I Ruined My Sketchbook… But It Changed Everything
Ever bought a beautiful sketchbook and then… froze?
Yeah. Same. When I got my very first “real artist” sketchbook back in 2014, I was so desperate to improve…but also terrified to mess it up. My first page? Completely blank. The pressure of making it perfect was enough to make me avoid it altogether.
Instead of creating real art, I filled the pages with “safe” things. Paint palettes, tiny marks, anything that couldn’t expose how insecure I felt about my skills. It became another reminder of everything I wasn’t good at yet.
But everything changed because of one messy accident.
During a YouTube video I filmed years ago, I knocked over an entire bottle of ink… all over my sketchbook. Ink everywhere. Corners flooded. Pages stained. And honestly? After the initial panic, something clicked:
“Well… it’s already ruined. I may as well just use it.”
And that’s when my creativity finally opened up.
With the pressure gone, I started exploring. Playing. Trying colours and subjects I’d never let myself try before. That “ruined” sketchbook became the place where my real voice — my style, looseness, and confidence — finally showed up.
And some of my best paintings were born from those messy, imperfect pages.
If perfectionism is holding you back…
You’re not alone. But it will keep your art stuck.
Sketchbooks aren’t meant to be pretty.
They’re meant to help you:
practice drawing
test colour palettes
work out values
plan compositions
make mistakes
experiment
grow
The moment you actually use your sketchbook the way it’s intended, everything shifts — your skills, your confidence, your paintings.
Want help breaking out of the “perfect page” trap?
I created a 14-day sketchbook experience called Supercharge Your Art in 14 Days to help you let go of perfectionism and finally make real progress.
Each day focuses on one core skill, super simple and bite-sized, so you can show up consistently and actually enjoy the process.
If you’re ready to stop stressing about perfect pages and start creating again, come join us. Your sketchbook is meant for play. 🎨✨