Does the blank sketchbook page intimidate you? Are you paralyzed by the possibility that your sketchbook pages will turn out ugly or weird or just plain bad? Is your sketchbook sitting untouched?

Then this class is for you!

Because it’s not just about what shows up on the page, it’s about the experience of creating it.

This fun and inspiring class is taught by Anne Butera, a self-taught botanical watercolor painter, writer and teacher who overcame her fear of sketchbooks and ended up falling in love with the practice.

Anne shares what she wishes she knew when she was starting out so you can topple misconceptions about sketchbooks and the practice of keeping them.

You'll also tackle six common stumbling blocks:

Fear of the first page
Fear of wasting supplies (or ruining sketchbook pages)
Thinking you're not good at art
Not having time to create
Not having the energy to create
The feeling that it's all been done before

And although it’s not just about what shows up on the page, we still want our pages to look good! That’s why the class includes demonstrations of six sketchbook pages that will help you develop your skills and also bring you joy – even when the pages are imperfect.

Some of the skills you'll learn:

Choosing the right sketchbook for you
Curating color palettes
Learning your materials and colors
Color mixing
Laying down even color in a variety of mediums
Layering color in a variety of mediums
Instinctively designing page layouts
Tapping into your inner child (and childlike creativity)
Mixing and layering media
Working in a grid
Creating variations on a theme
Depicting simple but realistic butterflies in two mediums
Using your paper as a design element
Finding a subject to sketch
Simplifying your subject

And so much more.

Throughout, Anne shares many examples and suggestions to spark ideas for your own pages beyond the demonstrated exercises.

By the end of this class, you’ll have the tools you need to break through the barriers holding you back from creating so you can develop your own nurturing, joyful sketchbook practice. And you'll have opened your mind to the vast possibilities of the blank page so it no longer paralyzes you.

Use your favorite supplies to create your pages. The materials used in class are not necessary to create fun and interesting pages.

A willingness to experiment and try new things will serve you well in your sketchbook practice. Remember there's no right or wrong way to create in your sketchbook.

Supplies Anne uses in class: (you don't need these specific supplies!)

Royal Talens Art Creation Sketchbook
Prismacolor Colored Pencils
Neocolor II Water Soluble Wax Pastels
Canson XL Mixed Media Sketchbook
Kuretake Watercolors
Princeton Velvetouch Long Round paintbrush
Posca Paint Markers
Various brands of marker
Micron Pen
Legion Stonehenge Black Watercolor Paper

Wendy Canzanese

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