I recently had an article published on TGO Online (link at the end of this post) entitled Taking a Sketchbook for a Walk, which I do regularly. Drawing is a lovely way to capture aspects of a day out and searching for a subject helps give a walk a focus. I have sketchbooks and journals going back many years but, despite an art degree (gained as a mature student creating conceptual installations and needing no drawing skills) I have very little formal illustration training and art was not taught at my school – I had to take French instead. But I always wanted to be able to draw.
Drawing and ‘reportage’ sketching are a great way of creating a journal of your walks, but not if you are too critical. If you want to give it a go you need to be able to critique your efforts – decide what has worked well and what you need to improve – without being judgemental. If you tell yourself ‘I’m no good’ then that’s what you will see, but if you think ‘that’s got room for improvement. Now how can I achieve that?’ you will begin to improve. And learn to love your style. Just as we cannot look like other people, we will always draw or paint in our own way. My first efforts were not a pretty sight, but I persisted. I read instructional books, watched videos and signed up for some evening classes. And slowly my drawing, and painting, improved.
In the TGO Online article I’ve created two kit lists: one for day walks, where weight is less of an issue, and one for backpacking trips which need to be super lightweight. But you can draw with anything. Try drawing in the sand with driftwood, or on a stone with charcoal from the fire. Or ballpoint pen on a paper napkin. It’s all good practice. And a simple pencil and paper is a good place to start.
Link to the article: https://www.tgomagazine.co.uk/inspiration-and-ideas/digital-feature-taking-a-sketchbook-for-a-walk-by-liz-wakelin/
Pyrenean peaks
Lizziwake 
Lovely blog post Lizzi and I can certainly see the appeal of sketching and walking. I wouldn’t be able to cope with that though and doing photography though.
LikeLiked by 1 person
No – you can spread yourself too thinly 😉
LikeLike
Interesting. I did a brief course last year on sketching landscapes and we were encouraged to spend no more than 3 minutes on one drawing! Are your own rules as strict or intense, out of interest?
LikeLiked by 1 person
No. Although it’s good to set time limits for fun. It certainly makes for fluidity sketching quickly. But it’s also good to take the time to look. So much depends on weather, companions, deadlines to reach destinations etc. And I often finish outline sketches later.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I believe you’re on a good journey. My drawings stick in my mind much more vividly than photos and years later I recall much that surrounded a drawing or sketch.
As with anything and as you stated practice helps the craft.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks. The old adage ‘practice makes perfect’ holds true.
LikeLike
Loved your TGO piece and it brought me here. Makes me want to combine my compulsive doodles with the (very rusty) field notebook skills left over from university geology days.
LikeLiked by 1 person
That’s lovely! Thank you. Definitely get out that notebook and go for it! 👍
LikeLiked by 1 person
I Love your creative sketchbook adventures 🍃
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you. Sketching is such an evocative way to capture a scene & a moment.
LikeLiked by 1 person