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.

How I use my sketchbooks Part 1.

I’ve been keeping sketchbooks in various forms since I was in Year 12 at High School. Our Year 12 Art teacher made us keep a sketchbook where we did drawings and also collected images of interest, newspaper clippings, etc. I still have my 2 sketchbooks to this day.

I used to put all my drawings, things I collect etc. all into one sketchbook. It got too hard to find what I was looking for and so I made my sketchbooks for specific purposes. I still have lots of different sketchbooks nowadays, but each one has a different purpose.

I have a small one (10 x 15cm) that is handy just to put in your handbag when going to an art exhibition, etc. It is small enough to draw ideas in while in a gallery etc. without it being overtly obvious what your doing. This one is really my only multi purpose sketchbook.

Some photos of pages from my small sketchbook are below.

As I said earlier, most of my sketchbooks are for specific purposes. The one below was dedicated to Papermaking. I would included samples of papers I was making, write questions I wanted to find out the answers to, draw ideas, etc. See images below.

How I work through an idea- Part 6

After pages and pages of planning I eventually make the final piece. Please note as I said earlier, I only show a portion of the pages here as the others still contain ideas I wish to explore further. I have only shown approximately 1/3 of the pages I actually completed.

Below is the finished work. I'm rather fond of this piece, you will notice it is the header on my blog and it also features on items such as my business card.

Please let me know if you have any questions regarding the process I have documented in these past few posts.

How I work through an idea- Part 5

When I have worked out the basics of my work (this was done through making test pieces), I then do some more in-depth planning into how the overall piece will come together. This includes working out how my piece will be mounted/displayed. I experiment with display ideas such as stretching on canvas, traditional quilt backing, traditional picture framing, etc.

The mounting/display of a work is extremely important. It can make a work successful or an utter failure. I make my pieces so that they are not tied down to one type of mounting/display, this way I can change my mind as I go.

Below are two sketchbook pages showing ideas for mounting/displaying my work.

Thinking about mounting/display options

Final work almost organised.

How I work through an idea- Part 4

Making samples is one of the biggest and most important parts of my work. It is at this point that all my planning starts to come together.

once again I write ideas to go with my samples so that I don't forget my thoughts

often when I start making samples I find things are not really working out how I planned. I will then stop and go back to drawing again and often do some more research.

How I work through an idea- Part 3

Once I have refined my concept via drawings it is time to start looking at fabrics.

some of the fabrics that interest me

samples that explore some of my ideas. I often write comments to go with them so I don't forget what I was thinking

How I work through an idea- Part 2

Once I have collected lots of research images and done my basic drawings/written comments, I then start to refine my ideas.

more in depth drawings trying to refine my  

  ideas

drawings that stem from the ideas I got during my research

looking at colours and more concept development

How I work through an idea- Part 1

When I am developing my ideas for a piece of work I am quite methodical and can sometimes fill almost a whole sketchbook. My sketchbooks often become a work of art in themselves. I do my work in a plain A4 sketchbook and then often cover it with fabric or paper to match the theme of the work.

The photos below are some of the first steps in the sequence I follow to create a final piece of work. I will post more or the steps I follow in future posts.

*Please note- I haven't shown all the steps and pages here, as some of them still contain ideas I want to work on in the future.

     

I start with brainstorming

 then more in depth brainstorming

 

                                                                                   I then start collecting images, drawing         

                                                                               ideas and writing related comments

 

                                                                        more images, drawings, comments, etc.                               

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.