peek into my sketchbooks:

For years I was frightened and intimidated by sketchbooks. Even after art-making became a regular part of my life I did not work in them.

Eventually I overcame my hesitation and now sketchbooks are a big part of my creative life. Part of what helped me embrace sketchbooks was my collaboration with Dana Barbieri.

This is a selection of some of my favorite pages.

Crayon Butterflies on Black Paper (Copy)

Crayon and painted sketchbook pages (Copy)

Botanical Marker and Brush Pen Sketches (Copy)

A sketchbook spread of color mixing and sketching black eyed susans in watercolor and pen. A study with pressed petals and a leaf.

A tan-toned sketchbook spread done in colored pencils features two pink-flowered plants: a clematis and some chives.

Monarch butterflies in my sketchbook done in pencil and paint and embellished with gold leaf.

Fanciful houses painted in watercolor in my sketchbook.

A page of playful sketchbook page of flowers and birds done in crayon in a fanciful color palette.

Birds in Marker in Anne Butera's Sketchbook (Copy)

A sketchbook page of a dandelion done in gouache.

A sketchbook spread featuring birds in crayon and “open” my word of the year.

Watercolor Sweet Pea Sketches in Anne Butera's Sketchbook (Copy)

Gouache Roses in Anne Butera's Sketchbook (Copy)

Goldfish Block Prints in Anne Butera's Sketchbook (Copy)

Fiddle Leaf Figs in Anne Butera's Sketchbooks (Copy)

Crocus Collage in Anne Butera's Sketchbook (Copy)

Tulips in Watercolor and Pen in Anne Butera's Sketchbook (Copy)

Moss Roses in Anne Butera's Sketchbooks (Copy)

Roses in Gouache in Anne Butera's Sketchbook (Copy)

Prussian Blue Gouache Roses in Anne Butera's Sketchbook (Copy)

Watercolor Rainbows in Anne Butera's Sketchbook (Copy)

A fun sketchbook page of eggs in crayon.

Gouache Pizza Sketches in Anne Butera's Sketchbook (Copy)

Peony Sketches in Black Micron Pen in Anne Butera's Sketchbook (Copy)

Patchwork Collage in Anne Butera's Sketchbook (Copy)

Garden Sketches in Micron Pen in Anne Butera's Sketchbook (Copy)

A spread of painted botanical images done in blue to mimic cyanotypes.

Gouache Pea Sketches in Anne Butera's Sketchbook (Copy)

Watercolor Tulips in Anne Butera's Sketchbooks (Copy)

Cultivating a Sketchbook Practice: Tips, Suggestions and Inspiration to Guide You on Your Journey a Free Guide from Anne Butera

sketchbook inspiration

Because of my own struggle with sketchbooks (and the fact that I eventually learned that they're not so scary), I want to share my enthusiasm for the medium and encourage you to embark on your own creative adventures.

My Sketchbooks on YouTube:

Let me help you develop a sketchbook practice

Learn more

Some blog posts about sketchbooks:

Featured

Our Most Important Work (and a little change)

We’re almost halfway through the third month of the year and I’m curious how you’re feeling. Have you been relishing your creativity and savoring life’s tiny (and not so tiny) joys?

Late Winter Nurturing of My Creative Self

About two weeks ago, false spring arrived. The sun was shining, the snow melting.

In and Out of a Sketchbook: Stories, Inspiration and Creativity

This week I finished filling up my 24th sketchbook.

Savoring Simple Pleasures and Embracing Creative Play

When I first stepped into my studio this morning, frost glittered on the deck out the sliding doors, the light pale as the sun cleared the tops of the trees on the hill behind our house.

I'm Falling (Back) in Love with Sketchbooks and Teaching at Sketchbook Revival

I’m a bit fanatical about sketchbooks. I love creating in them and I love encouraging others to embrace the practice, too.

What I love most about sketchbooks is the freedom I find within their pages.

Savoring Summer and Embracing Creative Play

Hello my friend!

Summer has arrived in full force and my garden continues to enchant me every day.

Sharing Inspiration: Join Me for a Tour of Reader Sketchbooks

This week I’ve turned my blog over to my readers (again — this summer 12 of you shared your gardens here). Today, though, instead of gardens, I have 6 brave, creative women sharing glimpses into their sketchbooks.

Falling in Love with Sketchbooks Again and Again (and a New Class)

In the middle of winter when frost decorates the windows of my studio and I pull on another sweater, I’ll think back to summer days in my garden, cicadas singing, sketchbook on my lap.

2x2 Sketchbook -- a Collaboration with Dana Barbieri

This first collaboration lasted for over a year. We shared our pages weekly on our blogs. In the spring of 2016, our sketchbook project was featured in Uppercase Magazine.

Learn more about the project and see all the pages here.

Learn with me on Skillshare

I love sharing what I’ve learned on my creative journey. I offer a variety of classes about art-making including some specifically focused on sketchbooks.

See all my Skillshare classes here and try Skillshare Premium free for one month.