The Sketchbook Project: On its way to Brooklyn, The Mothership!
My sketchbook contribution for The Sketchbook Project is complete! This has to be the most gratifying project I have ever endured. I have to admit, it was tough for me. There were days when I had to force myself to work on it even when I didn't want to. Filling eighty pages required a drawing stamina that I almost didn't believe I had. But I am proud to say that I finished it!
I don't believe that this is my best work, I think a more accurate word would be that this is my most honest work. What I mean is that my drawings are raw and uninhibited as a sketchbook should be. The ideas moved from the brain to the arm to the paper. Nothing else was in between. I wasn't concerned about whether the drawings were good or not or if anyone would even like them. I let mistakes happen and forgave them.
With The Sketchbook Project I wasn't concerned with messing up my book as I have been with my other personal sketchbooks. I hate to admit it, but I've never been proud of my sketchbooks! They aren't honest. Heck, I get embarrassed when I try to draw a naked person even if its only me who will see it. And then there are other issues like, I don't want to mess up the pages or have an "ugly" sketchbook. Or notoriously saving the "good" paper for "good" drawings that never happen. I wasted a lot of time waiting for the perfect circumstances which, I only now realized, there are never going to be perfect circumstances. I just need to let things be.
I learned a lot of valuable lessons from The Sketchbook Project. I learned to listen and look closely. I experimented with mixed media and pushed my physical limits. Oh yes... If you've been following me on my Twitter, there were some days I stayed awake until 5am because I didn't want to creative juice to run dry. I don't plan on doing this for every project, but I did find it interesting to work differently than I usually would to get things done.
My desk
I was going through a difficult time when I started The Sketchbook Project. I chose the theme "It's Raining Dogs and Cats". I wanted it to be whimsical because I needed something positive to focus on. And what could be more positive than drawing lots of dogs and cats and some of them carrying umbrellas?
On the left is my boyfriend's dog. She really looks like that!
On the right is my beloved theorhetical French Bulldog of the future!
I don't own a dog, but someday I will and I hope she's just like the dog in my drawing!
Lots and lots of calico cats!
The Sketchbook Project inspired me to continue keeping sketchbooks. Honest sketchbooks. And maybe this year I'll be brave enough to draw naked people.
The fun doesn't end here! My sketchbook will be touring major cities across the United States from February to July 2011. They posted a schedule which is subject to change. It looks like they are planning on adding a lot of destinations! One may be near you!
I am extremely happy to be a part of something so huge! I was able to recruit a ton of my friends for this. A lot of them are local, but there are some that are spread across the U.S. Even if I'm unable to see them in person, I can still be connected to them by looking through their sketchbooks! Isn't that neat? If you're participating in The Sketchbook Project too, please let me know. I'll try my best to find your book in the traveling library!