From sketchbook roughs to final artwork

Every story starts quietly. Mine often begin with a feeling, a fragment, or a thought. This week, I wanted to share a little peek inside my sketchbook—where ideas grow slowly, with gentleness and care.

Right now, it’s early days and I’m still building a collection of artwork that will become my portfolio - my online stall where I can lay out my wares, so to speak. It’s a slow process because at the moment all the ideas all have to come from me. And they tend to come in waves.

Thankfully I’ve noticed this now, and I quickly jot them down. Sometimes as a note, a sketch or a scribble on the back of an envelope, giving my something to play with during that lull between the waves. I’ve come to accept that this ebb and flow is ok. That I’m human and it’s not realistic, or kind, to expect a constant stream of productivity to pour forth every day. Which is why I have a growing stack of sketchbooks, and the notes app on my phone is bursting at the seams.

Ideas for drawings can come from all sorts of weird and wonderful places: conversations, things we’ve been doing, memories or something I’ve been reading or watching. My personal favourites are the random ones that come while I’m driving or walking the dog. These ones are particularly special as they are the most elusive, coming at a time when I can’t immediately write them down. The one I’m sharing today came from a combination of places.

Like most people with a loft, there’s always a niggling feeling that it needs sorting out. We’ve done ours recently, but my Dad keeps mentioning that theirs could probably do with a sort out too. This conversation brought back memories of going up in the loft as a kid, rediscovering all sorts of forgotten treasures, tucked away in boxes abd old suitcases. I can still smell it. That warm and dusty smell that seems to only come from a Victorian roof space. All this prompted me to draw this sketch of a young girl routing through battered old cardboard boxes in the loft.

Initial sketch

When I have a sketch that I like, I transfer it to Procreate. I dial the opacity right down so I can’t trace it faithfully then start work on the final artwork. I don’t rub anything out when I’m sketching, I simply carry on drawing over the top, so this helps me get all the elements in the right place for the final piece. Here it is. Can you see any differences?

Final artwork

I hope this glimpse in to my creative world has been interesting. If you have any thought or questions I’d love to hear them in the comments.