As a self-taught artist, my sketchbook used to intimidate me. I thought every page had to look polished, clever, or at least “finished.” I’d flip through beautiful sketchbooks online and feel like mine didn’t measure up. And when a page didn’t turn out how I wanted, it felt like proof I wasn’t good enough. I’ve even gone out and bought a new sketchbook because I ‘ruined’ the last with ‘bad’ art.
But here’s what I’ve learned—a sketchbook isn’t supposed to be perfect. It’s supposed to be messy, personal, and filled with exploration. Mine now has tea stains, colour tests, wonky frogs, and a fair few pages I’ll never show anyone. And that’s exactly what makes it mine.
Kicking perfectionism out of my artistic practice has been the best thing I have done for the progression of my artistic skills. So if you struggle with allowing perfectionism in your sketchbook, I completely understand where you’re at! And am here go give you some tips and tricks I’ve recently learned as a self-taught artist.
Your sketchbook isn’t a gallery. It’s a space for growth, not performance.
📓 Sketchbooks are for process, not product – They’re where you try new things, make mistakes, and figure out your style.
🧠 Perfectionism blocks experimentation – When you expect every page to be “good,” you’re less likely to take creative risks.
🫠 You’re allowed to make bad drawings – In fact, you need to. It’s how we learn.
The moment I stopped treating my sketchbook like a portfolio and started treating it like a playground, everything changed.
Here are a few things that helped me let go of the pressure:
📚 Keep more than one sketchbook – I have a “nice” one for when I want to be a little neater, and a “messy” one for scribbles, swatches, and notes. No rules. No judgement.
📓 Use it like a journal – I often write little thoughts beside my drawings, or even start a page with words. It takes the pressure off making something visual every time.
🎨 Start with something small – If a full page feels scary, I’ll just swatch colours, draw a leaf, or sketch a cup of tea.
The point is to just start. The more I show up, the less precious it feels.
Want to get back into your sketchbook with a bit more freedom? Try one of these low-pressure ideas:
🎲 “Bad on purpose” challenge – Make a page full of wonky shapes or clumsy drawings. Laugh at them. Add googly eyes.
🎨 Colour testing page – Swatch your paints, mix unexpected combos, write little colour notes in the margins.
🖍️ Limit yourself to one tool – Try a brush pen, a pencil, or just one colour. Constraints are creatively freeing.
🫶🏽 Revisit a subject you love – No pressure. Just joy. For me, I love sketching portraits in graphite at the moment, as I’m trying to improve my free-hand drawing skills!
📷 Sketch from memory – Don’t look up a reference—just draw what comes to mind. Embrace the weirdness.
As a provisional psychologist, I’ve seen how perfectionism often stems from fear—fear of failure, of judgement, or not being “enough.” It’s deeply linked to self-worth, and it often shows up in creative spaces because art feels so personal.
But here’s the science-y bit: perfectionism is more likely to lead to procrastination, burnout, and creative paralysis than it is to lead to great work (Flett & Hewitt, 2002).
Your brain thrives when it feels safe to explore without consequence. The sketchbook is the perfect place for that. It’s your space, your pace, and your permission to be imperfect.
There’s no “right” way to keep a sketchbook. Yours might be full of colour, or mostly pencil lines. It might be tidy and labelled, or wild and chaotic.
What matters is that it feels like yours. A sketchbook is a living, breathing reflection of where you’re at—not a finished product. And honestly? Some of my messiest pages have taught me the most.
Remember, your sketchbook is for you. No-one else has to see it!
Here are some gentle ways to return to your sketchbook without the pressure:
🫠 Let yourself make “bad” pages on purpose – They’re more fun than you’d think.
📓 Turn your sketchbook into a journal – Scribbles and little notes-to-self count too.
🖍️ Use limited tools or colours to free up your brain
🫶🏽 Draw what you love, not what you think you should be drawing
🧠 Remind yourself: your sketchbook is for learning, not performing
Whatever you do—keep showing up. Even if it’s just a scribble and a cup of tea. You’re doing beautifully. 🤍
Why not start a sketchbook today? Challenge yourself to fill a page every day and experiment with new techniques. Over time, you’ll notice a huge improvement in your creativity and artistic confidence! Remember, practice makes progress! If you’re in the mood to keep reading, check out my article on why every artist should keep a sketchbook.
If you like, you can head over to amazon and buy the same sketchbook I use every single day! I love my strathmore sketchbook and I have definitely noticed a significant improvement in my artistic skills since I started using it consistently. Just ten minutes a day!
Well, that’s all for this post friends. If you’re looking for more practical tips on building your art practice, take a look at my other articles! 😊🎨✨
☼ Brown, B. (2012). Daring greatly: How the courage to be vulnerable transforms the way we live, love, parent, and lead. Gotham Books.
☼ Flett, G. L., & Hewitt, P. L. (2002). Perfectionism: Theory, research, and treatment. American Psychological Association.
☼ Stoeber, J., & Otto, K. (2006). Positive conceptions of perfectionism: Approaches, evidence, challenges. Personality and Social Psychology Review, 10(4), 295–319.
☼ How can you let go of perfectionism in your sketchbook?
☼ Why does perfectionism block creativity?
☼ What are some fun, low-pressure ways to use my sketchbook?
☼ How does psychology explain perfectionist thinking in artists?
☼ Can messy sketchbook pages actually help me grow as an artist?
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hi, i’m sarah, an australian artist head-over-heels for watercolour & creative practice- it truely is good for your soul.
& this ↑, is my girl alys.
i am completely self-taught in all the mediums i use & i am here to share everything i know with you!
i write about all things creativity, watercolour, gouache, hand-made ceramics, collecting art, & my own artistic process. I have degrees in human psychology & veterinary medicine- so you might find some sporadic related facts in my writing.
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