I have been thinking lately about the purpose of my sketchbook journals and how that fits with things that I would like to try out. Are my journals about the finished pages or are they about the thinking process, working out ideas? Actually they are both, and there are many pages which you never will see. And there are pages like this that are part experiment, part record of daily life. Sometimes I think that maybe I should have a "messy" journal along with this sketchbook journal. Laura Frankstone had an interesting post on this topic a few weeks back on the Artists' Journal Workshop blog. And I do feel about journals much they way she does. I greatly admire other artists' beautifully designed sketchbook journals but mine do remain more organic, more messy, for the most part. How do you approach your sketchbook journals? Do you separate the journals for more "finished" pages from a "messy" journal? Or let it all happen together?
17 comments:
Mmmm. . . I can smell your lilacs from here! Lovely sketch.
Good quote and I like your lilacs. I like you view of you sketchbook/journal. Though I do admire how some artists create beautifully designed pages, I also find that my sketchbook is a place where I can feel free to experiment and be messy if I wish. I think drawing in my sketchbook is where I do a lot of learning about drawing and myself.
I love that quote and the sketch is really nice, too. I'm keeping just one art journal as I could never keep track of different journals for different purposes. I use it for sketches and watercolor sketches. I have other sketchbooks or paper that I use for thumbnails or working out perspective, though. And a separate journal for writing, but I'm not doing well on keeping up those morning pages.
Such beautiful lilacs and a lovely quote.
I keep everything in my sketchbook: rough ideas, finished drawings, my calendar, photos, small paintings, recipes, even ticket stubs... I like having everything all in one place.
This is beautiful, Ann. Dare I admit that - gasp - I don't keep a sketchbook? Yikes! Have been thinking about starting one though.... I need more practice drawing and observing. When I do start one I think it will probably be messy and an art oriented catchall :-)
my sketchbook is messy lol full or quick sketches, half finished work, the odd finished piece, any photos from magazines that catch my eye, even fabric scraps lol Its getting so thick I am going to have to take the original wire binding off and get some binder rings to clip it all together lol
right now its with the rest of my portfolio at college to get looked at and i feel naked without it here lol
Love your lilacs - I'm much more about painting one spray of flowers than a whole landscape - as I wrote recently on my blog.
My sketchbook is the only place that I make art - some are finished pieces that I like and some are experiments that are ho-hum, but I consider them part of my journey.
I write on the pages to remember why I sketched and painted that page, but it is not a place for other writing - I have other places for those notes.
oh how lovely =)
My favorite flower of them all! Gorgeous, Ann, and I am almost smelling them as I type. As to the sketchbook, alas, when I work in one, most of the pages are messes with practice stuff on them. I have a few nice things within but I must admit to the messy pages bothering me enough that I have a hard time working in a sketch book. But I keep on trying!
I responded to this post already on Facebook, but I wanted to comment here, too, in support of your letting your sketchbook journal be a place of growth, vulnerability, openness, and receptivity, where the target audience is... YOU.
Hey, love your lilacs!
Mine are blossoming too and they are on my blog. So nice to have found yours!
Lovely lilacs, very fresh!
I have several sketchbooks going but the one I fill up very quickly is the messy one, where I sketch ideas, thumbnails or try out colours. If I'm stuck for inspiration I just have to look through the pages.
Your lilacs make me home sick, Ann. We can't grow them here in sunny, hot SW FL.
Thanks too for visiting my blog and leaving a comment. I hope you have a wonderfully creative week!!
Beautifully captured - we walked home after dinner out last night and the scent of lilacs was just sensational.
My sketchbooks are very messy - full of hastily captured sketches, ideas, phone numbers, reminders, business cards, wrappers, lettering, references. They are just a place to play and catch impressions for me. Now and then there will be a little piece of something that works that I can develop.
Sue
These are so well done I can almost smell them!
I'm inspired by your posting your sketchbook entries. I always have a "working" sketchbook in which I work out ideas for projects I'm working on, but I REALLY want to make daily sketching just for sketching's sake a priority. I've become too tight in my work and feel a loss in my creativity. My goal over the next year is to really open up artisitcally. Try out new things, challenge the skills I already have and generally find a new me artistically. I'd like to get to a point where I sketch frequently and then have the courage to post it for all the world to see.
You're blog is inspirational for me. I'd love for you to check out mine and leave me some feedback or encouraging words! www.thenoodlefactoy.blogspot.com
Lilacs are among my favorite spring flowers. These are beautiful. Thanks for the link to Artists' Journal Workshop. I've bookmarked it and will visit often, I suspect. nancy
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