Using Vintage Items for Inspiration in Your Sketchbooks
There are so many places to source inspiration for your sketchbook journals. An unlimited number of vintage, artisanal, and nostalgic retro items can be used to influence the style of your journaling pages. You can use anything from mid century modern inspiration, to art deco, to those fun Lisa Frank 90’s colors in your visual journals. You don’t have to think of dusty old antique stores to gain ideas – although there are many treasures in those dusty old stores! Let’s talk about how you can use vintage items for fresh inspiration in your art.
Lettering Styles
My favorite motifs include beautiful old lettering styles. Think of the illustrations and lettering on old canisters, greeting cards, books, posters, signs, and the list goes on and on. So many of the graphics were hand lettered which adds a depth and charm that you just cannot get from a computer. Old hand lettering styles can add life to your journal, as can sketching or painting old signs that are still around in your town or spotted on your travels. For inspiration, check out the Speedball Textbook. Even if you’re not a calligrapher, you can use the exemplars for ideas of different lettering options.
I can spend hours watching videos of sign painters creating hand lettered signage. In recent years, there has been a resurgence in the popularity of sign painting as people reject the bland vinyl letters or digitally produced signs. Many of the old signs are now pieces of art, rather than the utilitarian objects they were intended to be. Another good book if you are interested in vintage signs is Sign Painters.
Not only are old signs beautiful, but they document the local history. Simple, graphic letters, lovingly painted to announce the family owned business that occupied the space. They were created in a slower-paced era before bright lights and neon took over. Before businesses stayed open until well after dark. When business was still there, with the same weathered sign, many years later. It’s harder to find these treasures now. A nostalgic journal page, documenting a few local businesses can be a historical reminder years from now of the business that filled the space and served the town.
Color Palettes
The color palettes of old vintage items are typically soft and muted and blend nicely in modern decor and make for pleasing journal spreads. Of course, you can find items in reds and turquoises and oranges, but what about the colors in the old Golden books or other children’s books. The illustrations are timeless and there are so many learnings from those miniature pieces of art. Take inspiration from these vintage colors and use them in your sketchbook pages.
Props in Social Media
Vintage items are great props in my social media posts. Combined with a memorable journal page, the items add a warmth and texture that is hard to find in new mass marketed items. There are lots of vintage items in my Instagram feed you can check out as examples. If you’re a calligrapher or like to decorate envelopes, old stamps are special items that you can include in your calligraphy posts.
Sketching or painting vintage items on your journal pages is another idea. Artisanal items likely carry a rich history with them that you may or may not be aware of. If the item happens to be handed down in your family, tell the story in your sketchbook journal, using the vintage piece as the inspiration. That information may be invaluable to someone years in the future and unlock a mystery behind the story associated with the piece.
Onsite Sketching
Local restaurants are a fun location for sketching in your visual journals. Between the decor and the good home-cooked meals, these eateries are full of local charm. Order a coffee and dessert and spend some time watching people. In my business travels to Charlotte, NC, I saw so many interesting places that would have been wonderful to document. Unfortunately, there were never enough hours in the day to fit it in. Nothing expresses the spirit of the community like food. Act like a tourist and try someplace new in your own area and spend some time observing. What do you hear and smell? What do you see? I think you will be surprised at how much is out there when you take a moment of quiet.
What if you aren’t a collector or don’t have vintage items to use for inspiration? There are so many options for adding warmth, texture and color palettes from the past in your journaling sketchbooks. Take a stroll in the downtown area of your city or town and try your skills at Urban Sketching. The old hand-painted signs, the textures of the buildings, the faded, muted colors offer loads of inspiration. The ghost paintings on the sides of the old brick buildings are wonderful mysteries to be solved. Try to duplicate the texture and the faint outlines into your pages.
Memory Journals
Use your journaling sketchbooks to document memories. We often think of our pages as something that we are creating in real time, but think back to your childhood, or when your children were small. Document favorite toys and books or restaurants or vacations and create a memory journal. Add a family tree and include a sketch of something meaningful. This can be a beautiful way to honor your family and tell your story in your own art and words.
Those lovely old weathered and worn vintage items can tell a story by themselves. I always wonder who possessed the item in the past and what they did with it. Was it precious or utilitarian? Many people only use nice things once or twice a year because they are so precious to them. However, on the surface, those items may seem like they were not preferred. When the reality is that they were highly valued. My hope is that you can look at your belongings through new eyes and even if they are not vintage now, they will be someday. Include your favorite items in your journals now, so that someday, someone may know what they meant to you.
Hopefully you now see the possibilities for sourcing vintage inspiration for your sketchbook journals. Make your journals personal and include those things that bring you joy and happiness. As always, let your art and dreams grow wild. If you’re just getting started and need a kick start, download my 5 Easy Steps For Getting Started in Art Journaling guide. In the meantime, I hope to see you back here next week!
