Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Squiggles, Dots, and Lines

I want to do a post about how much keeping a drawing book has changed the way I look at my art and others' art!

Does anyone else keep a drawing book or a sketchbook of some sort? I started mine last November in Elsie's very first online class. She gave journaling prompts once a week and I just kind of ran with it. She said how it was very therapeutic to keep a sketchbook with you at all times because inspiration strikes, or you have a serious emotion and you had a place to put it all. I think she couldn't have been more right.

I suggest getting a BIG journal with blank pages! I use a Moleskine Plain, but there are TONS of kinds you could use.

Moleskines come in a variety of pages types (including graphed, agenda, plain, lined, watercolor, and more) and have a variety of sizes, thicknesses, and colors!

But my first sketchbook that I started out with a year ago was a whopping $3.00 and it worked PERFECTLY! It was a Strathmore sketchpad bought at Hobby Lobby.

It's really not about price or "quality paper," it's just about personal preference and what you feel inspired to draw on.

EDIT: I've been asked what kind of pens I use to draw with and the answer is Pilot Precise V5 Begreen Extra Fine. They're a little on the pricey side of pens, but they're just worth it to me. I use to draw with regular ball point pens, but they make my paper curl and they aren't dark enough for me. I always ALWAYS draw with these and probably won't change until they stop making them. haha

Sometimes I accent my pages with colored pencil if I'm in the mood, but most of the time its just plain black ink.

My drawings center around hundreds of different things:
+general thoughts
+creative ideas brewing
+emotions
+everyday things that happen
+Ian
+wishlists
+lists in general
+trends

pretty much anything that comes into my mind, I put onto paper. Sometimes my pages are composed completely of just words.

sometimes completely of pictures or little sketches.

thoughts and themes for projects:

and then sometimes even more serious things too depending on the day:


My philosophy is, it doesn't matter if you "mess up," it doesn't matter if you think you'll actually USE the ideas you put down or not, it just matters that you get it in the book. You can look back on it later! I use my drawing book for inspiration a lot. I might start back at the beginning of the book and realize that I had abandoned and brilliant ideas just waiting to be used!

You can find some examples of my personal drawing books here.

I also don't see "mess ups" as "mess ups!" If you make a mark that you didn't mean to make, consider part of the creative process. This is something that took a long time for me to accept! I used to do a lot of scribbling out and tearing pages out, but I almost NEVER do that anymore. I either incorporate it into the drawing I'm making, or recognize that it gives the pages character!

I get inspired by many different things. Mostly it's my life and the little things that go along with it. Things I see during my day, a LOT of lists. (I sometimes have to remind myself of this:)


Some other people that inspire my drawings are below!
+Skott Young who illustrates for Marvel Comics:



+Irina Troitskaya on flickr:


+THIS flickr set by Thomas Brodahl. He does a series called "Tattooday" where he draws a message on his arm with pen every few days. I think its brilliant.


+Keri Smith! Also check out her Wreck This Journal flickr group!


+j a i m e r s' sketchbooks on flickr. OMG OMGOMG love all of them!

+and of COURSE Miss Elsie.




+I also get inspired by shows like this and random amazing typefaces as well. I try to mimic fonts a lot. haha

A few prompts to get you started?

*draw everything you had to eat today
*go on a walk and draw things you find on the ground
*draw your best friends
*dreams and wishes
*draw the temperature and weather today!
*sketch the seasons in different ways
*what can you see from your bedroom window?
*sit in a public place or on a city bus. document people and conversations.
*draw out frustrations.
*pick one geometric shape and run with it!
*draw while walking
*draw with your eyes closed.

So just get a blank book! It's open to you and you only. It won't judge you, there are no mistakes, it is art in its most raw form and its glorious.

feel free to comment with questions, comments or if you need some more inspiration and prodding! This will change your lifeeeee!

6 comments:

miss teacups said...

your sketchbook is completely inspiring!! you should post pages from it more often.

i use moleskines too!

PaperCameraScissor said...

I agree with carly you are inspiring. thanks for the post ---i needed some inspiration for a gift.

Anonymous said...

what kind of pen do you use?

<3

Unknown said...

I love your journal! I always start one and then forget about it, but you're inspiring me to dust it off again!

And I'm really sorry I haven't sent your package yet! I moved this weekend and everything got kind of buried, but it's coming soon - I promise! :)

Jeannie said...

looooved this post. Shoutout to you on the forums here: http://www.scrapinstyletv.com/forums/14_34049_0.html

:) have a great day!

Ashley said...

I love that you posted your sketch from when Ian told you he'd ask you to marry him by the end of the year... and he did!! I want to hear all the deets - please blog about it!! :)