Sketchbook: features and benefits

Most professional artists say that a sketchbook is a very important, almost indispensable thing for any creative person. However, exceptions come across even among professionals, and it’s even more difficult for a beginner beginner to decide whether such a purchase is necessary, and if so, either immediately or at a later stage. It is necessary to decide whether a case is needed for a child even before buying such a product.

If we proceed from the general classification, then we can say that the sketchbook, in essence, is one of the varieties of the easel. In other words, its main task is to be conditionally a vertical support for the picture being created. After all, medical and artistic specialists indicate that drawing in a sitting position, leaning over a horizontal surface, is harmful and wrong.

However, the difference from the standard (in the understanding of most people) easel is, and not one. First of all, the sketchbook is made as compact as possible, since it is optimized for painting in the open air, that is, in the open air. This does not mean that they should not be used indoors.

In addition, the sketchbook is not only the easel itself, but also a convenient briefcase for storing and carrying drawing supplies. Due to the fact that the suitcase itself and the accessories lying in it can weigh more than ten kilograms in total, direct use of a sketchbook for children’s purpose is unlikely - except for boys of older adolescence.

Another thing is that for beginners who are just beginning their creative search for themselves and do not have enough space at home for drawing, you can choose a sketchbook as a measure of the primitive organization of the workplace - here you have a small easel and a place for tools.

Although the design itself seems extremely simple, even it has certain variable characteristics, allowing to classify such products. First of all, the children's sketchbook for drawing must be extremely easy, otherwise the original purpose is simply lost. Therefore, unlike “adult” models, body can be lightened by using smaller parts of lighter materials.

It is assumed that the sketchbook is initially portable, however, taking into account children's needs and opportunities, its purely desktop version, which differs from the simple desktop easel with the ability to store tools, is not excluded.

The kit of the sketchbook for full-fledged work in the open air can also include a tripod, allowing you to organize a workplace even where there are no special conditions for this. At the same time, sketchbooks, like most other types of easels, do not put restrictions on the type of paints used.

true you need to pay attention to the mounting methods: whether they allow you to use a choice of paper or canvas in a frame, and if they allow, such a purchase will fit for watercolor with gouache, and for oil painting, and for any other types of fine art.

Finally, some manufacturers offer to buy not only a sketchbook by itself, but immediately as a set with everything you need - with paints, brushes, drawing paper and other accessories. Professionals in such art are unlikely to be interested in this, since the equipment here will not be higher than the standard, but for a beginner who does not know what to compare with and who cannot choose correctly, this solution may be optimal.

The size of the sketchbook is limited not only by the format of the drawing, but also by the artist’s ability to lift and carry out such a small suitcase. A small sketchbook for a child is not just a convenience, but a strict necessity. It is necessary to choose it, proceeding not simply from the ability of the kid to lift such a small suitcase - the artist in search of the necessary landscape and inspiration sometimes has to walk up to ten kilometers on foot with such a box in his hands!

However, in pursuit of mini sizes, you need to understand that the drawings must be no less than a certain size. For the child, the minimum option is a sketchbook that allows the use of standard A4 sheets. This format is very common, including in the education of children, and allows to depict almost any plot on a normal scale. If the format of the sketchbook is even smaller, there will be a risk of creative limitation of the child.and the little artist will simply outgrow such a gift very soon.

When folded, a sketchbook is no different from a regular box, mostly rectangular in shape, which inside has a cavity designed for storing tools. A good sketchbook should ideally be equipped inside with various fastenings, which make it possible to store the same brushes or pencils with great convenience so that they do not fall apart all over the box. Inside, you can store absolutely all the necessary accessories: pencils or brushes, paints, solvent and oil can (if necessary).

The lid of the box is designed in such a way that it can be fixed in a position close to the vertical, then it will replace the tablet of an ordinary easel. The design should allow adjusting the position of the cover to allow the artist to optimally choose a pose, however, most children's sketchbooks are deprived of such amenities. For ease of transport, the product should be equipped with a shoulder strap and handles.

Many sketchbooks themselves do not contain any emphasis, representing an ordinary box. It is optimally suitable for home use (there is no need to spend money on an unnecessary detail), use on the street turns out to be somewhat limited - you can use the sketchbook only if you have a convenient surface for installing it, like a parapet.

To expand the possibilities it makes sense to buy a sketchbook with a tripod. It is able to develop to a flat state, so it does not take up much space, but it will allow you to paint landscapes even far from civilization. There are sketchbooks that are immediately sold with a tripod, but in some cases it is not included in the kit, but you can buy it if necessary.

The choice of a children's sketchbook is often complicated by two inhibiting factors at once: the high cost of the finished products and the impossibility of finding the model that is ideal for the child. In this situation, the easiest way out is to ask dad to assemble such a box on his own.It will work if the dad has all the necessary skills to work with his hands.

It is obvious that most often such a masterpiece of handwork is mostly wooden, because it is wood that is the most suitable and convenient material for processing. Even plywood can be used as the main material of the walls, as long as it is strong enough to withstand the weight of the filling. The use of plywood will significantly reduce the weight of the finished product., and for strengthening the structure along the contours, a thin board and metal fittings can be used.

You need to start creating with determining the size of the future product. When choosing dimensions, it is worth making a start not only on the size of the paper used, but also on the size of all the necessary accessories - they should fit inside the box being created.

Many artists who paint with colors and practice their own creation of a sketchbook at least once, recommend to embed inside a board to be used as a palette. She, like the lid, should be able to close and open, but in no case be in contact with it. This is necessary because the artist with himself can have only one canvas and it is unacceptable that the image depicted on it is spoiled by the colors from the palette.

To do this, from the inside of the lid, which is used as an easel, metal stops should be provided, which do not allow the palette to come too close to it. The palette itself can perform another important function - to partially protect the finished picture or prepared canvas from contact with the tools.

In order to leave yourself the opportunity to choose the horizontal or vertical position of the canvas, you can make a separate small tablet of plywood. It is important that it be placed inside the sketchbook, otherwise it will be inconvenient to carry it with you. As a fixation, you can use any metal or wooden rails.

A mandatory element of any sketchbook must be a lock that does not allow the contents to leave the box without permission. You can take any belt, but you need to choose a mount, made according to the principle of a tripod, that is, allowing a certain change in the position of the belt for transportation or drawing "with hands."

A sketchbook is not so massive a consumer product that any promoted brands appear in this area. Ideally, the choice should be made not so “by ear”, as according to one’s own impressions of a particular model. The consumer in the chosen product should be satisfied with everything, starting with the appearance and ending with usability and perceived reliability.

Nevertheless, newcomers in any field traditionally seek to take advantage of other people's experience, so the practice of choosing among already quite well-known brands is very common. For a long time, one of the leaders among the unpretentious beginners was the production of the Podolsk plant. "Painter", however, there has recently been a general decline in the quality of its products. Today, increased attention should be paid to such brands as Mabef, Tahoe, Brauberg, Black River and Reewes.

It is much more correct to choose a sketchbook not for the firm that launched it, but solely for the impressions of a particular model. A good sketchbook is:

• Housing. The product must be made of high-quality wood, without any knots and any other defects. The easiest grade of wood used is linden. The simpler the design, the better, because the abundance of small parts only increases the probability of breakage.The lid should be fixed in the open so as not to close with any sudden gust of wind. If the set includes a palette, the best option for it is plexiglass: it is much easier to clean.

• Legs. If the design of the sketchbook involves legs, preference should be given to metal, in particular, aluminum. This solution has high strength, they are also often sharpened for greater stability. Wooden legs are permissible except when used in indoor conditions. It is better to take height with a reserve not to bend down.

Review homemade sketchbook, see the following video.