My Sketchbook | Lubaina Himid

Why It Matters

Himid’s process reveals how disciplined sketching fuels artistic innovation and narrative revision, offering curators and cultural institutions a model for nurturing adaptable, concept‑driven practice.

Key Takeaways

• Sketches serve as confidence‑building rehearsal before final paintings
• Large paper piles replace traditional sketchbooks, fostering spontaneous ideas
• Failed competition entries still inspire future commissions and projects
• Detailed boat drawings help process anxiety and inform large installations
• Reworking historic images reframes narratives around Black experiences

Summary

In the video, contemporary artist Lubaina Himid explains how she uses a constant flow of sketches to build confidence and generate ideas for larger works. Rather than keeping a conventional sketchbook, she piles sheets of paper in her studio, allowing thoughts, lists, and visual experiments to coexist on the same surface. This practice lets her test concepts—ranging from an orrery to a Mandela memorial—before committing to paint or construct. Himid illustrates the method with numerous examples: a discarded orrery sketch that led her to abandon a painting in favor of a teeth motif; a theatrical backdrop for the Manchester International Festival that she realized would distract audiences; and a rejected Nelson Mandela memorial design featuring a football‑mosaic floor that remains a portfolio highlight. She also draws boats—Zanzibari dhows, English slave ships—to manage anxiety, later translating those studies into installations for the High Line and the Gwangju Biennale. A striking moment comes when she reinterprets William Hogarth’s 1742 cabin scene, excising aristocratic figures and leaving two Black men to converse, thereby reshaping historical narrative. This reworking became part of her "Le Rodeur" series, demonstrating how sketching can serve as a laboratory for political and cultural commentary. Other sketches include pattern practice, voting‑pavilion proposals, and a jelly‑mould pavilion that evolved from a temporary beach structure to a lasting installation. Overall, Himid’s relentless sketching underscores the importance of low‑stakes visual thinking in contemporary art production. By externalizing ideas onto paper, she mitigates creative risk, refines concepts, and creates a repository of material that can be revisited for future commissions, exhibitions, or public projects.

Original Description

Turner Prize winning artist Lubaina Himid shows us her sketches and talks about how important sketching is to her wider work.

Has Lubaina inspired you to pick up a pencil? If so why not join our Saturday Sketch Clubs, a series of online monthly art classes led by artists. Whether you’re a beginner or a practising artist, these online classes are designed for everyone.

Find out more: https://www.royalacademy.org.uk/page/saturday-sketch-club

Watch more sketchbook films here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLOXsOsSnQH02MLzF7Bded_HmYcIJkt5vB