Reddit mentions of Moleskine Cahier Journal, Soft Cover, Pocket (3.5" x 5.5") Plain/Blank, Kraft Brown, 64 Pages (Set of 3)

Apple iPhone 6

Nite Ize Locking S-biner

Big Skinny Compact Sports Bi-Fold Wallet

Moleskine Cahier Pocket

Zebra F-701

Leatherman Sidekick

Johnny Cupcake hankekchief

Two years ago I used to think the same thing, with enough practice (the right kind of practice) you can very likely get to this point to in about the same amount of time. Of course, once you do get to this point you'll see much better drawings and think "I wanna be able to draw like this", it's a never ending cycle haha

If you want to try and get better at it, here's something that will help:

1- stick to ink, ditch the pencils. It won't give you a chance to fix mistakes and spend hours trying to refine and adjust a sketch until it's "perfect". You'll just have to live with the result and improve it in the next drawing.

2- look at other people's art you like until your eyes fall out. Why do the trees look the way they look? How did they do their crosshatching? How loose are their marks? Why does the composition work? If you want to learn to do something, replicate it in your own way (see: doing studies)

3- don't spend longer than 5 minutes on your sketches. Obviously that applies to sketches you do for practice, if you have a commission you're working on or want to do a very refined drawing, then spend as much as needed on a sketch, but when sketching to learn (be it figure studies, landscapes, objects, etc) do it quickly. As a beginner you need to get into the habit of just drawing a lot, and often. If you see a drawing as this event that could take up half your day, you'll be much less likely to put pen to paper than if you knew you could do a sketch while waiting for your gas tank to fill up.

4- draw everywhere. Get the cheapest sketchbook you can find (I have a 5.5x8.5 Canson sketchbook that I think was around $6), and ideally some pocket sketchbooks as well (I like [Moleskine cahier journals] (https://www.amazon.com/dmp/8883704940/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_a7sLDbCE838VM] a pack of 3 is around $7). The regular sketchbook you can use at home or wherever you can carry it, the pocket ones you can just put in (you guessed it) your pocket so you can draw literally anytime and anywhere.

Then just draw what's around you and do some imaginative stuff too. Just keep at it, keep adding drawings, and you will improve. You'll also start having questions on techniques and such, at that point you can seek out classes, tutorials, videos, etc to help you out.

That was a lot of type in reply to one sentence lol but hopefully it'll help you or someone else interested in getting into it :)

I do the traveler’s notebook system. I bought this cover from Amazon and I have minimal complaints. I think the elastic is a little loose, but it works and if it gets too annoying I can always replace it easily. The cover itself is leather and does mark up, but I like it when my leather does that. I like the look.

I filled the inside with Moleskine Cahier journals, the 3 sets. Only complaint about those is that they don’t seem to sell mixed sets. So they don’t sell a ruled, a dotted, and a blank together in one set, just 3 of one type. They take ink well and are easy to source. I got mine at Target. I put all three in the cover along with a smaller notebook I had kicking around with some additional elastic. Look on YouTube for “Midori traveler journal setup” for tips on how to do that.

I personally like A5 sized journals because they have a good balance of space for writing and overall size, but if that’s too big for you look at Field Notes and find a cover for them. I’ve seen lots of covers for sale for those as well, but found those a bit too small for my needs.

Alternatively you can make your own cover with some leather and an awl to punch holes. Traveler journal covers are just a rectangle of leather with some holes to thread elastic through so if you have the source for some good leather it could be easy to make your own.

Ring

Streamlight Stylus Pro

Bose

Sanrenmu Stonewashed 710

Zebra F-301

Cheap Card Holder

Moleskine

UAG S6 Case

This past Spring, I was playtesting a Cypher system campaign I've been writing, and I bought a three-pack of those little Moleskin notebooks without planning how they'd be used. I was only running two players through the early content, and it was mostly to tweak the nebulous storyline.

Well, my buddies are both artists, and they also balk at any hint of railroading, so things went to uncharted territory almost immediately. I was coming up with new towns, new characters, and new artifacts/oddities/cyphers on the fly, left and right.

We decided to use those notebooks to chronicle their encounters/progress. I took the first and started it as an in-game/out-of-game primer for travelers to my OC recursion (a fictional world concept from The Strange) called "The Quickened's Guide to Kell." They began adding to it immediately, taking sketches of towns, NPCs, and general plot stuff, adding notes here and there. The second became a Bestiary, starting with the one PC's pet - a wolf/snake hybrid we dubbed a 'capalisk.' (Portmanteau of some canid-related taxonomy term and basilisk.) And the third became a catalogue of artifacts they found or crafted. I gave them a bow that has a random effect (d20 table) that they would fill in as it was used.

All in all, it became a fun addition to the game, and my players took turns chronicling their adventure through the world. Everything we made up and put down has become canon. When I run/playtest this campaign again, the players will be given these books, as they canonically exist outside of time and space. The Strange is great for that sort of thing.

Just some general advice, I think finding what you don't like to do is just as important as finding what you do like.

Other than that, I don't have much advice for the other areas, however I can chime in on the art if you're interested in trying that out again. I apologize for the long post and if you're not interested. Just trying to showcase some options and provide a place to start, just in case.

Art school isn't all that necessary. But it can be very helpful because it provides structure and helps network you with other students and the professors who are already in their respective industries. However, it can be a lot of work and often times doesn't leave much time for you to work on what you want, and can wear you out. On the other hand, because you are required to take foundation classes, you'll experience quite a few mediums and find what you like and what you don't like.

So I'm currently going to school for Animation, however I'm currently doing my foundation classes. And I do have a recommendation. Figure drawing is extremely difficult and takes a very long time to master.

It all starts with gesture and here are two videos featuring my anatomy for the artist teacher, Steve Michael Hampton. He uses his first and middle name interchangeably so you can find him under both. Anyway, just to share his experience, he does anatomical corrections (correcting even the slightest problems with muscles, skull structure, etc.) at the big name studios. Marvel, Lukasfilm, Blizzard, etc. He also has a book available on Amazon. And a website (figuredrawing.info).

https://youtu.be/f4353W2Xqm0

https://youtu.be/mIiqgXqjWCw

So one thing you've already realized is that drawing is hard. Especially drawing the figure. And even more so drawing the figure correctly.

However, figure drawing isn't the only way to go. Try watching guys like Jake Parker, Will Terry, Brett Bean, Brandon Green and Will Terrell. They are all fabulous illustrators and character designers. Probably most well known for their children's book illustrations. And the best part about children's book illustrations is that you can let your imagination go wild. It's all about having fun.

You might also just try drawing every day and posting your stuff everywhere. Facebook. Instagram. DeviantArt. Newgrounds. Twitter. Time lapse videos on YouTube. And then tie everything in with a link to a central blog or website. You can get a free blog through Google's BlogSpot. Doing this will build your portfolio, while also amassing a following.

And this is how you land jobs. Someone who knows you knows someone looking for an artist. And they refer you. And next thing you know, you've got a connection, do a few freelance jobs for the company, and then get picked up.

Or you can remain free lance.

Or just make money through social media (most likely YouTube) and selling prints. Check out Baylee Jae, Draw with Jazza, and Sycra on YouTube.

You might also be interested in landscape so that's an area to explore.

Last thing I want to say is that you should try shape sketching. And you mind look into keeping a small sketchbook everywhere you go.

Here's a video showing what shape sketching is.

https://youtu.be/-muf3zd80KY

As for the sketchbook, I actually just bought a passport cover wallet and some 3.5x5.5" Moleskine sketchbooks. I put the Moleskine in the passport slot. It forces me to take my sketchbook whenever I take my wallet.

Passport Wallet. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01GYC4KN0

Moleskine. https://www.amazon.com/dp/8883704940

Adhesive Pen Holder. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01J2YB64I

Hope this doesn't overwhelm you too much. I think art is a great place for people to go when they don't have anything else in mind. It's fun, and there is no right or wrong. It's what you want it to be. Some people will love your stuff. Others will hate it. Don't worry about style. Style develops when you just draw what you like.

Sure! How old is she? I highly recommend she start with a dotted Leuchtturm A5 (https://www.amazon.com/Leuchtturm1917-Medium-Dotted-Hardcover-Notebook/dp/B002TSIMW4) and maybe some pocket notebook like the Moleskine (https://www.amazon.com/Moleskine-Notizhefte-Kartoneinband-3-er-Set-packpapierbraun/dp/8883704940/) ones - great for field notes! I use this setup. Also, get her some pencils and stuff to draw! Just the other day I put this in my small notebook: https://i.imgur.com/8BXh2BQ.jpg. It's about having fun!

I'd love to talk to her about it!

todays chino layout (specific items can change daily):

F/L: keys (fob+housekey only), Fenix LD10 (pocket clipped), handkerchief (small 8"x8" from bonobos), Bic mini lighter.

F/R: Galaxy S3, Kersaw Chive (pocket clipped), space pen.

R/L: wallet

R/R: moleskine notebook, earbuds.

I'm completely comfortable. Clips are visible - which much of mfa would probably dislike, but it makes the knife and flashlight fit comfortably without interfering with items lower in the pocket. Only thing that might pass as a bulge is my wallet, which I've been looking for years for the perfect replacement, but it's not a Costanza by any stretch. One can also tell when I have the s3 in my pocket, but since it lays flat and slim without interference with the other items, doesn't constitute a bulge. Currently shopping for a smaller one though.

Everything else you would be hard pressed to even know I had. It helps that all my cars have integrated fob/key and I only need my housekey.

Dress code is tie-optional business casual, no denim/cargo/polo/shorts allowed, no dress down days.

Bag is an all black standard sized Timbuk2 messenger, which doesn't really match my current love affair with leather. Carries laptop, letter sized notebook, MTG cards (haven't played in over a year, but I always have some), aspirin/tylenol, extra pens, leatherman, lunch and thermos, etc.

I wear jackets/blazers regularly in the winter/fall (keys, lighter, handkerchief get offloaded there when available but that's because they belong there and not because of comfort or fit). Can't bring myself to wear that in the spring/summer.

I've found that carrying a pocket knife, flashlight, notebook, and phone is an absolute requirement for my schedule/work/play/lifestyle. Despite that, I've whittled it down to the smallest most dependable items I could find. I could almost ditch the lighter, earbuds, and handkerchief as they are rarely used but when I don't have them I want them.

On the summer weekends, when I dare to wear my "ghastly" slim fit above-the-knee cargo shorts, the wallet and phone each get their own cargo pocket. But otherwise, layout is the same 95% of the time.