How I use my sketchbooks Part 2.

I posted some images from a couple of my sketchbooks in my last post. Today I'm going to show a few more of the specific uses I have set up for some of my sketchbooks.

The photos below are from a sketchbook that was dedicated to collecting images and drawing ideas for embellishment, eg. beads, etc.

The sketchbook below is dedicated purely to drawing images of trees.

The one below is used for collecting and drawing ideas for work.

I find it useful to also keep all the information I gather at workshops in the one place. I write notes, draw sketches, etc. all in the one sketchbook. See below.

Paper collection

I was cleaning in my studio last week and found some of my paper collection. Over the years I have bought pieces of paper always intending to use them for something. As with lots of my collections, I never actually use the items and they just get stored away. The images below are of just a few of the papers I have waiting to be used.

Storage of ideas

I constantly have a collection of random items that give me ideas for artworks. A lot of them are 2-dimensional objects and so they can be stored together. Initially I would keep magazine clippings, newspaper articles, photocopies from books, free postcards, etc. in little piles all over my studio.  I then found these fantastic zip lock pockets that are really strong and great for storage. I now store all my little bits of paper in one of these pockets along with a sketchbook to put them into when I get a chance.

I have an obsession with drawing borders around everything in my sketchbooks. Below is what the inside of one of my idea sketchbooks looks like. Sometimes I will write comments or ideas next to the pictures. At other times it is purely just images.

My favorite picture on these pages is the one of the beer 

bottles wearing the jumpers.

The images above are of my zip up bag I use. It is made of plastic but is 

reinforced with an internal mesh so it is very strong.

I inherited these great reels of thread.

Both my grandma's died when I was very young and so I sort of adopted the elderly lady that lived next door to us while I was growing up. Her name was Flo White. Its funny how no one in the town really liked her, she tended to be rude to most people. For some reason however, she and I always got along really well. Her children knew how close I was to her and used to always say she thought of me as her grand daughter. When she died, her children knew that she would want me to have all her old textiles bits and pieced. Below are a couple of photos of the old wooden reels of cotton she left for me. A lost of them are silk and the rest are cotton and are still in good condition. Even though they're not brittle I'm still not sure I can use them, I just like to look at them and remember Mrs White.

This is one of the boxes that the threads came in. I'm not sure if these boxes have a name or not. Basically it is made of old cards (a birthday card in this case) that then have clear plastic put over the top and it is crocheted around the edge to hold it all in place.

The inside of the thread box from above. Some of the reels are really thick 

waxed linen. Very yummy.

Another box of threads that Mrs White left for me.