The annual Sketchbook Un-Slump is a free 4 week email series to help inspire and encourage creativity and exploration in the pages of our sketchbooks! Each week we work through a different prompt to create for finished pieces at the end of the month. You can learn more and sign up for this year's prompts here.
After 4 weeks we have completed this year's Sketchbook Un-Slump! I am very excited to share some of the artists' favorite pieces from this past month of making and experimenting.
It's always so fun and interesting to see how each prompt (land, sky, sea, horizon) was interpreted and expressed. Our art is a special reflection of who we are and it is always a joy and privilege to get to experience every artists' creativity.
Each artist's name and Instagram handle (if provided) is listed along with any comments they may have added, followed by their project. Thank you to everyone who shared!
In addition to the photos below, you can view more sketchbook pages in our Flickr gallery.
LIDIA
Technique: digital photography, multiple exposure (3-shot composite)
Inspirations: the work of Christo Vladimirov Javacheff and Jeanne-Claude Denat de Guillebon, the non-obvious nature of reality, and the book *Think Like a Stoic: The Ancient Path to a Life Well Lived* by Ken Mogi.
Notes: week 4: Horizons+layers
NILWONA
"Right after I'd decided to try for a sunrise/sunset horizon image and applied the yellow/red watercolor and acrylic paints, my Windows screensaver displayed the photo pasted below. So, I decided to use it as my guide. I incorporated paper by using tracing paper (thanks for that idea!) to get a loose sketch of the castle. Here's the reference photo (Sunset at Nurburg Castle in Germany)." Week 4, Horizons & Layers
JAMIE
Materials used include plastic wrap and watercolor. Week 3, Sea & Wet Materials.
ANGIE
"I had a blast exploring the theme of 'the sky' and using layers of dry materials. For the first time- I sewed the clouds with thread and it added a fun texture. 'No storm can overwhelm me for I am the whole sky.'" Week 2, Sky & Dry Materials
ROBYN
Week 3, Sea & Wet Materials
SUE
"Once In A Blue Moon - I used the lyrics from This Land is Your Land for the quotes/writing. Map/roadway is from hometown." Week 4, Horizon & Layers
SABEEN
Week 1, Land & Paper
JEN
"Inspired by the full moon lunar eclipse this week. 'You are the sky. Everything else – it’s just the weather.' - Pema Chödrön" Digital collage. Week 2, Sky & Dry Materials
LIZ
Week 1, Land & Paper 
LORI
"This is based off of a photo I took at the park in Saddle Brook, NJ." Week 4, Horizon & Layers
MELISSA
"This one is a watercolor lake with torn paper trees covering a mountain, sky written in colored pencil with a neocolor sun streaming down." Week 4, Horizon & Layers
AMY
A dancer suspended somewhere between earth and sky. Part of 3 pieces (a bird flying toward the setting sun, and a crab waving to someone on the other shore) for this prompt with 3 different interpretations and one reminder to look a little farther out. Week 4, Horizon & Layers
OLIVIA
Thank you to all the artists who joined me for this series! It was fun, motivating, and inspiring to create alongside you! I'm choosing my final piece for the gallery. I have always been a Jill of all trades and getting to mix different techniques is something I love to do! Every prompt we have done are represented in 2 strips and I also like having this representation of how far we've come. You can watch a short process video here. Week 4, Horizon & Layers
View more photos in the 2026 Sketchbook Un-Slump Flickr Gallery!
