For the love of sketching

With work, family, and life admin all vying for your attention

it can be tough to carve out time for your sketchbook

And often, when you finally sit down, pencil sharpened and ready to sketch, your creative inspiration has already gone to bed. Meaning all you’re left with is a blank page and an unfulfilled inner artist.    

It doesn’t have to be that way. With a little nudge and some creative guidance in the right direction, even the busiest version of you can enjoy dipping in and out of your sketchbook more regularly.

01 - 30 Jan 2025

The 30-DAy sketchbook challenge

JOIN ME TO START SKETCHING AGAIN IN THE NEW YEAR!

If you want to start sketching, are keen to improve your drawing skills, or have lost your sketching mojo, come and join me for the 30-Day Sketchbook Challenge.

Every day for 30 days in a row you will get a new, unique, sketching prompt to get you inspired. Take the prompt and sketch for as little or as long as you want.

** PLUS TO HELP SUPPORT YOU **
- Guest artist tutorials & Zoom interviews
- Weekly pep talks with Susan
- Helpful warm-up tutorials
- A supportive Facebook community
- and plenty more....

Join me to pick up a pencil and get sketching again.
Suitable for all ages and abilities.

Reunite with your inner artist, one doodle, scribble, and sketch at a time.

Imagine

  • Finding the confidence to open your sketchbook and sketch for the pure joy of it, without worrying about the outcome. 
  • Allowing yourself the space to sketch for a few precious moments each day, no matter how busy life gets.
  • Swapping perfectionism for joy - there’s no need to create masterpieces here. 
  • Savouring the feel of a brand-new sketchbook, the sound of a pencil scratching across the page, and the unadulterated joy of splashing your favourite colours around. Just because!

This space is designed to

coax your inner artist out of hiding, no matter where you are on your creative journey. 

Whatever your skill level, with me as your sketchbook mentor, we’ll dust off those empty sketchbooks together and start filling them one doodle, scribble, and sketch at a time. Who knows what hidden talents you might uncover along the way? 

So, let's make a start. Get ready to unleash your creativity and reclaim time for you.

This is your sketchbook story;

I’m just here to guide you.

Once you’re open to the idea, finding time to spend with your creative side is easy. No matter how much time you can spare or where you are on your sketching journey, your sketchbook practice can become as habitual as brushing your teeth or sticking the kettle on with the right guidance. 

I aim to give my sketchers everything they need to make getting started and carrying on as easy and accessible as possible:

Endless inspiration to help you discover new subjects and approaches to sketching, meaning you’ll always know what to draw and how to get started.

The freedom to choose your own pace and level of commitment, with no pressure or judgement, so you can give as little or as much to your sketchbook as suits your lifestyle.

Practical, easy-to-follow tips and tricks to improve your drawing skills and boost your sketchbook confidence.

Doors open a few times a year

Inspire Sketching Membership

Your go-to creative membership for drawing, doodling, and sketching 

If you've been itching to unleash your inner artist, but the thought of attending (or paying for) a traditional art school sends shivers down your spine, Inspire could be the flexible, creative haven you’ve been searching for. 

Inspire is a monthly creative membership centered around a supportive, global community of like-minded creative types. With a plethora of inspirational, motivational, and creative resources at your fingertips, it’s designed to build and improve your sketching stamina no matter where you are on your sketchbook journey. 

The perfect online space for daunted dabblers or reluctant returners to develop a consistent sketching habit.

Join the growing community of Inspired Ones and let your inner artist flourish.

Whether you can spare a few minutes each day...

...or a whole hour each week, I'm here to help you make sketching a regular feature of your routine.

free 5-day course

sketching for me-time

Rediscover yourself with a daily sketchbook practice.

Discover the power of creativity and mindfulness in just 5 minutes a day with this 5-day sketching course. Sketching for Me-Time guides you through simple, daily exercises designed to help you reconnect with yourself, reduce stress, and nurture personal growth.

No prior experience is needed—just an open mind and a willingness to make time for yourself!

Lovely words from inspired doodlers

I can already feel different parts of myself reconnecting. I’ve been looking for something to ground me, bring peace, and release the creativity that the rat race of life has long obscured. This has been the perfect start to what will now be a lifelong amusement.

Jessica, Sketcher

6-week course ** Join today **

Sketchbook Bootcamp

The online sketching course designed to fire up your sketching skills.

Join me on an explorative 6-week journey of artistic transformation with the Sketchbook Bootcamp. By the end of the Bootcamp, you'll have built up your sketching confidence and a collection of stunning creations to show off to the world. 

This isn't your typical online program - the Sketchbook Bootcamp is an intensive, immersive, 6-week experience. It’s packed with mindset coaching, material explorations, and sketchbook tutorials. Plus, you'll be supported to meet your sketchbook goals by a like-minded community of fellow sketchers. 

Say goodbye to creative blocks and hello to limitless inspiration with the Sketchbook Bootcamp!

What the Inspired Ones are saying

Inspire has been wonderful for me. Such a great selection of content and sparkling ideas! It’s lovely to dip in and out, always knowing where to go for inspiration.

Angela, Inspire Member

bookings open now

sketching retreats with susan

Sketching experiences with a difference.

I have two amazing art retreats scheduled for 2025.

From 17th - 18th May 2025 I will be hosting a weekend retreat in the UK where we will be sketching 'Expressive Botanicals.' Bookings are NOW OPEN.

From 7th - 14th September I am collaborating with US artist Missy Tripp Ronquillo to bring to you a luxurious week in Italy exploring the beautiful countryside around Tuscany. FULLY BOOKED.

Oh, hello, creative soul

It’s me, Susan

When I’m not teaching, running my pottery cafe in Woking, writing books about sketching, or talking about all things creative, I’m busy being a mama to my very strong-willed daughter, dancing salsa, practicing yoga, or sewing my own (often lovely, occasionally terrible) clothes. 

So, believe me when I say I get it - life’s full-on! It’s why my own creativity has fluctuated over the years. And it’s what inspired me to create this space for you. So that amid life's beautiful, messy chaos, your sketchbook practice remains as easy, accessible, and constant as possible. 

Over the years, I’ve learned how to make my sketchbook practice work for me. Now, it’s where I turn as soon as I feel the urge to lose myself in a splash of colour or a quick continuous line. I find inspiration all around me, and I want to share that with you. 

You don’t need a reason to get creative, and you definitely don’t need to be ‘good’ at it. Creativity doesn’t need to be complicated. All you need is something to draw with, something to draw on, and a creative itch that wants scratching.

Susan, you are great: friendly, bubbly, and human, just like the rest of us.

Viv, Doodler

Start sketching

Say hello to all the ways you can sketch today

Inspire Sketching Membership

Join the growing community of Inspired Ones and let your inner artist flourish.

sketchbook bootcamp

Join me on an explorative 6-week journey of artistic transformation with the Sketchbook Bootcamp.

Sketchbook Challenge BOOK

Kickstart your daily drawing habit with 100 simple, sketch-provoking prompts.

sketching retreats 2025

Join me in the UK or Tuscany 2025 to explore sketching in beautiful locations.

It's well known that practising your sketching every day is the best way to improve your drawing skills. Susan Yeates' Sketchbook Challenge aims to kickstart your sketching habit with 100 simple ideas for sketching easy-to-find subjects. The challenges are specifically aimed at beginners, with an emphasis on having fun.

Paints for fun

After some creative inspo?

Look no further! Browse my Vlog for behind-the-scenes access to my sketchbooks, a sneaky peek inside my home studio, and more tutorials than you can shake a sharpened pencil at.

latest sketching videos

How to Use the Caran D’Ache Neocolor II Water Soluble Wax Pastels
sketching

How to Use the Caran D’Ache Neocolor II Water Soluble Wax Pastels

In this video I wanted to show you 4 different ways that I use these funky water-soluble wax crayons. These are the Cara D’ache Neocolor II wax pastels that I added into my stash of art materials a...
You cannot sketch wrong - there is no such thing as the sketchbook police!
sketching

You cannot sketch wrong - there is no such thing as the sketchbook police!

Did you know that there are no sketchbook police coming to get you? Those scary figures of authority that will creep up behind you whilst you are drawing to tell you – er – “excuse me your sketchi...
Make your own mini concertina sketchbook
sketching

Make your own mini concertina sketchbook

In this video I show you how to make the cutest little sketchbook in the world! This is a super-tiny concertina sketchbook handmade by yours truly. It’s perfect for small drawings, tiny paintings o...

FREE RESOURCES

Stuck for sketchbook ideas?

Get ready to rediscover your creative mojo! Develop a daily sketchbook practice using my FREE ebook and fall back in love with sketching.

Discover the power of creativity and mindfulness in just five minutes a day with this FREE five-day sketching course.

Love the community of artists and sharing our creative projects together. Lots of positivity, encouragement and inspiration. Susan Yeates, Artist offers lots of wonderful ways to bring out our creativity and the courses are so well designed and accessible."

D Marsh, July 2024

Wanna join the most creative mailing list around?

Get sketch-inspo, drawing tips, tricks, and tutorials direct to your inbox every single month - for free! 

Trust me; your sketchbook will thank you.