Lesson video

Hello, everyone.

How are you? I hope you're feeling great.

My name is Ms. Afzal, and I'll be your art teacher for this lesson.

I'm feeling really excited about that because today we're looking at sketchbooks.

Something so crucial in our artistic journey is having a sketchbook, keeping a sketchbook.

We'll be going into all of that today.

Our lesson is called the role of a sketchbook in developing your textile practise, and it comes from the unit of work, finding your voice and introduction to the creative process.

So if you have your voice ready, if you have some ideas, some enthusiasm and openness, let's begin.

The outcome for today's lesson is I can explore how sketchbooks are used to develop ideas, take creative risks, and express a personal textile voice.

We have a couple of keywords in our lesson today.

They are sketchbook and layer.

So what is a sketchbook? It's a tool for artists to experiment, record ideas, and develop their creative process.

And layer is placing images, textures, or writing over one another to build depth.

These are our keyword, sketchbook, and layer.

Let's look out for them.

Let's listen out for them.

They'll be coming up in our lesson today.

Our lesson is called the role of a sketchbook in developing your textile practise.

And it has two learning cycles.

First of all, how textile designers use sketchbooks, and then developing your own recording style.

Let's begin with how textile designers use sketchbooks, and let's take a little fast forward into the future and take a look at what an outcome for this lesson could be.

Oh my.

Take a look at these sketchbooks.

Really, really unique, interesting and intriguing.

Sketchbooks reflect personal journeys and allow textile artists to find, develop, and communicate their unique textile voice.

Have you ever seen an artist's sketchbook? Pause the video and share with someone.

Thanks for sharing.

And do you or anyone in your family use a sketchbook? Pause here and share about this.

Thanks for sharing.

These students are discussing what it means to have a voice in textile design.

It's the way your work stands out.

Like using bold textures or certain colours you always go back to.

Your voice might also be expressed in how you layer stitch over drawings or mix different influences together.

Let's have a check for understanding, true or false.

Having a textile voice means copying popular styles, so your work looks professional.

Pause here while you decide if this statement is true or false.

Well done if you selected false.

And now I'd like you to say a little more about your answer.

Pause here while you do this.

Perhaps you said something like this.

A creative voice is the personal way you express ideas through materials, techniques, and visuals.

It's about your unique perspective, not imitation.

What are the different ways this textile artist has used their sketchbook? Pause a video and share with someone.

Thanks for sharing what you noticed.

And what does this tell us about their process? Pause here and share with somebody.

Thanks for sharing.

Let's hear from Sam.

It looks like they've made drawings and changed them by photocopying, cutting and painting over them.

This makes them look more abstract.

What of the different ways this textile artist has used their sketchbook? Pause here and share with someone.

Thanks for sharing what you noticed.

Let's hear from Jen.

They're recording experimentation.

It looks like they've been inspired by layering different qualities of materials.

Perhaps that's something you came up with one of the different ways this textile artist has used their sketchbook.

Pause here.

Take a good look and shower with someone.

Do you think this is recording, experimenting, or both? Pause here and shower with someone.

Thanks for sharing.

Let's hear from Sophia.

I think this page shows how experimenting and recording can be layered together in one page.

Let's have a check for understanding.

Which of these are most likely to be found in a textile design sketchbook? A, research and ideas.

B, lighting diagrams. C, drawings of patterns.

D, material tests.

Pause here while you decide? Well done if you selected answers A, C and D, indeed.

Research and ideas, drawings of patterns and material tests could all be found in a textile design sketchbook.

Textile artists might use their sketchbooks to record ideas, emotions and research.

Layer materials, textures and techniques.

Take creative risks and reflect on outcomes.

Plan, exhibitions or personal projects.

Capture inspiration from daily life.

Pause the video and share with someone.

If you have a sketchbook, which of these things have you included in your sketchbook? Thanks for sharing.

Let's check for understanding, true or false.

Sketchbooks are just for recording ideas and notes.

We'll see and decide if this statement is true or false.

Well done if you selected false.

And now, I'd like you to say a little more about your answer.

Pause here while you do this.

Perhaps you said something like this.

Sketchbooks can be outcomes in themselves, not just preparation for final pieces.

These artists use sketchbooks to experiment, playing with materials, recording daily life or cultural and personal reflections.

Jane McKeating always carries a sketchbook to draw everyday objects and scenes around her.

She layers quick drawings with thread, colour or annotation, observing the world in its simplest form, Delaine Le Bas' sketchbooks layer symbols and stitch to reflect Romani experiences and the stories of marginalised people.

Her sketchbooks help her reflect on ideas that she later brings to life in her fabric pieces.

These artists use sketchbooks to lay a symbolism, experiment with mark-making and develop ideas with meaning.

Mohammad Barrangi uses sketchbooks for drawing and printmaking, creating symbolic imagery that explores themes of identity and cultural heritage, blending traditional techniques with modern expressions.

And Diedrick Brackens begins with symbolic sketches and drawings that later become woven artworks, exploring race, history and queer identity.

And now, it's time for your first task.

I'd like you to begin by investigating a textile artist's sketchbook.

So first, choose your own sketchbook, a peer's or an artist's example.

Look for examples of experimentation.

Where has the artist layered different materials or techniques? Idea development.

How are ideas layered or evolving across pages? Inspirational sources.

What kinds of imagery, textures, or references are included? So pause here while you investigate a textile artist sketchbook.

I'll see you when you're finished.

So how did you get on with that first part of your task? Investigating a textile artist's sketchbook.

You may have said something like this.

You may have spotted the inspirational sources, experimental layering of media, drawing shows, idea development from inspirational sources.

And now, I would like you to reflect on your investigation.

What's one new idea you've had about using your sketchbook creatively? How does the artist's sketchbook help express their textile voice? So pause here while you reflect on your investigation and answer these two questions.

It's good to be back with you.

How did you get on reflecting on your investigation? You may have said something like this.

Here's Aisha.

I realised I don't always need to make finished drawings.

I can just play with materials and textures like layering fabrics or making quick marks.

That still counts as useful sketchbook work.

Absolutely Aisha.

And here's Alex.

You can tell what matters to them.

Like Delaine Le Bas includes stitch writing and objects that relate to her culture.

It's not just drawing it's personal.

Absolutely.

Great to reflect on this, and I hope you enjoyed your reflections and found them helpful.

And now, we're onto our next learning cycle, developing your own recording style.

So what does a free sketchbook look like to you? What would you do in it that you wouldn't usually try in class? Pause here and share with someone.

Here's Laura.

A free sketchbook means I can try weird colour combinations or mix paint with fabric without worrying If it looks good.

Exactly.

This is a place to explore, to experiment, to be free.

And Andy, I feel more comfortable making mistakes or being messy.

Absolutely.

We can learn so much through our mistakes.

Sketchbooks don't have to stay in one format.

They can be folded, stitched, collaged, or even sculptural.

Think of them as layered spaces to think, record and expressed your textile voice.

Pause here and share with someone your impressions of this sketchbook.

Thanks for sharing your impressions.

Let's have a check for understanding, true or false.

Sketchbook should always be neat and finished, like a final artwork.

Pause here and decide if this statement is true or false.

Well done If you selected false.

And now, I'd like you to say a little more about your answer.

Pause here while you do this.

Perhaps you said something like this.

Sketchbooks are about exploration, not perfection.

One way to make a handmade sketchbook is to simply fold a page.

So fold a page in half and unfold each half again, unfold, then fold in half lengthwise to reveal eight sections.

Use the creases to fold the page into a zigzag concertina booklet.

Filling a page can feel daunting.

Handmade sketch books give you the freedom to play.

So this example has been bound and soaked in tea to create stains.

Try mark-making with a range of media, spilling ink, layering scraps, whatever helps you explore, so that we could use ink, spilling ink, and then you stitching or layering.

Try things out, layer ideas and explore.

You might turn your page in different directions as you work, which can create interesting effects.

Add notes as you go so that you can review your work as it progresses.

Drawings don't have to be realistic, they can be layered fast marks, slow meditative lines, rough textures, stitched or scratch drawings, or a combination of all of these.

And we can see someone mark-making using string.

Lines can be a record of what's around you.

Use blind contour or continuous line drawing.

Take a line for a walk with pencil ink, stitch, wax.

Explore weight, movement and pressure of line.

Textures bring your page to life.

You might add texture through rubbings, woodgrain, coins, grates.

Fabric overlays, tulle, thread, net.

Collage, found packaging, wrappers.

And stitch, hand or machine embroidery.

Many ways to bring life to your page through texture.

Let's have a check for understanding.

Which of these would be good for rubbings? A, a glass plate.

B, a brick wall.

C, a piece of flat fabric.

Or D, a leaf.

Pause here while you decide which of these would be good for rubbings.

Well done if you selected B and D, indeed.

A brick wall and a leaf would be good for rubbings.

And now, it's time for your next task.

I would like to use an unconventional sketchbook format, such as a folded sheet, a long concertina book, and then create a layered observational page.

Select objects or imagery as a stimuli.

Focus on marks, lines and textures.

Use drawing tools, stitch and found materials, and let your ideas build in layers, overlap drawings, textures, and marks to create depth and meaning.

So pause here while you have a go at this two stage task.

First of all, using your unconventional sketchbook format and then creating a layered observational page.

Enjoy your task and I'll see you when you're finished.

Okay.

It's good to be back with you.

So how did you get on with your task using an unconventional sketchbook format and then creating a layered observational page? Your work may have looked like this.

Oh my, I'm really, really liking the look of this unconventional sketchbook format.

Looks like it's been bound, dipped in tea, perhaps.

And then some wonderful layered observational pages.

Here's Jacob.

I observed natural forms and tied string around my sketchbook, and I'm planning to make a collection.

Oh my.

I love the idea of a collection of these.

And next, I'd like you to think, pair, and share.

What does this page say about my textile voice? What mark-making felt most natural or exciting? Is there a motif material, or process you'd like to explore more? So really take your time here as first of all, you think.

Then share in a pair, and then share more widely about what this page says about your textile voice, what mark-making felt most natural or exciting, and whether there's a motif, material or process that you'd like to explore more.

I'll see you when you're finished.

It is great to be back with you.

How did you get on with that part of your task reflecting, thinking, pairing, and then sharing further? You may have said something like this.

Here's Jacob.

It feels like my personality on a page.

I really enjoyed layering fingerprints and experimenting with mark-making.

I'd like to explore turning my page more while working.

Some wonderful reflection.

Thanks for sharing those, Jacob.

And I hope you've enjoyed sharing your reflections and perhaps even as you heard from others, maybe that sparked some more ideas for you and some inspiration for what you might do next with developing your textile voice.

In our lesson, the role of a sketchbook in developing your textile practise, we've covered the following.

Sketchbooks are creative spaces to record, experiment, and develop a personal textile voice.

Artists use sketchbooks to layer materials, ideas, and techniques, building meaning over time.

Expression happens through marks, textures and materials, not just neat, finished drawings.

Well done everyone for joining in with this lesson.

It was great to be with you and to be exploring that sketchbook, the humble sketchbook, and what it can do for us and how it can support us to find our personal textile voice, to develop that voice, to express that voice.

I hope you enjoyed experimenting with materials, techniques, maybe tea bags and thread, and I'm really excited about where this is going to take you and how you'll be developing your own textile voice further.

I hope you've got lots of ideas from each other and that you're feeling fired up and ready to continue your exploration.

Thank you for joining in with this lesson.

I really, really enjoyed it.

I hope you did too.

I'm looking forward to seeing you at another art lesson soon.

Until then, stay creative.