Arleyart.com is a platform where Arley Clark, the owner, sells his unique motivational art. Arley, born in 1947 and raised in Bremerton, Washington, has always been inspired by words of wisdom. This includes quotes, phrases, song lyrics, and even advertising taglines. Throughout his career, motivational or thought-provoking messages were always on display on his office walls. Frustrated by the limited selection of display-worthy plaques, posters, or art prints available in the market, he decided to create his own. Upon retiring from a management career in the sporting goods industry, Arley decided to check the market for his kind of motivational art, leading to the birth of ArleyArt1.
These sketchbook pages by Leonardo da Vinci provide a great example of what a quality high school art sketchbook page should look like: overlapping, incomplete sketches, surrounding by handwritten notes.
Some students favor hard-edged, ‘cleaner’ presentation methods; others prefer a messier, gestural style. Neither is better than the other: both can be executed well. Jumping from one presentation style to another, however, may result in a submission that is distracting and disjointed.
Some sketchbook pages should have many illustrations, others a single artwork, and the remainder something in between. Vary the positioning of images and text on the page. Don’t be afraid of white space.
Although a sketchbook is an informal, free-flowing document, it is important to remember that an examiner picks it up and ‘reads’ it in a short period of time. Structure the sketchbook in a way that reflects the overall development of your project.
Weak work sets off alarm bells for an examiner, alerting them to be on the lookout for weaknesses elsewhere. This does not mean that anything ‘less than perfect’ should be discarded. Mistakes provide valuable learning opportunities and cues for how subsequent learning took place. However, you must discriminate. If an image is glaringly worse than others, consider improving or eliminating it. Seek your teacher’s guidance before removing any artwork; improving existing work is often much faster than starting afresh.
The sketchbook offers an opportunity to remind the examiner that you are a dedicated, hard-working student, and that you care about the subject. This does not mean you must cram your sketchbook with intense, labored work (sometimes an expressive two-minute charcoal drawing is all that is needed), but rather that the sketchbook should speak of your effort, commitment, and passion.
You may also be interested in reading How to annotate a sketchbook, which contains illustrated examples from high-achieving students around the world.
For convenience, most students select a sketchbook that is A4 (8.5 x 11 in) or A3 (11 x 17 in) in size. An A4 sketchbook fits in a schoolbag and is thus less likely to be lost or damaged during transit. An A3 sketchbook fits more work per page and provides space for larger artworks. If the sketchbook contains all preparatory material without any additional sheets of developmental work required, an A2 (17 x 22 in) sketchbook may be appropriate. Non-conventional sizes or electronic submissions may also be possible. Remember that format requirements are often set by an examination board, teacher, or school.
Regardless of the sketchbook size, it is best to work consistently in portrait or landscape orientation, rather than alternating from page to page. Consistent page orientation makes it easier for an examiner to flip through the sketchbook and view your work. Landscape orientation is preferable for electronic submissions, as this displays well on digital screens.
Pre-bound sketchbooks should contain quality artist paper suitable for both wet and dry media. A minimal appearance is best: choose a sketchbook with a plain cover, without distracting logos or ornamentation. A spiral-bound book allows you to remove pages easily.
The main disadvantage of a pre-bound sketchbook is that it is difficult to work with wet media on several pages at once. (Moving quickly between pages saves time, aids the development of ideas, and facilitates connections between pieces.) Nonetheless, pre-bound sketchbooks are the most popular format due to their convenience and wide availability.
Two examples of pre-bound sketchbooks are illustrated above. These brands have been thoroughly tested in a classroom situation, by experienced teachers. The left-hand mage is a NAS Workbook available from National Art Supplies in Auckland, New Zealand. This sketchbook has 50 pages of 140gsm wet-strength cartridge, suitable for both wet and dry media. The NAS Workbook is white, plain and minimalist in appearance, with no distracting logos. The heavy, cardboard cover is durable and resilient – able to withstand being dragged around by students – and can be drawn or painted upon if desired. It is spiral bound, allowing pages to be removed easily. The NAS Workbook is available in A4 portrait, A3 landscape and A2 landscape sizes. This product is used year after year by many high schools in New Zealand. The low cost means that this sketchbook is suitable for use with stationery kits and class sets. The example illustrated is an A3 art sketchbook (landscape in format) and was part of an A* International GCSE Art and Design coursework project completed by Manisha Mistry, ACG Strathallan College. A photograph of the final artwork has been laminated and glued to the sketchbook cover to create a simple title page. You may wish to view more of Manisha’s A* IGCSE Art project. The right-hand image shows an A4 Moleskine sketchbook. Moleskine folio sketchbooks are top-of-the-line artist sketchbooks, with 160gsm acid free pages, suitable for painting or drawing. The thickness of the paper means that wet mediums rarely bleed. Moleskine sketchbooks are well-made and beautiful, with a plain black cover. They are a durable, premium line of sketchbooks and are available as both an A4 sketchbook and A3 sketchbook. If you are a senior high school students who is considering pursuing Art and Design at university or college level, you may feel able to justify the expense. There are many other inexpensive options available.
Another popular presentation method is to store loose sheets of paper in a refillable display book. The plastic sleeves protect the work and reduce smudging from one page to another. This method is less daunting than using a pre-bound sketchbook, as there is no fear that each page must be ‘perfect’—pages can be removed, added, and re-ordered with ease. Creating a sketchbook from individual sheets also allows easy integration of different paper types, encouraging the use of a broad range of media. In addition, you can work on multiple pages at once without waiting for work to dry.
A disadvantage of this method is that loose sheets are more likely to become lost or damaged. The plastic sleeves also hinder the viewing of surface quality and texture, particularly if the sleeves become crumpled or dirty. For this reason, you may wish to change to a clean, non-reflective display book immediately before assessment.
Many schools own a manual binding machine. This punches a series of holes along one side of a document so that a spiral binding can be inserted to hold the pages together. A clear plastic cover can be added to protect the work. Binding usually takes place once the submission is complete, with sketchbook pages stored as individual sheets of paper beforehand. Other binding methods are also possible if these allow the sketchbook to lie flat when open.
As with refillable display books, different paper types can be used, and working on more than one page at once is possible. Pages can also be removed, added, and re-ordered with ease.
This method is more time-consuming than others and is prone to user error (such as holes punched along the wrong side of an artwork). Nonetheless, it is an inexpensive way to create a high-quality, personalized sketchbook.
An example of a self-bound student sketchbook: The student name, school, ID number and other information is printed on white paper, along with a photograph of the accompanying final piece, creating a professional title page for the sketchbook. The cover is protected using a clear plastic sheet and bound to the A4 sketchbook. This is part of an A* A Level Coursework project by Nikau Hindin, ACG Parnell College.
A digital sketchbook typically takes the form of an online portfolio created using a website design platform such as WordPress. A digital sketchbook relies on access to high-speed internet and an appropriate laptop, computer, or other device. Images, videos, and typed annotations are presented on website pages using hyperlinks, menus, and categories to organize content.
Archival Safe Art PrintsThe primary advantage of an online portfolio is that you can include digital images, audio, and video footage with ease. Digital sketchbooks are growing in popularity, particularly for students who specialize in film, photography, and digital media.
If you opt for a digital sketchbook, make sure you have backup copies of files stored on a memory stick or cloud server (an automatic backup service, such as Dropbox, is recommended) with digital files stored in labeled folders on your device. It is also wise to print a copy of each online portfolio page. These printouts can be bound and submitted so that examiners have a physical copy in case of technological difficulties.
Before opting for a digital sketchbook, it is worth remembering that long hours online and the distraction of social media can affect mood and sleep, compromising your productivity and quality of work overall.
There are also benefits to keeping a traditional sketchbook alongside a digital portfolio. This helps verify the authenticity of your digital work, allows the spontaneous transfer of ideas by hand, and strengthens and consolidates your practical art-making techniques.
We have created a series of articles showcasing outstanding art sketchbook examples. These contain some of the best A Level Art sketchbook pages from students (many of which received full marks), as well as excellent artist sketchbooks, showcasing different approaches, techniques and presentation methods. It is hoped that they provide a motivational resource for students from a wide range of qualifications.
There are many types of art prints an artist can choose to use. Printmaking techniques like etching and engraving have been around for centuries, while techniques such as c-type printing are relatively new. Each type of print lends its own unique style, offering different textures and tones.
Below, we discuss the various print types and cover how printing revolutionized the world. Then, we discuss considerations when choosing a paper on which to print a piece of art. Finally, we answer a few of the most common questions asked about printing art.
Below, we discuss the various print types and cover how printing revolutionized the world. Then, we discuss considerations when choosing a paper on which to print a piece of art. Finally, we answer a few of the most common questions asked about printing art.
Art prints are images that printers or artists create using a hard surface, such as wood or a metal plate, known as a matrix. Traditionally, the artist engraves or inks the matrix, then presses it onto paper using a printing press.
Methods to create high-quality art prints vary significantly, allowing artists to create distinct styles and appearances. Regardless of the method, though, artists create a limited number of prints. After completing the set number, they destroy the plate, preventing any further prints from being created.
Aquatint is an intaglio technique similar to etching. With an intaglio technique, the artist uses a knife or acid to cut the image. Then, they apply ink to the recessed areas of the plate. The result is an image that stands up from the paper. So, if you run your fingers over it, you can feel the inked surface.
It specifically relies on fine particles of acid-resistant materials, usually powdered resin. The artist uses them to create the image on the plate, which is subsequently put in an acid bath.
The acid cuts into the plate between the grains of resin, creating a uniquely textured image. Once done, the artist uses the plate to make their print. The result is a mass of tiny dots rather than clear lines. These dots make the print look textured and a little blurred rather than defined, similar to painted watercolors.
Printmaker Jan Van del Vede invented the aquatint technique in 1650, but it seemed to disappear from the art world for a long time after that.
It wasn’t until the 18th Century that it reemerged when British artists looked for ways to recreate watercolor paintings. Famously, the Spanish artist Francisco Goya used aquatint in some of his etchings, including Los Caprichos (1799), Los Desastres de la Guerra (1810–19), and La Tauromaquia (1816).
Collagraphy is a printmaking process that artist Glen Alps coined in 1955. In it, the artist applies various materials to a flat surface, often cardboard or a thin wood plate. Then, they ink the image and press it onto another material using hand tools or a press.
Artists often use leaves, strings, sandpaper, grass, and other fibers to create collagraphs, making complex images with fascinating textures and tonal effects. However, because the wood or cardboard plate is typically very delicate, collagraph plates may not allow multiple impressions like other printmaking techniques. That means collographs are often mono-prints.