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Sketching your daily life

Writer's picture: Jane ChippJane Chipp

Embrace the joy of an illustrated journal

 

I’d like to invite you to experience the joy of keeping an illustrated journal, something I’ve been doing for nearly 10 years. I'll share some examples from my journals to show how I illustrate my life. My daily journals are very different to much of the art I share online. You'll see that there's a huge variety; some are extremely simplistic, whilst others (mainly when I'm on vacation) are detailed compositions. Many are not works of art... far from it! But they are precious to me for reasons I explain.


Above: detailed pages from a holiday journal in Spain. I found an old nature book in a Spanish charity shop and used it as the base for the sketches as it featured parrots, echoing the content of the journal entry.


Why create an illustrated journal?


Capture your memories

Life moves so quickly, but drawing moments from your day can help preserve them in ways photos or words alone simply can’t. When you sketch a scene, an object, or even a feeling, it brings those memories to life in a more vivid, lasting way. Looking back through your journal will not only remind you of what you saw but how you felt. Plus, it’s an incredible way to capture those fleeting, everyday moments that you may otherwise forget.


This is a very simple page that I did to record the events of a day in 2015. It was the first time my husband and I had some time away from home on our own since having children.

 

It was clearly a busy day, but I'm so pleased I took the time to quickly sketch out what we did as I can remember all the details as a result, almost 10 years later.


A Quiet, personal ritual

For me, the highlight of the day is when I sit on my bed with my journal and a hot cup of tea. It’s a quiet, reflective moment where I get to unwind, draw, and jot down thoughts or experiences from the day. It becomes a calming ritual, a mindful practice that helps me transition from the busyness of life into a more peaceful space.


Above: making notes of interesting things I learned during a presentation from a designer

Explore different styles and techniques

One of the best parts of keeping an illustrated journal is the freedom to experiment. Over the years, I’ve played around with various styles and techniques. There are no rules, just fun ways to express yourself and document your life.


The page above is from my current journal. At the moment, I'm enjoying making simple line drawings and adding one piece of collage i.e. the t-shirt on Neville. I choose the collage papers completely at random.


Sketches made using a fineliner pen in the departure lounge of Heathrow airport whilst waiting for a flight. These images transport me back there, with all the hustle and bustle and sense of excitement and/or boredom of the travelers.

This page was made using a vintage photo on which I painted. I used the photo to represent me. This is a great idea if you're not confident to draw things

An entry from 2019. I combined sketches representing a few days in one double-page spread, rather than using a page per day
An entry from 2019. I combined sketches representing a few days in one double-page spread, rather than using a page per day

My tips


Sketch in situ if you dare and have time. I normally find a corner where I can tuck myself away where no one can look over my shoulder at what I'm sketching as I'm not brave enough to have an audience! I wholeheartedly recommend giving it a go as you'll remember things far more vividly if you sketch them live.

 

  • Take photos and make notes during the day to remind you later what you want to sketch in your journal. Really look and try to capture visual details to include in your sketches. Make notes about what sounds or smells there were so you can make notes of them in your journal.

 

  • Nothing is too boring to sketch! Many of my weekdays are very similar and unremarkable, in which case I'll sketch my dinner or someone from a TV show that I'm watching.

 

  • Draw for yourself. You don't have to share your sketchbooks with anyone else. They are your personal space.


Have a go!

I encourage you to grab a sketchbook and give journaling a go. Whether you fill your pages with simple line drawings, stick people or more intricate scenes, you’ll create something uniquely yours. Hopefully, you will find yourself looking forward to that quiet moment of reflection every day.


Thanks for reading. Did you enjoy this post? I'd love to hear so drop me a line!


Happy journaling,

Jane

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