Sheena Wilkie – Sketchbook
Sketchbooks are at the heart of my creative practice. They are a place for observation, experimentation, and reflection, a space where ideas are collected, explored, and allowed to develop over time.
For me, sketchbooks are less about creating finished work and more about learning to see. They are a way of paying attention to the small details, colours, shapes, and moments that might otherwise pass unnoticed.
While I enjoy sketching and painting on location, plein air work is not always practical. Sometimes there is not enough time, the weather doesn’t cooperate, or I am simply sharing the experience of a place with family and friends. In those moments, my camera, often the one on my phone, becomes a digital sketchbook, helping me record observations, colours, light, and ideas for future exploration.
Some observations begin as photographs. From there they may develop into sketches, field notes, colour studies, or paintings.Together they form an ongoing record of paying attention to the world around me.
This page brings together three aspects of that practice: a digital sketchbook, field notes, and the journey from photograph to paint.
Digital Sketchbook
Not every observation becomes a sketch or painting. Sometimes a photograph is simply a visual note—a way of recording light, colour, place, atmosphere, or an idea for later exploration.
My camera serves as a digital sketchbook, helping me collect observations wherever I happen to be. These images are not intended as finished photographs, but as fragments of experience that may later inspire sketches, paintings, writing, or teaching.
Field Notes
Field notes are observations gathered along the way—brief reflections on places, weather, light, colour, people, and everyday experiences.
Some begin as photographs. Others emerge from sketching, painting, or simply taking time to notice what is often overlooked. Together they form a record of curiosity, attention, and the creative process.
From Photo to Paint
Ideas often travel a winding path. A photograph may become a sketch, a colour study, a painting, or simply a starting point for further exploration.
This section follows that journey, showing how observation develops into artwork through drawing, experimentation, and painting. It offers a glimpse into the process behind the finished work.
This page is an evolving record of my creative practice and the ongoing journey from observation to artwork.
Sheena Wilkie – Sheena Wilkie Art Studio