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As someone who tends to spend a lot of time sketching and writing and making a combination of the two through sketch journaling, grid art journaling and travel journaling, I now find myself wanting to share with you my perpetual sketch journal, which is something that I began last year.
I happened to receive a blank A4 art sketchbook (similar to this one) from one of my daughters last Christmas.
Obviously, I was thrilled because the potential in a blank sketchbook makes my heart sing.
Then I wondered what to do with it...
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As I flicked through it, I noticed that there were more than 52 pages, so immediately I thought gosh, I could do 52 sketches, one for each week of the year.
Then it occurred to me that I could do a perpetual sketch journal, very similar to my perpetual nature journal which I've spoken about in the past.
So, I converted this new blank, pristine journal into my perpetual sketch journal. ⠀
What Is a Perpetual Sketch Journal?
Diary or Journal
A perpetual sketch journal is a unique way to record your life, one small drawing at a time.
Unlike a regular sketchbook, that you fill up from the front to the back, this journal is structured to record little weekly illustrations over multiple years, allowing you to later revisit and reminisce over past moments.
Imagine flipping back to the same page next year and seeing what you were doing on that exact week in previous years.
It is a way to create an almost visual time capsule of your artistic and personal journey.
My Perpetual Sketch Journal showing the inside title page
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Sketchbook
Sketchbooks to Choose
Select a durable sketchbook with enough pages to last multiple years.
You need a journal that has at least 52 double spreads.
A double spread is when the book is open and there is a left-hand page and a right-hand page.
Choose a book with thick, high-quality paper that works well with most mediums including watercolor if that’s what you use.
Sketchbooks to Avoid
Avoid thin and see-through paper as those pages won't
stand up to the test of time.
This is not the time for a newsprint or tracing paper book as that type of paper is way too thin.
I mean, let's face it, ideally you will keep this journal for years to come and maybe even for the rest of your life, so you need pages with paper that can take it.
Sketchbook Sizes
When I started, I just happened to have the gifted A4 size sketchbook and that was the one I used.
But if I had to choose again, I may probably select an A5 (5" x 8") size because they are easier to handle and they sit better on the shelf, but I mean, that's no criteria for choosing your sketchbook.
Or is it?
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Art Supplies
About art supplies, I'm always of the opinion that you already have what you need.
There is never the requirement for anyone to go out to buy more art supplies, but of course we as artists love doing so.
I believe you already have all the pencils, pens, markers, crayons and paints that you need to start working in your perpetual sketch journal.
And let's not use the excuse that, "Oh, I don't have a red marker, therefore I cannot begin!"
No, no, no, reach for your pen, there's bound to be one somewhere so check in the kitchen drawer, and start with your creative sketching straight away.
Recommended Materials
These are the art supplies that I use in my perpetual sketch journal.
I'd like to have a simple date stamp or pen for marking each year's entry
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Dividing The Pages
So you've got your blank sketchbook.
There is at least 52 double spread pages available and now we're going to divide the book up.
There are two ways (well actually probably many more ways) of doing this.
In general, you can either do it weekly or monthly.
Weekly Layout
With a weekly layout you would go through the year, going week one, week two, week three, week four.
For instance, on your week one double spread you would write there January the 1st to 7th.
The next double spread will be January 8th to 14th and the next one will be January 15th to 21st.
In this way you get through all 52 weeks and each week has its own double spread.
I started off this way and then moved on to naming the months.
Monthly Layout
The second way of dividing your book if you have slightly more than 52 double spreads is to divide it into 12 months.
So here for example, you could open five double spreads per month.
So that would be 5 x 12 which is 60 in this case if you had 60 double page spreads.
You could definitely work the months and give each month 5 double spreads each because some months will have 4 weeks and some will have 5 weeks and each year is different.
Another way to get around this is just to count out four double page spreads per month.
So that would be 4 x 12 which is 48 double page spreads and you could just squeeze the last week on the half a page.
But either way, you need to get your book divided before you start.
One benefit of segmenting the book into months is that you can then do a special monthly introductory page and colour it in say, April, May or June and make a whole embellished monthly page if you like.
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Creating Yearly Sections
Annual Segments
The way I've been using my perpetual sketch journal is just by drawing a small sketch for the week.
I've simply plonked these drawings about the spreads as I've gone through the book.
However, if you want to get more organized, you could grid the whole page out and say this is 2025 and that's 2026 and that's 2027.
But I think that might be a little rigid, but it may work for some of you.
So just to be clear, you don't have to fill the whole page with a sketch for the week.
You need to leave space on each page for the multiple years of sketches still to come.
Then in time, you can look back over your sketchbook, perhaps to a particular week and you can see, "Oh, last year I was doing this, the year before I was doing that, and five years ago we were doing the next thing."
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How to Use Your Perpetual Sketch Journal
Draw One Illustration a Week
Each week, draw a small, simple mini sketch which is a snapshot of something that stood out to you in that week.
It could be:
A cup of coffee from a cozy café visit.
A flower blooming in your garden.
Your cat curled up in a funny position.
A street scene from your daily walk.
An agreeable lunch you shared with a friend.
A weekend away.
Annual celebrations and birthdays.
The light pouring in through your window.
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Week 3: January 15th-21st
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Spark Creativity and Reflection
Using Prompts
If you’re unsure what to draw, you can use prompts to guide you.
Here are a few ideas:
Seasonal changes: Sketch something that represents the current season.
Daily rituals: Capture something from your morning or evening routine.
Favorite objects: Draw an item that holds meaning for you that week.
Unexpected moments: Document a surprise or special event.
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Week 3: Detail for 2024 - Monster Snow Fall
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Capturing Everyday Moments
What to Sketch?
Don’t overthink it!
Your journal is a personal record, not a masterpiece.
Focus on small, meaningful details from your life.
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Week 3: Detail for 2025 - Jazz Evening
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Example: The Tea Lady
Helen Houghton
I recently came across a video on YouTube about an artist, Helen Houghton, who drew tea, tea sets, teacups and teapots all year.
The idea is that looking back over the years you can not only see what you were doing, but also how your artistic style and skills have developed.
You can reflect on past sketches that will reveal how your drawing skills and techniques evolved over time.
I believe it’s a rewarding way to witness personal artistic progress without the pressure.
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A Personal Archive
Bearing in mind that, I've only been doing this for just on 14 months, I suppose in a way the ideal will be that it will be your legacy.
Edith Holden
I think it may be like a visual diary of my life, very much like nature journaling can be, and I'm particularly thinking about The Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady by Edith Holden whose marvelous book has inspired me no end.
Not that I'm saying I'm in Edith's class at all, but what I'm saying is that yours and mine works will live on after you and I are long gone as our legacies.
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My copy of Edith Holden's magical book
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Your perpetual sketchbooks can be left for your family or your grandchildren to say, "Hey, this is what she was like, this is what interested her and it's so interesting that we still have some records of her work."
We can still see what he was doing and thinking about at the time, and this, from an artist who was sketching over 500 years ago.
Each sketch holds a memory, making your journal an invaluable visual diary.
Unlike traditional written journals, your sketches capture feelings and experiences in a way that words sometimes can’t.
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Building a Consistent Sketching Habit
Weekly-ish
By committing to just one small drawing a week, you’ll establish a sustainable creative routine that doesn’t feel overwhelming, but keeps your artistic practice alive.
Making It a Relaxing Weekly Ritual
I suggest that you choose a set time each week to sketch, perhaps on Sunday evenings with a cup of tea.
Treat your mini sketch as a mindful, enjoyable practice rather than a chore.
What to Do If You Miss a Week
No guilt, just keep going.
Life happens.
If you miss a week, don’t stress, rather just move forward.
During last year I was quite ill for a while, and I missed several weeks, but that doesn't matter because this year I'll be able to capture my weekly images and move forward.
You can always leave the space blank or add a quick doodle to fill the gap.
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Reviewing Past Years
Inspiration and Reflection
It's only over time that your perpetual sketch journal will become a rich tapestry of past experiences.
The longer you work at it, the better it becomes.
Revisiting old pages can spark new ideas, remind you of forgotten moments and serve as a visual representation of how much you’ve grown artistically.
A perpetual sketch journal is a low-pressure, rewarding way to track your artistic journey while capturing moments from your life.
Even if you don't do other types of sketch journaling, nature journaling, travel journaling or bullet journaling to have a perpetual sketch journal where you only do one sketch a week might be a great entry level sketchbook to help you develop your artistic habit.
This practice can bring joy, creativity and mindfulness into your weekly routine.
Start today, and in a few years, you’ll have a beautiful collection of full color memories and artistic growth to look back on!
