Book Review: How to Keep a Sketchbook

The content of the book was not what I had expected.

It's not a very technical book. There are 6 pages on the materials and the rest are personal travel sketches from artist and author Michael Woods. There's no logical structure or arrangement of the subjects featured and drawn. The examples featured are created from a variety of materials but there aren't enough coverage on how each material works with sketchbooks.

The commentary talks about the story behind each sketch and occasionally he'll give tips on drawing. There's not a lot on the techniques. So you won't really learn how to draw or where to follow up. What's lacking is perhaps more themes to explore. For example, there are some examples of drawing animals and people but they are too brief.

In essence, this is a travel sketchbook.

Other books you might explore on keeping sketchbooks are:

• Artist's Journal Workshop: Creating Your Life in Words and Pictures
• Watercolor Journeys: Create Your Own Travel Sketchbook
• Sketch Book for the Artist
• An Illustrated Life
• The Art of Urban Sketching

How to Keep a Sketchbook is available at Amazon (US | CA | UK | DE | FR | IT | JP)

Visit Amazon to check out more reviews.

If you buy from the links, I get a little commission that helps me get more books to feature.

Here are direct links to the book:
Amazon.com | Amazon.ca | Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.de | Amazon.fr | Amazon.it | Amazon.co.jp