Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Last pages in the watercolor sketchbook

Let me start by saying that today it is exactly two years ago that I started this blog! I cannot believe I have kept it up so long, because it's more my style to become tired with something new and move on to the next. This is also why I had been putting it off for two years before I even started. But when you keep thinking about something long enough it may be time to start it up and so I did.

And now I'm so gratefull I went through with it. This blog has been a blessing even if sometimes it's a chore to keep it up. What I get out of it is so much more than I have to put into it, so it's well worth it. Of course it's you my blogsy people who make this experience so worth while and I want to thank each and every one of you for your visits, your comments,  your encouragement and your participation. Thank you thank you thank you! ;-)

Today I finished up my watercolor sketchbook, the one I started a little over a year ago at Easter 2011. There were times I never thought I would finish it up, but now I have and I want to show you the last seven pages.

The first page is a little journal entry that I did while I was on the morning ferry, on my way to visit my family. I don't mind the travel so much, but I do mind that the morning ferry leaves at 7 am. I'm so not a morning person and that's what this page is about. ;-)


The final pages of the sketchbook were pretty much all about experimenting with patterns and shapes and colors. Sometimes that worked out really well and sometimes it didn't.

The next one I did on the same morning as the one above. It's a lot of stacked writing that I did with felt tip pens. I wanted to see how the pattern looked with many different colors on top of each other.  I think it would make a nice background for a journal page or it could be interesting to do it on thinner paper and turn it into collage fodder.


I love drawing swirls. I don't know why. Often when I doodle absentmindedly I will draw different size swirls next to each other. This time I decided to color them in with watercolor. The result is quite interesting as a pattern.


Inspired by the colors I used for the swirls I decided to do some doodling directly in watercolor. This was inspired by the pretty papers I made in gouache a while ago. I wanted to see if maybe I could create some abstract pages with a different feel to them.


On another day I took this a bit further and made smaller shapes in different shades of brown. I really like these pages. There's something tribal about them. They are also a lot of fun to do. Basically I just start with one shape in one color and then gradually add shapes in different colors all over the page. I have no idea what will happen when I start and that's actually my favorite way of art making.


I wanted to use the same brown shades for a more organic kind of page with flowers and leaves. I'm only moderately content about this one, but that's the risk of experimenting. I don't hate it and I don't love it. It was fun to do though and that counts for something too. ;-)


And so we come to the last page and it may very well be the least attractive page in the entire journal! Consider this an experiment gone wrong. Live and learn. It's too...crowded, unbalanced. It just doesn't work. But...I want you to see the lesser stuff too. I think it's important that people know that not everything they  make will work out and some stuff will be...well...pretty abismal really. ;-)


So now this sketchbook is full. The next carry along sketchbook will be a square sized 6x6 Seawhite of Brighton one and I can't wait to get started in it, even though it's always a little intimidating to know that you have so many pages to fill yet before a new book is finished.

Hope you enjoyed this sketchbook peek and hope you carry around a sketchbook yourself wherever you go! Wishing you a wonderful artsy week!