To improve we need to regularly get out of our comfort zone. It’s something that we don’t do naturally. Relax, in sketching we can only improve. Even a little, it’s still a step forward. So keep in my mind your goal, and keep going.

A friend of mine, passionate of concept art recommended me to look at John park’s techniques, a great concept art artist. So I did. Thanks Adrien for your support ! Concept art is fascinating but also quite challenging for different aspects. Creativity, memory of forms, speed, quality of lines… All are mixed together.

I understand why so many Product designer enjoy so much drawing Concept art. (A good number of them come from Product design background).

sketch-concept-art-roll-challenge-the design sketchbook a

Few years ago, I bought a roll of paper. I told myself that I would fill it of sketches. You know what ? Nothing happened. I procrastinated. Today I decided to challenge myself and starting doing.

We often hear: Practice Practice Practice. Alright ! Let’s do that with the challenge of the week !

I will fill a roll of paper in 7 days.

I  Hope you wanna try as well !

sketch-concept-art-roll-challenge-the design sketchbook a  idea

My memory is not that great, so I first started to make a bit of research, looking for inspiration. I do a quick brainstorm of where I could look for Machinery references such as Factories, gold mine extraction, laboratory… The Ipad with Google image will help me to feed me of ideas along the way.

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I recorded the sketching in video. You will find some Tips and comments.

Day 1 Results: 5.60m of sketches ! It’s longer than my kitchen ! :) It took me about 3hours+.

sketch-concept-art-roll-challenge-the design sketchbook a-all

From top to bottom pictures:

sketch-concept-art-roll-challenge-the design sketchbook zsketch-concept-art-roll-challenge-the design sketchbook y

sketch-concept-art-roll-challenge-the design sketchbook x
It’s important to draw with a loose hand.

sketch-concept-art-roll-challenge-the design sketchbook wsketch-concept-art-roll-challenge-the design sketchbook v
If your sketches are clumsy, it’s ok. It doesn’t matter much. Your goal is to drop as many ideas as possible. Later on, you can make a selection, and study it more in details. Anyway, your skills will improve by failing many times. Take the good habit to analyse why.

sketch-concept-art-roll-challenge-the design sketchbook u

The importance of practicing some joints. Sometime, feed your memory of forms drawing existing mechanical pieces.

sketch-concept-art-roll-challenge-the design sketchbook t

Have you noticed the light blue lines ? The idea is to draw random shapes. Then you include inside some bots. You will train your proportion skills.

sketch-concept-art-roll-challenge-the design sketchbook s

Petrol extraction inspired.

sketch-concept-art-roll-challenge-the design sketchbook r

Grass hopper legs inspired. Nature is a great source of inspiration. You can add some organic shapes to your bots, they will look more intriguing.

sketch-concept-art-roll-challenge-the design sketchbook qsketch-concept-art-roll-challenge-the design sketchbook p

sketch-concept-art-roll-challenge-the design sketchbook osketch-concept-art-roll-challenge-the design sketchbook nsketch-concept-art-roll-challenge-the design sketchbook m

It’s good sometime to draw multiple views.

sketch-concept-art-roll-challenge-the design sketchbook lsketch-concept-art-roll-challenge-the design sketchbook k

Drawing with side views is convenient to drop many ideas.

sketch-concept-art-roll-challenge-the design sketchbook jsketch-concept-art-roll-challenge-the design sketchbook i

Draw with dynamic lines to bring life to your bots.

sketch-concept-art-roll-challenge-the design sketchbook hsketch-concept-art-roll-challenge-the design sketchbook g

I sketched much more than what I expected. Compared to a regular sketchbook or sheet of paper, the advantage of the roll is that you don’t realise how much you draw. There is no more page to count, so you keep carry on without setting up when it’s enough or not. Only your mood will tell you when you need to rest.

sketch-concept-art-roll-challenge-the design sketchbook all-kitchen

Let me share with you a comment from Sandy Grant, drawing teacher.

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“My “theory” is that trad sketchbooks – rectangular, paged, discontinuous, etc – aren’t therefore conducive to creative thinking – you sketch out a few ideas, turn the page and they disappear from sight and lose that critical visual connection you have just, fleetingly, established! You sketch out a few more and turn the page and, etc, etc – no flow, no connection and possible inspiration is lost or, at best, turned down. Some students simply got stuck on the page and “lost” in the corners and were reluctant to turn over and, hence, lost idea flow momentum – they then gave up thinking!!!”

I invite you to try sketching on the roll as well. It’s fun ! You will challenge so many aspect of your drawing skills. Most important is about not being fear anymore of failing.

The journey is not finished, there is still a lot of blank space in the roll.

Let me know your impressions !

1 comment

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Hello! I'm Chou-Tac, a Product Designer from France.

If the sketching methods I’ve acquired aid me in my life and in my industrial design career, I believe that they can also help you reach your dream goal as a student or professional designer.

Leave a comment in the blog or send me an email at choutac@thedesignsketchbook.com : )

Chou-Tac

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  • Sam Grosjean: “Pensacola, FL 22 years old I want to bring my ideas and imagination to paper. I did a Google search.Jul 8, 19:46
  • Jo: “Hi, Australia, 50, Im looking for a new hobby, I remember loving to draw when I was younger So hoping…Jul 8, 17:35
  • Spencer: “Austin, TX 50 yrs old I want a way to bring my creations to life I found your blog searching…Jul 8, 10:44
  • Chou-Tac: “I just replied in your email Dion. :)Jul 6, 17:02
  • Dion Lee Uren: “My days are short, I have bowl cancer & before I part this earth always loved to draw muscle cars…Jul 6, 16:28
  • Rashon Richardson: “1 – Florida. 19. 2 – currently studying to be an electrical engineer but I have an interest for designing…Jul 6, 02:07
  • Chou-Tac: “My pleasure Linda. I do have some content about Urban sketching. Hope it helps! Feel free to leave me a…Jul 5, 21:37
  • Adam: “I’m 40 y.o. from Czech. I need to improve to visualize my sketches. I dicover this from Google.Jul 5, 13:06
  • Adam: “I’m 40 y.o. from Czech. I need to able to visualize my idea. I believe it can improve my communication…Jul 5, 13:04
  • Candy-Chan: “I’m from Chicago and I’m 20. I want to learn to sketch to improve my art skills and be more…Jul 5, 09:00
  • Linda Cadeau: “I am a senior and started drawing about 5 years ago. Just want to learn how to draw objects that…Jul 4, 22:09
  • Marc Benitez: “USA 67 1. I have been drawing and scribbling since I was a child. I’m doing some blackletter calligraphy and…Jul 4, 11:27
  • Go: “hi, i want to learn how to draw, sketch, color reflections on glass cups, carafes, windows, doors, buildings, etc problems…Jul 2, 15:45
  • Gurupreet: “Hi, I come from India and I am 20 years old. I am an freelance artist and I use to…Jun 30, 22:14
  • Jatin Verma: “I come from India. I want to learn sketching in general, 1.India, 30 2. Studying graphic design and Sketching 3.…Jun 30, 14:19
  • Jatin: “I come from India. I want to learn sketching in general, 1.India, 30 2. Studying graphic design and Sketching 3.…Jun 30, 14:11
  • Murad: “Google search Yes learning more Intersted with your blogJun 29, 11:08
  • Fausto Blanco: “I’m an stell erection and construction estimator, my field is estimate. Labor and material quantities for big warehouse buildings, also…Jun 28, 09:14
  • NISHTHA HARSH NIRMAL: “I come from India. I want to learn sketching in general, but product sketching career-wise. I discovered this through PinterestJun 27, 14:32
  • Nishtha: “I need this book as im an aspiring designer. I love to sketch. I discovered this blog through pinterest.Jun 27, 10:57
  • Joh: “Brisbane, 37 Looking for a new hobby :) googled contour lines!Jun 26, 13:31
  • Chou-Tac: “Hi Adrian, We are in 2025, and I am re-reading my article. :) The example I gave here: Some applicants…Jun 25, 18:33
  • Chou-Tac: “Hi Hana, Sure you will! You got all the content you need in the blog. :)) For the shoe design,…Jun 25, 17:02
  • Chou-Tac: “Hey Haitam, The first step is to study perspective. From CAD, you already got a great grasp on it. You…Jun 25, 16:59
  • Iwan: “Indonesian, 30 Hobby From Youtube ThankssJun 25, 12:56
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