The Power of the Notebook: from Leonardo da Vinci to Jaime Hayón.
With the start of ARCO 2025 in Madrid, creativity and innovation are once again taking centre stage in the world of art and design. This event, which brings together some of the most influential artists and designers, invites us to reflect on the importance of creative processes and how many ideas have been born in a simple sketchbook.
From the visionary studies of Leonardo da Vinci to the dynamic drawings of Jaime Hayón , the notebook remains an essential tool for exploring, experimenting and developing ideas.
More than just a space for drawing, the notebook is a laboratory of creativity where ideas take shape without restrictions. Pablo Picasso used it to try out new styles and techniques before putting them onto his canvases. Frida Kahlo , in her illustrated diary, documented her inner world, her emotions and her pain, elements that would later profoundly influence her work. Leonardo da Vinci filled hundreds of pages with anatomical studies, inventions and sketches that revolutionised his time.
In contemporary design, artists such as Jaime Hayón continue to demonstrate the importance of drawing as a starting point. His playful style and fusion of art and design are born on paper before being transformed into pieces of furniture, interiors or sculptures. His process reflects how manual sketching remains a fundamental tool for exploring and developing ideas.
Even in the digital age, the notebook remains an irreplaceable ally for recording spontaneous thoughts, perfecting your style and maintaining creative discipline. If you are an artist or designer, make the notebook your best companion and let creativity flow without limits.
