Whenever i get stuck, and increasingly now before i begin really painting during the day, i’ll start sketching. It helps explore ideas and techniques before they become paintings. It also helps me loosen up and get more confidence in the mules i want to paint that day, it takes fewer mistakes if it begins in the sketchbook.
This year i’ve begun using water colors more often, and acrylic on paper instead of only on wood or canvas. India ink has always been a part of the sketchbook process. Growing up, these were the tools i used when playing in my sketchbook. Full-fledged paintings weren’t really something i did, instead it was mostly sketchbook sized and i was really increasingly more interested in photography.
It’s been joyfull and playful to be back working in the sketchbook this way. Hoping to one day rebuild the bridge to the creativity and imagination i took for granted growing up.
These have for the most part all been made in June or July. When i sell work, i usually try to include a lot of lagniappe, including sketchbook pages. Sketchbooks represent periods of time in an artist’s practice, examining what they were interested in at a certain time, what themes and colors and compositions were being explored. When i send the pages away, that work goes with it, which sort of signals a moving on and a full circle, or completion. But it’s good to be able to look back on the past to see what will inform the future, so i’ve begun scanning as much “good work” as i am able to - hopefully that means keeping up with it and sharing more on here.