Sketch: A Project Guide to Drawing with Confidence

A practical guide designed to help you develop confidence in drawing. The book is based on the idea that drawing enhances observation—the more you draw, the more you notice your surroundings. While many people believe they cannot draw despite drawing freely as children, artist Sam Marshall argues that creativity is inherent in everyone. Rather than teaching specific techniques, this project guide encourages you to develop a regular drawing practice and find your own creative voice. The book begins with warm-up exercises, then progresses through a series of challenges organized by difficulty. Early projects focus on drawing at home and in natural spaces, advancing to drawing from paintings and eventually to collage work and larger imaginative pieces. Marshall suggests using various materials including colored pencils, felt tips, inks, and marker pens. Throughout the book, Marshall shares her own drawings and observations alongside work from selected students, demonstrating that each person's mark-making is unique. The guide aims to shift how you think about and experience drawing, helping you discover drawing in a sketchbook as a practice for observation, reflection, and relaxation.