I always love reading these types of posts getting a better insight to the process and history of it all. I also love seeing all the relics and images posted to go along with the stories. 2025 continues to be the year of Skottie Young. Always excited to see what's next and what the future holds
I have this problem too, I get along fine with loose sheets, but I find myself unable to fill a sketchbook for some reason.
My current problem is to drag myself into drawing again, I've had so many bad things happen one after the other since December that I have lost quite a lot of my mood or drive to do art.
I get that. My character Boy from Boy At The End came from me trying to work myself through some heavy stuff. And he still is who I turn to get me drawing when the my mind and heart are trying work things out. Good luck trying to find your way back.
Picking a prompt with a time limit- 10 minutes helps me get out of my creative slumps. Dive back in… it (usually) always helps with mood 😊. I hope things turn around for you!
Oh, well that's just a HELL NO for me now. hahaha. I've ruined more sketchbooks than I care to admit. People often want me to take their books home with me. Even if I did draw it, they'd never get it back. Anyone who knows me knows better that to let me borrow stuff. I tell you right up front that I dont' borrow. I keep.
You just made my day with this post. The breakdown of your sketchbooks over the years and how it all evolved is all too relatable. An artists books and sketches are reflection of their life and mind. Thank you for sharing. Posts like these are needed in this weird and whacky world.
Yet another fantastic and relatable Substack read! I've been kicking myself to get back to sketching and my fear unfortunately wins out. The idea that it has to be perfect or I've wasted my time.
I haven't tried the single paper thing yet but honestly I'm surprised I never thought of it before as that's exactly what I used as a kid. Love to hear that's why you tend to do them that way as well! I'm gonna do that coupled with Brett Bean's tip of using a pen. Then you can't erase and you have to be more purposeful with your strokes.
Would absolutely love to see you go through old sketchbooks for sure!
I love seeing the raw sketches, I feel like they tell so much more of a story and have so much feeling and emotion in them. It’s like being inside Skotties mind.
Amazing work, your posts are always so inspiring and I’m always exited to read each one. Can’t wait to see some more YouTube content, have a great day Skottie.
I used to be an artist that loved sketchbooks. My friends and I would draw and sketch as far as we could(we often got close to the end). Now as a working comic artist, I have not been able to stay consistent with one. Yet I see my art students from my class use theirs daily. This definitely helps you put things into perspective.
I’ve definitely flip-flopped in a similar way over the years. I’m currently on a 4-5 year run of keeping sketchbooks, prior to this I spent a few years working on loose sheets of paper for the same reasons, feel like there’s way less pressure and I gave myself more permission to just fuck about because it didn’t have to be “perfect”. I’ve been feeling a bit of this pressure creeping in recently so it might be time to switch things up again
YouTube content about your old sketchbook and habits would be awesome I too have the same phobias about sketchbooks I have at least a dozen that I've never touched because I couldn't commit to completing the whole book and didn't feel like my little scribbles deserved to be in a book just on a scrap piece of paper that would end up in a box or garbage can. This post made me realize why not use them instead of collecting blank sketchbooks because I found them on sale at my local art supply store they are of no use unless I use them. Thank you for such a home hitting post.
Thanks! I'll definitely be doing some videos. And don't throw any of it away! you never know what you might fall in love with later. Or learn from when you go back and see where you started or where you are now.
I still draw on scrap board and junk mail so that undone ruin good clean paper with my drawings. 😔I know it’s mental and I have a bunch of perfectly good sketchbooks and a few that I’ve ruined the fist number of pages. Maybe I need to ruin the rest of the pages.
Another great blog on something that hits home with my own crazy. The intimidation of not only finishing one of those nice expensive hard bounds , but doing something cool for myself or for someone to even see.
Today I don’t show what I do in them except in special cases. My excuse is it’s my journal and it’s personal… truthfully it’s a lot of scribbles and affirmations of me being set free from the day job lol.
Also I buy sketch books like they are running out and I have all kinds of new and very empty ones that I plan to fill up one day. Sorry for being long winded, love this and thanks for the inspiration. More YouTube please!!!
You just just changed my life with this post....
...again...
Awe, thank you. That's fun to hear.
I always love reading these types of posts getting a better insight to the process and history of it all. I also love seeing all the relics and images posted to go along with the stories. 2025 continues to be the year of Skottie Young. Always excited to see what's next and what the future holds
Thank you. I never know if these kind of posts will hit or miss. Glad they're hitting for you. And I'll try to keep up with 2025. haha
I have this problem too, I get along fine with loose sheets, but I find myself unable to fill a sketchbook for some reason.
My current problem is to drag myself into drawing again, I've had so many bad things happen one after the other since December that I have lost quite a lot of my mood or drive to do art.
I get that. My character Boy from Boy At The End came from me trying to work myself through some heavy stuff. And he still is who I turn to get me drawing when the my mind and heart are trying work things out. Good luck trying to find your way back.
Picking a prompt with a time limit- 10 minutes helps me get out of my creative slumps. Dive back in… it (usually) always helps with mood 😊. I hope things turn around for you!
I totally feel this and it's even worse when someone asks me to draw in THEIR sketchbook.
Oh, well that's just a HELL NO for me now. hahaha. I've ruined more sketchbooks than I care to admit. People often want me to take their books home with me. Even if I did draw it, they'd never get it back. Anyone who knows me knows better that to let me borrow stuff. I tell you right up front that I dont' borrow. I keep.
You just made my day with this post. The breakdown of your sketchbooks over the years and how it all evolved is all too relatable. An artists books and sketches are reflection of their life and mind. Thank you for sharing. Posts like these are needed in this weird and whacky world.
Thanks. Glad you found some interest in it. It's nice to be able to use you all as a kidnapper of therapist to get things off my chest. haha.
Yet another fantastic and relatable Substack read! I've been kicking myself to get back to sketching and my fear unfortunately wins out. The idea that it has to be perfect or I've wasted my time.
I haven't tried the single paper thing yet but honestly I'm surprised I never thought of it before as that's exactly what I used as a kid. Love to hear that's why you tend to do them that way as well! I'm gonna do that coupled with Brett Bean's tip of using a pen. Then you can't erase and you have to be more purposeful with your strokes.
Would absolutely love to see you go through old sketchbooks for sure!
Yeah, most of mine are in pen as well. It definitely keeps you from being precious about the drawing.
Oh nice! Well I definitely can't deny the advice of the Young Bean team! Here's to getting back to drawing for fun!
I love seeing the raw sketches, I feel like they tell so much more of a story and have so much feeling and emotion in them. It’s like being inside Skotties mind.
Amazing work, your posts are always so inspiring and I’m always exited to read each one. Can’t wait to see some more YouTube content, have a great day Skottie.
Thank you. I really appreciate you taking the time to read and comment. Means a lot to me the the team.
I used to be an artist that loved sketchbooks. My friends and I would draw and sketch as far as we could(we often got close to the end). Now as a working comic artist, I have not been able to stay consistent with one. Yet I see my art students from my class use theirs daily. This definitely helps you put things into perspective.
yeah, I totally get it. It's a never ending battle but one that's fun and worth fighting. Good luck!
This was a great read. Thank you for sharing this. Definitely a relatable read and struggle.
Thank you! Glad you enjoyed it.
I’ve definitely flip-flopped in a similar way over the years. I’m currently on a 4-5 year run of keeping sketchbooks, prior to this I spent a few years working on loose sheets of paper for the same reasons, feel like there’s way less pressure and I gave myself more permission to just fuck about because it didn’t have to be “perfect”. I’ve been feeling a bit of this pressure creeping in recently so it might be time to switch things up again
Congrats on your current streak. Hopefully this post doesn't jinx you! haha. Keep it up1
YouTube content about your old sketchbook and habits would be awesome I too have the same phobias about sketchbooks I have at least a dozen that I've never touched because I couldn't commit to completing the whole book and didn't feel like my little scribbles deserved to be in a book just on a scrap piece of paper that would end up in a box or garbage can. This post made me realize why not use them instead of collecting blank sketchbooks because I found them on sale at my local art supply store they are of no use unless I use them. Thank you for such a home hitting post.
♥️
Thanks! I'll definitely be doing some videos. And don't throw any of it away! you never know what you might fall in love with later. Or learn from when you go back and see where you started or where you are now.
Dude... I feel so seen!
I still draw on scrap board and junk mail so that undone ruin good clean paper with my drawings. 😔I know it’s mental and I have a bunch of perfectly good sketchbooks and a few that I’ve ruined the fist number of pages. Maybe I need to ruin the rest of the pages.
I can scribble all day in the spiral bound books. I treat them like a treadmill. I'm not supposed to look while on that dumb thing. It's exercise.
Well said good sir. Good thinking! If I so chose to I could rip out a page and not have that torn edge reminder of craporama off day! lol.
Thanks for sharing these thoughts. They exactly mirror many of my own issues with sketchbooks over the long decades.
I figured I'm not the only one. Thanks for reading!
Thanks for sharing Skottie. It's encouraging to see that one's not alone in the "sketchbook wars".
Another great blog on something that hits home with my own crazy. The intimidation of not only finishing one of those nice expensive hard bounds , but doing something cool for myself or for someone to even see.
Today I don’t show what I do in them except in special cases. My excuse is it’s my journal and it’s personal… truthfully it’s a lot of scribbles and affirmations of me being set free from the day job lol.
Also I buy sketch books like they are running out and I have all kinds of new and very empty ones that I plan to fill up one day. Sorry for being long winded, love this and thanks for the inspiration. More YouTube please!!!
One day is here! Do it!
Yes thank you!!
Get after it! No time like now. Or grab a stack of loose paper and start moving those lines around!
Thank you so much I appreciate this!!