keep swatches of my tubes for a specific brand together. Then, the other type of swatch pages are dedicated to my custom palettes that I make up myself with mixed brands, so that I can see if the 12-15 colours I’ve chosen for a palette has everything I need (and if the paints are single pigment and mix well together and if they don’t, do I have the convenience mix I need).
I can't part with labels either. One page of labels and swatch the page next to them,.
I LOVE the idea of being able to switch out or remove pages, but a discbound punch and discs aren't really in the budget. Here's my plan: Stillman & Birn make their Beta Series in a spiral bound hardcover. This is the only paper I use anyway, so swatching on the same just makes sense. I'm going to snip the paper inside the coils so that I can gently take them out. It's not as professional-looking as yours, but im going to give it a shot. Thanks for the idea!
Yes after many many years being away from painting.. so many companies now!
I hardly ever do swatches, i dont have the patience to do it lol 😝
Im making mine and im watching ideas of organitation of other artists 👀
That’s a good strategy Rebecca! Xx
Great video. I am sooo confused with swatching
Thanks Karen! I hope this helped but if you have any extra questions - feel free to ask ❤️
I am a very random swatches lol
@@SketchesnScrubs I didn’t write that well lol sorry! (When I’m at work…) I meant to type I’m very random at swatching. I do them all over my journals when ever I get something new
I use an A4 etcher for the paint swatches which has color name and brand, and then I have an excel spreadsheet with the pigment and sundry info, because my handwriting is a basically unreadable.