I have a sketchbook, or 7… I don’t draw my work in them, though I do draw patterns. Generally radial ones. Less precise than my ‘work’ ones (hey, I’m no computer), and more spiky. Too spiky for jewellery. Of course I write in my sketchbooks too. Generally to-do lists. A couple of weeks ago I drew myself a weekly planner. Funny how with that extra bit of time invested, in actually drawing a nice weekly plan, I have been sticking to it – though maybe I finally hit on a rhythm that makes sense to me.
Anyway, sketchbooks. I really do have 4 or 5 on the go. I bought a beautiful one in Venice earlier this year, which has lovely paper, so I’m using it a lot. At I’m least carting it around a lot. I always have a small sketch pad/unlined notebook in my handbag too – the current one is from my last trip to Florence, in ’08. My previous most beautiful sketchbook (probably why it’s still unfinished), is one I was given by Jin Ah, which has lots of things pasted in it. Then there’s the ordinary-looking suede one with cheap paper. I usually go through thin paper quickly since I’m not at all precious about what I put in or tear out. Lots of shopping lists with the odd book notation.
I have a lovely detachable leather covered sketchbook, also given by a friend, Jennifer. I’ve had to refill that one (I used it more as a competition appointment book, it got stuffed to the gills with alternate photos of the same works, and deadlines), and when I did, I fit two smaller books in it, one lined for work stuff and one unlined, for creative stuff. Invariably I’m in the wrong one when I’m writing/drawing. The unlined is plain cartridge. A bit boring. Probably why it’s predominantly filled with lecture notes. So, what’s that? Six?
Last year I carried around an A5 Archers Watercolour Pad for a while. Until I got too precious about the drawings I had completed, but wasn’t prepared to tear them from the block. This was unusual for me, since I often draw on the backs of coasters in pubs and leave them there.
Anyway, there are plenty of sketchbooks online to look at. This was a fave of a few years ago. And I used to have a print-out of a page from a book that was all done in biro by different artists which was scanned and put online. I can no longer find the print, nor the website.
I also recently bought (thanks to the massive Borders sale) the 1000 Journals Project Book. I saw the doco a while back. Cool project. There are plenty of imitators out now, offering a similar system with a guaranteed exhibition at the end (for a fee, of course.) The book is strange, as a sketchbook. It’s a collection of pages from several of the 1000 journals, so there’s no continuous voice, and often 4 pages (much shrunk) to a side.
The appealing thing about seeing other people’s sketchbooks is that they’re of a style. And their finished. The potential of the book has been realised. Wonder if I’ll ever finish one…