It’s Day five of my sketchbook series, but today is not going to be about drawings from my sketchbooks, but sketch cards. Sketch cards are tiny cards, often (but not necessarily) the size of trading cards, 2.5×3.5 inches. I do them sometimes with fantasy or comics subjects, to sell at cons; they’re quick to do and I can offer a reasonable price for fans and collectors on a piece of original art. At the point I did these, I had just started the Zooly Art Challenge, but was swamped with illustration work, and wanted to do my daily animal drawings but not take up too much time about it. So I decided to do sketch cards.

Well. That only lasted for five days — I found drawing the animals so small incredibly frustrating — there was so much beautiful detail I wanted to put in and there just wasn’t space! Which was supposed to be the idea, of course — if there isn’t room for the detail, one is supposed to simplify. I still like the idea, and may come back to it sometime when I’m not under so much pressure (deadlines + daily challenge = stressed artist).

While my grand experiment didn’t work out that time, I’m game to try it again. The card size is so nice to carry around and sketch on wherever I am, and takes so little in the way of supplies.

I pre-tear the cards from the offcuts of the paper I use for doing watercolour or comics; it’s good quality, heavy paper, but maybe a little bumpy for this application. I think if I try it again I might try using some of my bristol paper offcuts, which lends itself better to ink.

This size is also the same size as Artist Trading Cards, and it’s fun to trade with other artists. We used to have a group at my studio where we would trade our tiny artworks with each other. If this idea appeals to you, why not start your own group? Even if we’re stuck inside right now, we can still share online.

See you tomorrow!