The sketching stage is integral to any piece of art – it forms the foundations that everything else balances on. Sketches can often provide interesting insights into the processes and thinking behind the finished piece as well as showing off technique and skill. An artist’s sketchbook is sacred and personal – often thought of like a diary – filled with uncensored thoughts, emotions and unique flourishes that are special to them. The freewheeling excitement in sketches – where artists don’t hold back, don’t over-think, don’t censor – is hard to beat. This book is about captured moments bursting with creativity, straight from the minds of the finest illustrators around the world. Whether made by pencil or stylus, sketches may be loose and generous or precise and economic, but all reveal something about the pure fun of creation.
Welcome to SKETCHBOOKS
AHMED ALDOORI • Grungy cyberpunk imagery rubs shoulders with fantastical figures on the pages of this concept artist’s sketchbook
MIA ARAUJO • Striking character artwork fills the pages of the US illustrator’s sketchbook, including a reimagining of Alice in Wonderland
ASHLINE • Nature and emotions serve as inspiration – and an aide-mémoire – for this self-taught French illustrator and concept artist
MAURO BELFIORE • This Italian artist uses graphite and coloured pencils to bring action scenes, character studies and portraits to life in his sketchbook
MAX BERTHELOT • Japanese video games and media have strongly influenced the fantasy and sci-fi sketches created by this French freelance artist
THOMAS CHAMBERLAIN-KEEN • Discover how this artist embraces community design challenges as a way to hone his skills and unfurl his imagination
LONGQUE CHEN • The natural world provides this concept artist with plenty of inspirational material for his awesome sci-fi vehicle designs
XIAO QING CHEN • This theme park designer draws on her travel experiences to help her create awe-inspiring fantasy environments
CHASE CURTIS • Robots of all shapes and sizes – together with the odd alien creature – fill the pages of this visual development artist’s sketchbook
JOÃO DAVID FERNANDES • Discover how this concept artist and illustrator uses his sketches to delve into character relationships and his own values
NIKOLAY GEORGIEV • This concept artist’s take on the classic mech genre is worth a closer look, as is his fascination with Lovecraftian horror…
HICHAM HABCHI • Comic heroes and antiheroes mingle with original characters seeking vengeance, victory in battle or just a well-placed graffiti tag
BENJAMIN HAYTE • This animation artist enjoys populating his personal art projects, which feature pirate monkeys, dragon wizards and more!
DANIEL WARREN JOHNSON • Sketching film stills and animals with human bodies all help furnish this US comic artist with ideas for his own stories
KEKAI KOTAKI • Nightmarish knights and plant-based creatures are brought to hideous life through the pen and ink skills of this concept artist
FINNIAN MACMANUS • Between working on AAA-projects, this artist has produced an eclectic mix of VR sculpts, gouache studies and digital sketches
MOON • Colourful sketches of melancholic characters populate this graffiti artist-turned-professional illustrator’s sketchbook
FRED RAMBAUD • Present-day Japan and figures from the country’s culture feature prominently in the sketches of this Canadian illustrator
ANDREI RIABOVITCHEV • The animator turned concept artist takes us through some of his sketches, which feature portraits, animals and Yuri Gagarin!
CORY TREGO-ERDNER • Sketching digitally enables this artist to experiment with different drawing techniques while creating art for his...