Sketchbooks:
When I was little I sometimes drew in my journal. In college we were assigned to keep something called a sketchbook—what an idea!— and I’ve kept one ever since. All my travels are in them, as well as museum visits, composition sketches, cafe doodles, anything really. I use it any time I need to lay down some line or color, just make some marks, or take notes. I love seeing other people’s sketchbooks too.
Fran Wood says
I envy your commitment to keeping your sketchbook/journals, and am particularly impressed by the photo of your bookshelf full of them. I, too, have a bookshelf full of small journals — each with no more than 3 or 4 pages used. Having repeatedly vowed to complete them (the UK journal, the Hawaii journal, the Fla. journal, etc.), I’ve finally decided the best route forward is to abandon the venue approach and just work in one journal no matter where I am or what the subject. That’s my 2016 resolution!
Fran Wood
Aimee Erickson says
Fran, I have to confess something. These aren’t a result of commitment or discipline–they just sort of happen. If anything, there were productive things I could have been doing instead! I like’em when they are partly filled, as opposed to brand new. I just carry the current one with me and draw whatever occurs to me. Here’s another idea, from my friend Sophie Franz: for times when you want to ‘do something’ in your sketchbook but don’t have any ideas, just paint pages solid colors, to be drawn on or painted on later.
cheyenneroll says
The dedication and desire shows! Could you tell me what the color medium is that you use in your sketchbooks? Also what size do you find best to carry around. Thanks for sharing.
Aimee Erickson says
Sure, yes, I use a lot of watercolor. I have a little Canson set that I carry around. My favorite book for paper quality and for opening flat (without that spiral binding) is the moleskine, in the small or medium size, and with the heavy blank paper. It’s coated, so watercolor works better if you put a drop or two of vodka in it. I also oil-paint directly onto the paper. Or I shellac the pages first if I want to take the time.