Draw Your Day: An Inspiring Guide to Keeping a Sketch Journal

This book is small but packs a big punch. It’s full of inspiration and beautiful illustrations. The author/artist takes you on a journey and makes you stop and think about how to create, from the everyday. It’s definitely got me to think about my day differently, and have a lot more gratitude for the mundane — which most of the time, is what our days are made up of.

I used to love drawing when I was a kid. I drew princesses and bats. Why bats? Who knows. I was always drawing on everything from old diaries my uncle saved for me when the year was over to the inside of finished cereal boxes to sand to my school textbooks. I had no intention whatsoever of pursuing art I just genuinely loved it. Then, one day, like probably everyone else I drew my last princess or bat and I didn’t even know it. And for more than 30 years the idea of drawing anything never even occurred to me. I’ve kept longhand rambling stream of consciousness journals my whole life. Do you know how often I read them? Never. They just stack up, one after the other. Month after month, year after year. Then, one day, on a whim, I decided to watch Samantha Dion Baker’s Skillshare class on illustrated journaling because I’ve dusted off the old sketch notes book and thought this would be a nice way of memory keeping. Well, I am converted!! Draw your day and Draw your world has changed my life. Well ok that’s dramatic but it’s certainly changed my journaling practice. I’m certainly no artist but let me tell you even the most simplistic little doodle evokes an entire day’s worth of memories. A picture, even a badly drawn one, really does speak a thousand words. No matter how boring and everyday you think your day was, draw it anyway. I draw my sandwich, the cat I petted on the street on the way back from the shop, my morning coffee, my notebook and pen, my favourite corner on the sofa. CS Lewis was absolutely correct: isn’t it funny how day by day nothing changes but when you look back everything is different. Get this book. Draw your day. It’s surprisingly soothing and the best bit is that in a few years you will not only have an illustrated record of your life you’ll also see how much better you are than when you drew your first tentative picture because if you draw your day every day, you WILL also get better at drawing. That’s just how li works. Get the book. Get the book get the book get the book. You can thank me later.

A beautiful book with lovely illustrations which has given me inspiration for my bullet journaling.

Love this book. It's given me inspiration and ideas to begin drawing again. A great way of putting your thoughts and experiences from the day onto paper.

I started by doing scrapbooks, and then I went through a period of drawing or painting places I visited, adding text like a diary. These now bring back places and people for me to enjoy remembering. This book has provided me with a new way to do this. The author's "diary" is beautifully illustrated, and provides loads of worthwhile examples and suggestions.

The introduction was like reading a parallel life - feeling that I'd lost the ability to draw. Have tried several books thinking they would help reignite my confidence and am sure this will do the trick. At school I was always an A+ student in art but was taught that everything had to be perfect which I think could have been the problem over the years. That and working full time while raising a family. Unless you are absolutely disciplined, refuse to become drowned in domesticity and save a little of each day for yourself, confidence diminishes if not vanishes altogether. This book is clearly written, the sketches are beautiful and prove that everyday things can be important and beautiful enough to record. Practise, practise, practise is the key. The author's advice is hugely helpful - reading it opens your eyes to the things around you, however unimportant they may be considered otherwise - fallen leaves, the spots on a ladybird, cloud formation, nature in season, a cup of coffee, a mug of cocoa - they're all worth recording. For me, simple the best way to keep a journal. My best art book purchase yet and one I've read from cover to cover.

Excellent quality paper. Lots of inspiration. I love the rounded corners of the book - a nice touch. I would recommend this book.

Beautifully produced book, lots of helpful tips, but would’ve liked more illustrations.

Je conseille ce livre à toutes les personnes qui veulent coucher sur le papier leurs souvenirs sous forme de textes mélangés à des dessins. Ce livre est inspirant, et Samantha présente son processus créatif avec beaucoup de détails. Ce livre se lit vraiment facilement et à la fin, on en veut encore ! (ça tombe bien, Samantha a écrit un second livre, sorti il y a deux mois ;-))

Sweet book but overpriced for what you get, its smaller than expected

I love this book. I haven't even had the chance to go all the way through it but from the moment I opened it up I knew I was going to like it. I've been really wanting to draw lately but lack inspiration for it. I wouldn't of even thought about drawing my day if this book hadn't of popped up in my Kindle feed. It's such a simple activity as well that you can do either digitally or traditionally.

I don't normally purchase books but I heard this author on a podcast and wanted to support the print world of publishing so I ordered. It's inspiring, well written, beautifully illustrated, and overall a nice and high quality book. I have already gotten inspiration from it and look forward to completing my first sketch journal.

Lo ame!, super facil de entender cada palabra y los sentimientos de Samantha al describir como se siente dibujando y demás, me llegaron al corazón, me he animado gracias a ella a comenzar mi sketchbook, y esto me a ayudado mucho a ver la vida de una manera mas bella! he estado pasando por un tratamiento de depresión y definitivamente esto en mi caso me ha ayudado a hacer lo que amo y ver la vida a través de los dibujos mas llena de color. Lo recomiendo amplia mente.