First Pages in My Handmade Australian Piano Hinge Sketchbook

 I made this journal in a Sketchbook Revival class as a sample, with no intentions of using it, so I did the rest of the classes in my Winsor Newton mixed media sketchbook. I used paper from a very large mixed media sketchbook that I had left over from some college classes I took back around 2000, so the paper is pretty old, but it is acid free and seemed sturdy enough for this purpose. The hinges are from the same paper, and I added some gold marker paint to them since I first shared the journal (not shown here). I also added some stenciling to the front. It still needs something to fasten it, but I haven't decided what yet.

Anyway, I had an itch to sketch the other day, and I had paint drying on my W/N page, so I picked up this little gem and started playing in it. I like it, and will definitely be making another one out of better, and newer, paper. (See previous post for more about it)

I used the first page to clean off my palette of acrylics with a brush, just randomly covering the page, then added some Anthraquinone Blue, which I thought was Indigo, around the sides and let it dry while I cut out some of my squiggly artwork that I had printed off previously. When it was dry, I used a UHU glue stick to glue the squiggle art and a word phrase from a printout by Tamara Laporte to the page. I guess I needed that message that day, because it's the one out of a page full that spoke to me. 

If you look closely at the bottom right corner, there is the suggestion of a woman holding a crystal ball. I love when images appear out of chaos! And I love the cat, who looks like she is saying, "Don't you know you're enough?" I sketched her from a vintage Pinterest photo, which she looks nothing like, but I loved that she had two bows on her head. The one line vase/plant is from my imagination.

The next page is an angel with unusual wings. I had MTV videos on and happened to look up while this video was playing. It was the group, The Warning, and they were all dressed like this, in white, with the tri-colored wings, which transitioned from white at the shoulders, to gray, to black. Red heads always draw me, so I paused the TV and quickly sketched her in ink and later added a bit of watercolor. The video song was "Ritual", and although I didn't particularly care for it, it did have some stunning visual images in it.

Then I skipped over the pages to a triple fold out page that I had put in and went crazy with different media and marks to make another wild garden, which was inspired by a Karen Stamper class that I took. There is a stamped cat face on the bottom right and a sun in the top left. I love doing these with no plan or worry about how it's going to come out!

Then I went back to the third page and tried to sketch a ceramic angel, that one of my best friends made for me, in pencil, but it was sitting on the fireplace mantel across the room, and it was pretty dark from my recliner, so I messed it up. Then I re-worked it in ink. It looks nothing like a cherub, but I like it better.

The next day, I sat the same ceramic angel on the table next to my recliner and tried again in pencil. I recently learned that the reason my faces always look long and thin is because I'm trying to sketch them laying flat in front of me. I tried this one with my book standing up in front of me on an easel. Sure enough, I got a much rounder face! This one does look like a cherub to me. I've tried to sketch this numerous times, and this one is the best, so far...

This one was from a painting show on a Prime streaming channel. She was giving tips on quick sketching from life with paint and a large brush, but I found her face fascinating, so I paused the TV and sketched her. Again, I got a much better face sketched by setting my sketchbook on the easel straight up. I don't remember her name, but I actually got a tiny bit of likeness. Not happy with the hard lines on her eyes, but it is what it is, and I learned a lot!

This last one I sketched from a photo of myself. Very little likeness, and it's a much younger version, but that's not what I was after. I think it does look kind of like she's daydreaming though. Again, on the easel instead of laying down. Good practice!

What I want to do is go through mine and my mom's photo albums and sketch from our vintage family photos. I'm just having trouble finding the time and doing it without feeling guilty that I'm not cleaning or something. Guilt over not doing what you're "supposed to be doing", according to other people, is not a fun thing, even at my age. :(

I know it's been a while since my last post, and I do have some more sketches completed. I just haven't scanned them into the computer yet to post. I also have a post started that is waiting for me to finish an abstract to include. It involves horse heads, so it scares me a bit, and I keep procrastinating about tackling it...

My health is not cooperating with me either, so there's that. I'm thankful that hubby and I are doing as well as we are. We are in our late seventies, and life gets challenging sometimes, but we are grateful to still be here and able to help each other, with God's help.

Well, that's it for this post! I hope you enjoyed your visit. When you feel like you're not gaining, and your tempted to quit, don't. You never know what the next minute will bring!