Sketchbook: 5 Great Masters Who Sketched

Leonardo Da Vinci, Rembrandt and Goya all sketched before their masterpieces

Seeing them hung in art galleries around the world, it can seem that the most important paintings in the world came out of nowhere. However, the creative process is often far more important, the tests and mistakes, in creating something really great.

Many of the greatest artists in history would take their sketchbooks everywhere, drawing whatever interested them. Behind every masterpiece, there is an entire life of practice. See in the video below five of the biggest artists who also sketched.

1. Leonardo Da Vinci

The Florentine genius, one of the most multifaceted and complex artists ever, left various sketchbooks behind which can be found in museums around the world. In them, he drew everything from anatomical observations to mechanical inventions, and even a complete inventory of his clothing.

2. Francisco de Goya

The eight sketchbooks Goya used through his life show how he evolved, not only as an artist but as a person. From the traditional Sanlúcar Sketchbook to the dark Bordeaux Sketchbook, the Spaniard never stopped practicing. Maybe that's why, in one of his final sketchbooks, he drew an old man with the note: "I still learn".

3. William Turner

The English painter, famous for his landscapes and considered by many as the spiritual father of Impressionism, filled 200 sketchbooks with drawings and watercolor tests. The Channel Sketchbook is the most well known and shows Turner's observational ability in the final years of his life.

4. Vincent van Gogh

Van Gogh was self-taught, the evolution of his style can be seen through hundreds of paintings he made throughout his life. His popular Bedroom in Arles began as a simple black and white drawing he shared with his brother Theo in a letter.

5. Rembrandt

The Dutch baroque master of chiaroscuro often made many preliminary sketches for his works. They show us his unique way of planning his paintings, Explorarlos nos abre una ventana única a su forma de planificar las pinturas, and confirm that constant practice and a solid foundation are cornerstones of any great work.

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You may be interested in:

- Sketchbook Creation: Find Your Own Language, a course by Santiago Guevara
- Watercolor Portrait Notebook, a course by Carlos Rodríguez Casado
- Illustration of a Nature Diary, a course by Paulina Maciel · Canela
- Illustration Techniques to Unlock your Creativity, a course by Adolfo Serra