I was reading about the sketchbook/journal/idea books on The Hive yesterday. It made me think about my sketchbook. I call it a sketchbook but it is so much more. I have a very detailed sketchbook/idea book/journal for quite sometime. It started in college, 50% of my grade was based on my sketchbook I have kept an insanely detailed sketchbook. I see something in a magazine and rip it out, then cut it very pretty and glue it to a page. All my notes are done in permanent marker, this started when I had a class and spilled coffee on my sketchbook smearing the ink and changing the page a beautiful brown color. I usually use blue because I never use blue to draw with, I use black ink. This is really funny to me because I hate blue ink, not sure why but I would much rather write in black ink.
About two weeks ago I found practically a brand new sketchbook (it was like Christmas) maybe 30 pages were used. This sketchbook was my Fabric Dying Sketchbook (a beautiful black bound book) I was amazed on my thought process I wrote everything down (trial and errors – suggestions on what I could do to make it better). I even had scraps of dyed fabric glued in my book. I was extremely impressed with myself. Pictures of the drawings/paintings/etc. notes to myself, what colors I want to do next time, test swatches of paint on fabrics. I couldn’t believe the time I use to put into my sketchbooks. Now my detail drawings are stick people with notes or a simple drawing with notes. I have tons of magazine pictures ripped out and just shoved in the notebook. I will get around to gluing everything down someday.
A sketchbook in my opinion is personal there will never be two alike because no two people are alike. I don’t consider my sketchbook a work of art but more a journey through my thought process on a piece. For example I found a recipe for paper clay but it works more like frosting opposed to sculpting it. I have been thinking how can I turn it into a “sculpting” medium. My sketchbook has two different recipes and I am trying to find ways to “improve” the recipe before I actually start it. I’m thinking I might have come across a winning combination. Combining a Cornstarch Clay with the Paper Mache Clay recipe might make it work more like a clay. Also if I puree the toilet paper before I mix everything together it would make it smoother. Of course without experimentation I have no idea how it will work. I am getting 2 – 3lb buckets of joint compound me from my mom! I am really excited and I really hope my thought process will pay off. If it doesn’t I will breakdown and drive to Michael’s to get some Creative Paperclay!
Who Are You Calling Crafty? 