Expressive Sketchbooks (Book Review and Helen Wells Featured Artist)

I love British artist Helen Wells, and I think you may too.

Check out her absolutely wonderful videos on:

her instagram page

and on her blog.

Such a feast for the eyes! She loves things I love, like color, and organic shapes, and intensity, and decorative pattern, and nature, and pottery, and trees, and high contrast, and sketchbooks. She said once that she’s “a maximalist,” which I can relate to, and she’s refreshingly unabashed about it in a world touting minimalism. That superfluidity pours out in both of our generous dispositions.

I recommend following both her instagram and her blog for creative inspiration. Her voice, her style, and her intention, are all very encouraging. She offers a big permission slip to everyone regardless of skill level, which I love her for too.

I recently read her book, Expressive Sketchbooks, which I felt it was more for a beginner than a seasoned artist like myself (which is the only reason why I give it only 4 stars). However, if you are a beginner, this would be a great place to start. It would also be an awesome gift along with a quality sketchbook, to launch someone (or yourself) into an artist journal practice. She has an online class you could consider too, which I haven’t taken, but might be a great step for a motivated beginner.

I think keeping an artist journal is very sanity producing, and because of this observation, I wish everyone would do one. As you blog readers know, I love playing in mine. It is a sanctuary for me. I always want to invite everyone into this healthy, pleasurable, contemplative space that a creative journal provides.

Art experience is not required; doodling works just fine. Just do in it what feels right, with low expectations and low-stakes risk-taking. You’ll be surprised at how greatly satisfying just a simple effort in an artist journal can be.

And if you want more ideas, Helen Wells is a wonderful resource.

Also, here’s the link to the sketchbook she uses.

Here’s the link to the one I’ve been using.