Why my sketchbook tours now feature every single page, not just the highlights

As someone who oversees a painting crew, I understand the value of showing both primer and finish, but in our sketchbook community, there's a strong trend toward displaying only polished, successful pieces. I've come to disagree with this emphasis on perfection because it can mask the genuine learning curve of art. About six months ago, I committed to a new habit: filming my tours without skipping any pages, including smudged charcoal studies, half-erased pencil drafts, and color experiments gone awry. Initially, I worried it would look unprofessional, but the response was unexpectedly positive. Viewers began leaving comments about how refreshing it was to see the struggle behind the skill, and I noticed my own anxiety about 'bad' pages diminished. By highlighting these raw moments, my tours have become more relatable and have sparked honest conversations about creative blocks. While many artists curate for aesthetic appeal, I've found that embracing the full spectrum of my sketchbook leads to a more authentic artistic practice and community connection.

3 comments

3 Comments

sarahwhite12d ago

But does showing the messy pages actually change how you work in the sketchbook itself, like do you feel less pressure to make every page 'good' now?

the_claire12d ago

Yeah, that point about pressure to make every page 'good' hits hard. It's like we're trained to treat our creative spaces as content first, which is a huge societal shift. Social media has turned everything into a performance, even private journals, so by sharing the messy bits, I'm actively resisting that curation culture. It absolutely changes how I work because the sketchbook becomes a process document, not a portfolio, and the pressure drops when you're not prepping for an audience. This mindset is creeping into all aspects of life, where we feel the need to perfect every moment before living it, and breaking that cycle starts with small acts like showing the rough drafts.

zara44712d ago

Ever worry that being too polished online sets unrealistic expectations? Your tour style honestly sounds like a breath of fresh air, and it's encouraging to see someone prioritize process over perfection.