Ive decided the theme of my first sketchbook is going to be all about ME – Im listing my notes which Im making on this project on my blog for the benefit of readers who might lke to have a go at making an artist sketchbook too in the same theme.

I decided to pick this theme as it makes my sketchbook personal and also it will introduce me to the world art journals and sketchbooks. Not to mention it will encourage me to play and try new things too!

So the working title for my sketchbook is something along the lines of -The Book Of Me -or- All About Me

Sketchbook Page Prompts:

Here is the list of page prompts I will be using for my sketchbook, Im listing them here and will add to this list as I think of more prompts.

I havent decided what order I am doing the prompts in, any old order I guess! I think the important thing is to have fun and to enjoy the overall process. If anyone decided to do a similar sketchbook why not leave me a message and include the link to your sketchbook so I can come have a look at it!

Whats My Name Page:

For this theme you need to spell out your first name across your pages – make it nice and bold! You can use stamps, letters cut out of magazines or newspapers, computer print outs or stamps for this. For each letter of your name I want you to think of a word that you think best describes YOU! Once youve got your word I want you to either write that word down or use visial images cut out or you can draw or stamp them if you prefer.

Another idea for this page is that you could in smaller text write on the page some accompanying text to explain why you chose those words to describe yourself.

8 Things I love Page:

The title is self explanitory! On your page write or stamp the line ‘8 Things I Love’ then use words or sketches or images to embellish your page with the 8 things you love – no need to be serious if you dont want to! Be daft or tongue in cheek if you prefer the main thing is to have fun with this theme!

When I Grow Up I Want To Be Page:

As before you can be tongue in cheek or deadly serious with this one! Maybe you want to be a cowgirl or an air hostess or even Captain Janeway! The choice is YOURS! Have fun playing and finding suitable images for this one!

The Year I Was Born Page:

You may have to do a little bit of research for this one or you may already know it! But for this prompt you need to put the year you was born on your page somehow, somewhere….and then for the theme of your page take 1 key event or happening which sums up the year you was born in and use that as your theme for decorating you journal page.

Example – I was born in 1968, so I will probably be influenced someway by the old 60’s hippy Flower Power revolution on my page unless I can find something else to do…

My ______ _______ Page:

It looks odd but thats the prompt! What I want you to do for this page is to fill in the 2 blanks with 2 words. The last word has to be a name! The middle word can be anything you choose….Use that sentance as your main theme for decorating your page…

Example – Im going to do ‘My Dog Harry’ – You could maybe do My Brother Boris, or My Friend Claudius or whoever you want to do….so long as the last blank word is a NAME you have full artistic licience to do whatever you want for this page!

Queen For The Day Page:

Heres a chance to fantatise and go wild, what would you do if you was Queen? What laws would you pass if you where allowed to and what type of things would you get up to if you was the monarch who could do anything they wanted to do, what type of ruler would you be? – draw, stick images on, collage, stamp and have fun!

My Life In Numbers Page:

I want you to make a list of numbers which have played a part in your life in stages for want of a better word. In other words you will be compiling a list of sentances all about you, each sentance should have a number in it and that number should be related to you in some way of another….
Example:

• The number 42 is on my front door
• I am 39 years old
• When I was 5 years old I split my head open on a playground swing

And so on – continue in this manner until you’ve completed your page with your number sentances and doodling – Im not giving you a set numbered list as that part is up to YOU!

Family Traits Tree Page:

This is a bit different from the conventional genealogy family trees, instead of making a tree which shows your family, make a family tree which shows the traits you have inherited from your family members. For example you may have your dads nose, your grandfathers eyes and your mothers sense of humour – whatever your traits are put them down on a page as if you were drawing a family tree and list yourself at the top or bottom of the tree and have your relatives coming off from your name along with the traits you have inherited from them. You dont have to list every family member, only the ones you have inherited traits from.

Significant Others Page:

This can be a page either dedicated to your life partner, or a page dedicated to one person who have made a very significant impact on your life.

Favourite Places Page:
A page or even several pages if you prefer dedicated to your favourite places and locations – why are they your favourite places? What special memories do they hold for you?

Surname Definitions Page:

Time to do some more research! This time do a brief history search about your family surname and what it means and decorate the page accordingly.

School Subjects Page:
What was your best subject at school? Who was your favourite teacher? Which subject did you absolutely LOVE (and hate)

Memorable Moments Page:

The strongest memorable moments of your life are? Important events you can remember which made a bit impact on the person you are today.

A Time When I was Happiest Page:

When was the time you remember being at your utmost happiest? What were do doing? Why was you so happy?

Childhood Friends Page:

Quite self explanitory! For this prompt make a page dedicated to your best friend you had when you was small – can be a person or an animal!

Old Fashioned Wisdom:

For this prompt think of things your mother or grandmother or any older relative always used to tell you when you were a kid,  Im thinking of old fashioned wisdom and comments. Like for example – dont sit on a cold floor or you’ll get piles or dont eat too many sweet things or else you’ll get worms! Strange and unusual comments, sometimes not nessesarily true either! Decorate your page using either 1 or various quotes and sayings from your childhood you remember….

 Favourite Books:

What was your favourite type of book to read when you were small? Maybe you followed a series? I loved the Famous Five and Mallory Towers – how about you? Decorate a page featuring your favourite books.

Before I Die List:

Nothing morose about this page idea at all! Compose a list of must do things you would love to do before you exit the planet – dream big! Places youve always wanted to visit? Something youve always wanted to do? Put them on your page…

 I Am…..

For this page write or cut out letters to spell out the word I AM at the top of the page. Then underneath write a list or decorate a page describing all the things that YOU are in your own words…

Retro Page:

Something from your youth which is no longer around anymore …it could be a TV program, a brand of chocolate or sweets, food, a magazine – anything at all. Decorate your page using your chosen items as your inspiration.

Favourite Song Lyrics:

Type or write out your favourite song lyrics on a page and decorate the page too. You may or may not want to state why you picked that song as your favourite….

Word Art:

Put 1 word on a page, it can be any word at all but it must be a word which is important to you and means something to you. Draw that word on your page, make it BIG, you want to almost fill your sketchbook page up with your chosen word. Decorate your word and make it into word art – use swirls or dots or geometrics…anything….

On My Wish Day Page:

If you had a day when you could do anything at all what would you do? Magic wand included

My Coffee Morning List Page:

If you could invite anyone round for a good old chat (dead or alive) who would it be. This is based on the old who would you have at a dinner party but I don’t do dinner parties – I do lots of chatting over a cup of tea lol.

The Most Important Thing To Me Is Page:

It can be your family, your dog, art, health, the colour of your hair, sleep or even chocolate?

Thanks Fiona!

More prompts soon…