2015 sketchbooks

These are my 2015 sketch/art books, twelve (12) of them. I realized that there maybe 2 more hiding around my studio that are dedicated to notes and sketches on special media, oriental brush paintings and acrylic painting but this pile is really my general sketchbooks.

1. I started January with Sketchbook Skool's Seeing class (1st on the right). The class instructors were Danny Gregory, Koosje Koene, BrendaSwenson, Cathy Johnson, and Andrea Joseph. It was great fun.

2. The next sketchbook,  entitled Off The Map  was a $1 library book that I had gutted and created a new text block of Strathmore Aquarius II watercolor paper (80 lb. CP) The I  added the LL Bean boot key fob I won to the spine. The sketchbook took me on An Imaginary Trip to Acadia with Laure Ferlita. It started in November 2014 but everyone was having so much fun she extended it into January 2015.

3. April brought the America's Wild Woodlands another one of my library recycled book. It was used to house my International Fake Journal Month (with Roz Stendahl). This was the first time I developed another persona for this annual event.

4. In May I worked in the purple foldout sketchbook I made, 4th book from the right). It was another imaginary trip with Laure, but this time to New Zealand. Someplace I would like to go someday for real.

5. The little coptic bound book next is a miscellaneous collection of sketches that started in October 2013 got misplaced, rediscovered, then completed in May 2015.

6. The large black strathmore sketchbook on the bottom of the pile was begun in May when I just felt the need to play and take a break from "serious" art. I had been working steadily on some Oriental Brush Painting for exhibits. I wanted something to inspire new page design and lettering for my regular sketchbooks. I think this group did that and will do it again in 2016.

7. The turquoise coptic bound sketchbook (2nd from the far left) was the next to be completed. It began on a trip to visit family in July 2014. It was one of those books that I would snatch up as I went out the door just in case I needed to take some notes are get a bit of sketching done. It fit easily into my purse. It does have some good notes on flower structure, landscape composition, and color.

8-10. The end of July was the start of Roz Stendahl's Online Practice Drawing class. I use 2 small paperback moleskine Legendary notebooks and a black soft cover 500 series Strathmore sketchbook. I questioned the price of the class before I took it but it was well worth the money. Roz is a very good instructor.

11. The small repurposed library book on the far left holds 3 small imaginary visits. The first one I did in conjunction with a knitting group to Sweden (February). Then I took two more with Laure Ferlita Scotland (August) and Spain (October).

12. Roz's pep talk on ignoring your inner critic gave me the courage to do the last one, 50 small Acrylic painting. It has change the direction of my art or at least added a new dimension.

Have pulled a new sketchbook off the shelf and am ready to start the new year.