I know Skocko says that one of the most important things you can do as an artist is to carry around a sketchbook, so you can record your ideas before you forget them. This is indeed a great idea, but one thing I’ve noticed, in my attempts to practice this habit, is that it really doesn’t matter what you draw on, as long as it’s not something you have to turn in later. I do keep a dedicated sketchbook in my backpack for that purpose, but more often than not I find myself doodling in my notebook, in the margins or in the section for my studio class. During D&D sessions, I just snag a piece of printer paper from the stack and doodle on that, and I store it with my character sheet (I’ve been drawing a lot during D&D sessions recently, and I must say it’s a great exercise). So really, I think the important thing is to get your ideas out there, so you can see them and remember them and improve on them. It doesn’t matter where or how you do it, as long as you can keep track of them later. And one of the most important things is to draw all the time — even little things, even if you don’t think it looks good. The practice is essential to helping connect your brain and your hands. And even if drawing isn’t your method of choice — if you’re primarily a photographer, or a 3D artist, say — the cross-training you get from sketching will only make you stronger as an artist.

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