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!
7 comments:
So excite!!! I'm proud of us. This project really was gratifying in a lot of ways!
Wow! Everything is sooo adorable! I love the cat-stack with umbrella. xD
wow your book looks great and whimsical like you wanted! i love a book full of cats and dogs and you drew them all so lovely. my dream is to one day own a frenchie too. your cartoon of one is adorable.
i didn't get to hand one in this year. i'm only starting to get over that fact hehe. but it's ok, i'll be ready for next. i'm excited to check out the other books as well!
have a great day sarah :)
Your sketches are so cute. My favorite is the one with the kitty sitting on the polka dot umbrella. Can't wait to actually see it. :)
@Katie This is a Galactic Win for both of us!! I'm looking forward to checking yours out during the tour. Yay! We did it!!
@Ariel I need a cat stack in my life for real! haha!
@Gale Thank you so much :) Frenchies are the best dogs ever! I love that they are always smiling.
Its not too late for the Sketchbook Project! The website says that you can send it in even if its unfinished! Or even if its late, it may not make the tour but can still be part of the permanent collection! So there's still time if you're up for it!
@Grace Yay! Thanks so much! How flattering from someone who owns a cat :D I'm also planning on taking a trip to Brooklyn to see everyone else's books :)
No! Mate! Seriously... a sketchbook of yours with NO rodents within it? I noticed the pages wern't all showed, but mate, no rodents? I'm a little sad at that! :( lol ;)
I remember you talking about this in an older blog and I wanted to do it, but I'm not sure it applied to me, me being all the way across the sea. :P If it runs again and it happens in my country I'll do it.
But mate! Wherz da rodentz @? lol
@Phil Isn't it crazy that there's not rodents! hahahaaha The theme was cats and dogs... so they didn't seem to belong and I left them out. Although, I have hundreds of photos of my pets and sometimes they appear in my personal sketchbooks. So they're around somewhere, just not in that particular book. Also! The sketchbook project is open for participation to everyone around the world! The only problem is that you'd have to be in the U.S. to see the traveling library. I don't think they have enough funding to tour overseas yet, but who knows, its growing in popularity, it might be possible in the future! If I do this again, I'll post an invitation :)
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