Monthly Bonus: A look at process

Sketchbooks to sketch dummies

I’m a member of the international group of picture book illustrators called Illoguild. Each month, we each answer a question here on Substack. For March, that question is: “What is your process?”

My answer: Sketchbooks, Moodboards, Multiple Dummies

I only started to keep a sketchbook at the end of 2020. Before that, I never knew how or why or what exactly to put in one. You see, I’m learning that I’ve always been impatient. Even when sewing, I usually cut right into the good fabric and don’t make a muslin (a version of the final done in a cheaper material). Maybe I held the misguided view that practice versions of things were “wasting time” or maybe I’m always trying to do too many things at once, so I only ever leave enough time for making a final piece. But, reader, I was wrong. The sketchbook is what ultimately saves time in the end. If you’re reading this thinking, “Uh, yeah, I know.” I’m here to tell you that deep down I did too, I just fought it for years and years. And maybe if you’re thinking the same way I used to, something here will resonate with you enough that you give sketchbooks a try.

My first dedicated sketchbook for this project and my moodboard for the book.

Last summer, my husband and I visited with our dear friends Scott Nash and Nancy Gibson Nash on Peaks Island, Maine. I used to work with Scott approximately a million years ago at his design firm Big Blue Dot, but for this particular visit, one of the things we talked about was his sketchbook process. When he’s working on a new project, he takes a small sketchbook and writes #1 on the cover. And keeps going as he develops characters, scenes, thumbnails, writing and everything that goes towards that one project. Working on a different project? Start another book and write #1 on that book. How many books per project? As many as it takes.

So when we got home, the first thing I did was visit my friend Jen’s stationery store, purchase a new sketchbook and write #1 on the cover. Whenever I had a thought about a character or wanted to draw some possible outfits, or sketch from reference for the homes they lived in, I opened my bright yellow sketchbook and gave those rough drawings a home. And because they now had a place to live outside my head, it allowed my brain to come up with more inspiration. A sketchbook is like an external hard drive for my head computer.

Character studies - poses showing frustration - what did that look like for a creature with two arms and four legs?

More character studies - every pose in a tantrum

Then, when it came time to create my book dummy, I had already worked out what I wanted because I had sketched a bunch of rough thumbnails inside and decided what I didn’t want. Knowing what you don’t want is what helps you get to the thing you do.

Rough idea for the island where Yougo and his friends live - an idea for the end papers.

Then I made a tiny sketch dummy. So cute, so rough, but it was incredibly helpful.

The littlest dummy

Then I made a full size rough dummy. I got critiques from my peer group and I also had booked appointments to show it to a couple of agents for feedback. Then I made another dummy based on that feedback. Then took that dummy and made a cover and a few pieces of artwork in color.

Three more full size dummies - two in pure black and white and the last one with a color cover and two spreads.

Now, because my real final art is done in 3D using stop-motion characters, I built two of the main characters in 3D out of wood, wire and fabric, and used my sketch dummies to create and pose the puppets for final artwork. I’m now working on making all of the final art samples in 3D, but I wouldn’t have a plan in place without all of these other steps. I’m still not done!

2D page spread

The final stop-motion puppets based on the 2D drawings. Faces are blank, so expressions can be drawn on top later after the photos are taken. A process that saves time and allows for more revision if needed.

The same spread after posing the stop-motion puppets, photographing them and drawing the faces on.

If you want to start a sketchbook process: get a notebook, write #1 on it and make some bad art. Are you also a recent convert to the process of working in a sketchbook? Do you prefer to keep things on separate pieces of paper instead like I used to when I even remembered to sketch first? Have you always used a sketchbook and are laughing at me right now? It’s ok. I’m laughing at me too. Share your sketchbook tips or ask any follow up questions in the comments.