Day 1. Laureate Project- Family Sketchbook Journey.

Chris Riddell 5 point plan
Our inspiration for this project

The Joy of Sketchbooks

Inspired by the Children’s Laureate Chris Riddell’s ‘Draw something every day’, encouraging families to draw together – that’s exactly what we plan to do. Two non-artist parents and three kids, drawing. Not to be perfect - but for the joy of creating our own sketchbook journey. 

Should I follow through? 

Nice idea, Lou. I mean, seriously – when are you going to fit this in between homework and sports clubs – are you insane? 


But we did it – our first night. After dinner we got the sketch books out, pencils, erasers and erm, hot chocolate (the dishes could wait). 

I had forgotten the art-table banter that you used to get at school. That ebb and flow of conversation that drifts in and out depending on levels of concentration for those ‘tricky bits’. It was beautiful. I want to do this again tomorrow – for the conversation around the table if nothing else! 


Drawing before bedtime created this calm togetherness. We went straight from drawing to reading. Bliss.We all drew, some produced more than others. 

I am a typically straight-jacketed adult. The kids draw from their imagination, Hubster draws the object in front of him – me? I pick up a book on ‘How to Draw’. Mine is a series of squiggles and lines. 

I am trying to learn the different ways of holding a pencil. Thick lines. Thin lines. Soft. Hard. HB, H6, H4. I am learning and inside my rote learning I found myself playing with tone and line – which sounds quite grand. 

After my daughter finished her mermaid (oh, she does like mermaids) she too started experimenting with pressing hard and soft, then rubbing at the pencil mark. It’s so true that kids follow, they copy you. I feel really chuffed that in my nervous efforts starting with drawing only simple lines, she took the spirit of experimentation, playing with line. 

A good start I think. Looking forward to tomorrow.  

My own straight-jacketed rote learning. Ahem, I bring you...some lines.

I didn't know Hubster could draw! Where's my pointy hat? I need to sit in the corner.
Back of the class for me. This is a great first drawing!

Eldest son - his drawing, obviously, not a picture of him with his eyeballs fighting across the page.
That would be weird. Or a completely normal computer game. 
I did say he could draw whatever he liked.

Middle child, William - based on the same computer game I believe. He has experimented with smudging on the trees. The tree in the middle - NOT the tree under which a WITCH stands holding a large GUN.

Youngest - Freya. Her underwater mermaid scene. Loving the matching belt and tiara -
I might have to borrow those this weekend!

Youngest experimenting with just drawing lines, hard and soft, and then smudging.