- £200
Your Sketchbook Journey
- Course
- 25 Lessons
In this course, equivalent to a 4-day workshop, we use sketchbooks to enable the development of an intuitive, experimental and flexible approach to our chosen subject. We use a variety of media and sketchbook types alongside different expressive approaches to broaden our understanding of the subject. Varied sketchbook pages, a series of handmade books and a studio journal are produced.
Join me on an exciting exploration of our landscape subject using sketchbooks and a range of exciting expressive techniques.
- Do you love the landscape & want to make artwork that reflects your excitement with its visual richness?
- Do you enjoy working in sketchbooks but feel like you want to develop a wider range of approaches so that you can explore your subject more expressively and experimentally?
- Are you excited by the idea of working in sketchbooks but need some guidance and encouragement to make the most of them in your art practice?
I am fascinated by the world around me and in creating artwork that reflects my experience of the landscape through the seasons. I am continually exploring the visual language of my local landscapes: Their shapes, lines, patterns and textures, through a range of drawing and mark making approaches. These methods allow me to have fun and record my experience of the place in looser more expressive ways that are less representational. I work extensively in sketchbooks in developing my understanding of the subject and developing my artwork. I am excited to share my sketchbook experiences and techniques with you on this course.
We will be exploring our subject through a repertoire of approaches and routes into unpicking, understanding and recording using sketchbooks. We will explore different types of sketchbook, working in black and white and in colour, through mark making, drawing and collage. We will also use our sketchbooks as journals, to understand what it is we particularly want to say about our subject. We will use words and collected images as well as creating our own studies.
These approaches will help you to develop your own rewarding sketchbook practice as you will be able to tailor it and make it specific to what suits you, your subject matter and the way you work.
We will be exploring our subject through a repertoire of approaches and routes into unpicking, understanding and recording using sketchbooks. We will explore different types of sketchbook, working in black and white and in colour, through mark making, drawing and collage. We will also use our sketchbooks as journals, to understand what it is we particularly want to say about our subject. We will use words and collected images as well as creating our own studies.
These approaches will help you to develop your own rewarding sketchbook practice as you will be able to tailor it and make it specific to what suits you, your subject matter and the way you work.
The course is structured to follow the pace of a 4-day workshop. We will start by looking at different types of sketchbooks and their purpose. We will then begin experimenting with materials like charcoal, inks, pencils and paint, alone or together and have fun pushing the boundaries. We will then take our experiences into the landscape setting. I will be demonstrating on location (Wild flora) and back in my studio. You can follow along using my examples as a basis for your studies but you will probably wish to identify your own subject. It could be a view from your window, your garden or other landscape subject. You may prefer to do at least some of the studies on location or work from photographs/video.
At the end of the course you will have created a range of different mixed media studies in sketchbooks, including a concertina, you will also have created a series of your own small folded sketchbooks. Finally, you will have started developing a studio journal with records and explorations.
I have included a review section at the end of the course to show you how I develop and progress my own work. This can be used as a basis for you to consider ways in which to continue the work you have created on the course.
What you will discover
- Useful information about sketchbooks
- How other artists use sketchbooks in their work
- Technical information about sketchbooks and materials
- To work expressively and experimentally in sketchbooks
- To combine and experiment with different media in sketchbooks
- Different approaches to exploring the landscape
- How to look at composition using collage in sketchbooks
- How to present your work in different ways in sketchbooks
- How to develop your own story of your explorations using words and imagery in sketchbooks
- How to create your own series of folded sketchbooks
Testimonials
Liz's professional teaching & generosity of content leads us seemlessly through the lessons so that I can follow along with confidence -she has an ability to reach all levels of learning
Leila-course participant
Liz this lesson was brilliant, a total revelation. I wish I’d been shown this approach to drawing 40 years ago! . It was so useful to see the drawings from start to finish, to see how you used and held the media and to hear your thinking process. I have taken a variety of online courses and this lesson rates as the best. I will be watching it again and again
Mary-course participant
Just wanted to say a big thank you for this Sketchbook Journey, it really has been a fantastic journey. I feel so much more confident in using and making my sketch books. Never used them to their full potential before.
Elsie-course participant
Your lessons have provided, not only a fantastic way to get to grips with how sketchbooks can be used out in the landscape and back in the studio, and in so many different ways, but they’ve also helped me break through the ‘block’.
Bron-course participant
Contents
Part 1: Welcome
FREE LESSON: Exploring new materials in our sketchbooks Part 1
FREE LESSON: Exploring new materials in our sketchbooks Part 2
Introduction
Sketchbook review
Art supplies
Sketchbook resources
Warming up with our black and white materials
Warming up with our coloured materials
Warm up contour drawing
The first page...
Part 2: Inspiration and Exploration
Introduction
Sketchbook diary
Back to black
Colour first
Limit not labour
Using your concertina to tell the story
Collage thumbnail compositions
Part 3: Creating a handmade sketchbook series
Introduction
Creating the mark making sheets
Folding the sheets
Creating the covers
Part 4: Researching and recording in your sketchbook
Introduction
Creating scrapbook pages
Journaling
Review
Frequently asked questions
How long do I have access to the course?
Once you've enrolled and paid, you'll have access to the course material for 12 months from when you enrol. So please feel free to devour it all in one weekend or take things more slowly. It's your choice!
What If I am unhappy with my purchase?
I am afraid that once you have accessed the course I am not able to give refunds. Your feedback is important to me though so please do get in touch if you have any problems.
I still have a question, how can I contact you?
I'd be happy to answer any questions you might have. Send me an email to liz@lizackerleyart.com.
Is there a Facebook group for the course?
Yes there is a private FB group for the course. The link is on the Welcome page.
How much time will it take to complete this course?
I designed this course as a 3 + day workshop but you may want to spend much more time on each section and take a week or more to do it.
Can I share the content for this course with my friends?
As it has taken me a lot of time to prepare this online course, I would appreciate it if you did not share any of the content with others. All the information is for the sole use of the individual subscriber and is not to be used in any form without the written agreement from Liz Ackerley. I am happy for you to share your work on social media, but please tag me or give me a mention.
Do I need to be an experienced artist to do this course?
This course is suitable for all artists, from beginners to more experienced artists, who are open and willing to experiment with the media, are keen to develop a looser and more expressive approach. A willingness to have fun and experiment with the approaches and tools is key.
Will we be working with colour?
Yes we will be including colour. It is a chance to experiment and see what works for you and your given subject matter. As this is a sketchbook course, colour isn't the focus of the course but we will be including it.
What materials will I need?
Charcoal, white chalk, plastic rubbers, ink, pencils, fine liners or fountain pen, watercolour pencils (just a couple, I use Inktense and always use dark indigo, plus perhaps a few others), woodies (just a few colours), a few pastels (Oil pastels and soft pastels) white and black/dark paint plus a few colours (acrylic, gouache and watercolour (no white and black needed for watercolour)), a mix of papers for use in collage including some patterned paper, brushes (a range of sizes from rigger to 3 inches), mark making tools: palette knife, bamboo pen, sticks, old credit card or bone folder, water spray, container for water. Gesso , a small pocket concertina sketchbook (seawhite or similar)plus at least one other cartridge paper sketchbook (eg Chunky, Seawhite of Brighton), cartridge paper, tape, Glue stick/pva. There is a detailed list with discussion in the Introduction to the course.
Are there captions/subtitles on screen for this course?
No, they are not built into the Podia system. Therefore for now, I have not been able to offer subtitles on screen.