Hello Again!
How’s your Sketchbook Scavenger Hunt going this week?
Or… your pile of sketches-on-envelopes and odd bits of paper, thoughts in your head, observations, note taking?
Because, of course, it all counts.
It’s the thinking, looking and noticing that makes so many of us the creative souls that we are. Maybe, this week, you could make a map on a scrap of paper… and then do a posh little Turkish map fold to make an exciting element to your sketchbook or journal. There’s a nice online tutorial here.
Sometimes, the best pages don’t even live inside a sketchbook. They’re found on the back of receipts, scribbled onto post-it notes or tucked into a coat pocket.
This week, I want to encourage you to let go of the neatness, and just gather things however they come. Scraps, fragments, textures, little notes. It all adds up. Look at these prompts as small, quick and fun ways to notice things during the day or an opportunity to make a tiny thing.
(If you’re new, you can catch up on the previous week’s sketchbook scavenger hunt posts here and here)
A special focus on one of this week’s prompts:
"Something broken but still beautiful"
This is one of my favourites. There’s something very comforting about things that are imperfect but still full of character.
You might notice:
A cracked teacup that’s still used daily
A leaf that’s been half-eaten
A snapped pencil, a rusty hinge, a torn label
An old item that’s worn down but well-loved
You could:
Draw it loosely on a post-it note
Tape it into your sketchbook and label it
Write a few lines about what makes it beautiful to you
Do a before/after sketch—what it might have looked like new, and what it looks like now
Photograph it, then draw from the photo
What about a tiny collage—rip up some paper, scribble on it, layer it up like a puzzle.
Use What’s Around You
This week, try keeping:
A stack of post-its or scrap paper next to the kettle
A small tin or envelope for things you find
A bulldog clip to hold all your bits together until they’re ready to be stuck in
Sketchbooks can grow in weird little piles. That’s perfectly fine and a very nice thing, in my opinion.
Week 3 Prompts
A sketch of your scavenger hunt ‘map’
Five things that rustle (List and/or draw)
Something broken but still beautiful
A self-portrait as a scavenger/hunter
Something that feels warm
An item that catches the wind
Something hidden in plain sight
Something that makes you smile
An item you could fit in your pocket
Something that's always moving
An object that's older than it looks
You don’t need to do them all—just pick what feels fun or interesting and follow that.
Print the full scavenger hunt list
I’ll be back next week with more small creative nudges. Until then, happy hunting!
Love Lucia x
I love seeing your sketchbook entries, Lucia. They are so joyful and inspiring. I am doing well with my prompts and have finished the first sheet of the printout. It is such a good feeling to slow down a bit and try to notice little things and translate them into drawings. I'd love to see what other creatives do with the prompts. I am new to Substack so I am not sure whether there is possibility to upload pics here....
So creative and inspiring, Lucia. Thank you for giving us a new perspective on the simple, everyday things that are right in front of us. Blessings to all!