So many creative sorts have hopped on the 100 day project, the 2022 iteration of which began Sunday, February 13th. I debated giving that kind of sustained attention to a single project, but decided not to for now, just as I’m settling into the year’s rhythm. Instead, I’m going to continue “spreading myself thin,” but doing so mindfully, if that makes sense.
For example, quite a few months ago I took stock of the new and the partially begun and the unfinished but completely abandoned sketchbooks I’ve somehow accrued. And I committed to finishing a Fabriano Quadrato Artist’s Journal I’d bought in Rome in 2016; sketched a page with travel notes, Bordeaux 2016,
Florence the same year; then picked up again in February 2018 to use on a sketching outing to UBC’s Museum of Anthropology with a friend . . . so that I’d filled 6 pages by the time I did my “empty/unfinished journal inventory. “
Part of the reason this little journal fell out of favour was that its paper isn’t really made for watercolour, which I like to add to sketches. And it’s even less happy with glue, a favourite rescue tool: I often resort to glue when I’m feeling too critical of, or vulnerable about, my sketching. Collages work better those days: sticking a ticket stub or colourful stamps or a grandkid’s drawing to the page and writing the date and a few notes.
Nor do this journal’s pages lie flat easily, and a double-page spread doesn’t work at all. The square pages are interesting to work with, but I think, now, that I prefer the option I’ve got used to of pages that can be turned to offer either “portrait” or “landscape” mode.
But the principles of more eco-conscious consumerism I’m bringing to my wardrobe — using what I’ve bought, as a starting point — decided me. These principles need to spread to other rooms susceptible to acquisition, so I plugged my ears against my own protests and decided to fill this journal before buying any other. using ink and perhaps just a bit of watercolour.
So two pages last August (apples from our tree; a lemon being sliced); then fifteen in September and October, before we left for our trip (where I used a separate travel journal). The pages got increasingly crinkly as I got more relaxed about adding watercolour here. Since then, this little book is filling up as I manage to scribble something about five days each week. . . And along the way, I’ve begun gluing scraps in here and there for various reasons. Once or twice, this was to cover up “mistakes,” and both times I was so pleased with the approach, so much better than simply having ripped the page out!
A few recent pages:
As messy and childish as these might appear to your eye (and my Inner Critic’s! but she’s been thanked for her input and asked to stand down for now), I’m giving myself credit on a few counts. First of all, I’ve filled a few more pages of that journal while capturing memories of my days — and in the process, I’ve relaxed into a tempo of creative play. Very restorative.
As well, I’m going to trust that the lettering I’m playing at here, experimenting, practising, will move closer to what I have — almost — in mind.
Also, when I grabbed those leaf skeletons from a pot in the garden this afternoon, I had an impulsive idea about trying to imprint them on the page, using that green-gold watercolour paint. My mental image of this was quite pretty, I assure you. The result, not so much. But I’ve recorded an idea and an effort toward achieving it. Perhaps in the future I’ll page through this little book, be reminded of the idea, and make another attempt using different materials, better techniques.
Or just note that I enjoyed this creative puttering at the end of a happily busy Sunday. . .
Below, one of the What I Wore (aka Outfit of the Day) sketches I’ve been managing 3 or 4 times a week since mid-January. I have a satisfying little collection of them now and might try to put together a little post for you. They’ve been so much fun, although at least one of the pages required a head to be replaced — scissors, paper, and glue to the rescue, again!
And a week or so ago, after a discouraging moment in my Italian class (my hearing is just not good enough, some days), I came home and re-watched a video about the castles in Italy’s Valle d’Aosta region. . .
And I’m even more motivated now to finish the last pages of this journal so that I can dream about filling a new one on our next visit to Italy. . .
Funny coincidence: As I wrote something, above, about “child’s play” in my journals, I vaguely recollected an earlier post on a similar theme. And a quick search showed that almost exactly a year ago, I was gaining some traction on a project through child’s play. You can read about Tea Time in my Personal Journal here.
Time to run now — have I told you I’ve been volunteering in the library at the Italian Centre here? My first volunteer gig since I retired, and I’m not sure how long I’ll keep at it or how often will suit me, but it’s a positive addition to my week for now. So far I’ve been walking there and back — about 4 kilometres each way — and right now the clock’s ticking toward departure time.
So I’m off, but I’ll look forward to reading any comments you have time to leave.
xo,
f
Absolutely love the leaf creation. It’s in my examples to recreate. Thanks for a new idea.
Author
Aw, such sweet words of encouragement — thank you!
Not messy and childlike at all, to this viewer. Collage, various artistic expressions through paint, your printing or writing, and a gathered ticket stub or piece of menu, etc. is perhaps as mindful an exercise in doing, as it was for me in receiving. For me, was a tiny mindful exercise in stopping to read the lettering, examine the ticket for details, or admire the gold/yellow and greenish hues of the Fluevog boots you appreciate so much.
Read your post, inspected all the photos while on hold for many minutes; and enjoyed the mindfulness on my end. One of my other choices, was to look at the clock again and calculate just how many minutes of my day I was spending on hold!
A.in London
Author
There you are! Hope all is well — and that your time waiting on hold eventually got the needed results. Thanks for the thoughtful response — and an interesting perspective for me. I loved recognizing that the process I begin at my desk carries on in so many other places as the post is read and studied and becomes a launching point for new ideas. Thanks for this!
A slight twist on an old phrase: Let go. Let art. It seems to be working well for you…love your journal/sketching pages.
Author
Thanks, Mary! I like that twist 😉
Your sketches are so charming. Just love this idea of visually memorializing the day-to-day.
Author
Thank you! It’s such an accessible way to capture a bit of the day while unwinding a bit.
Thanks for posting about your journals. I am a little (lot) discouraged with my art and journals. It is easy to distract myself with a cycle or walk or run to get away from feeling incapable. Will set about refocusing. Hopefully I can eventually do as well as you.
Author
I get into periods like that as well — but I saw those teacups you sketched a while ago and you’re far from incapable. We’re tough judges of ourselves, aren’t we?! I’ve come to learn that behind every sketch I’m happy with, there are at least a few I really didn’t like. But presumably I’m learning something from those. . .
Your journals are a complete escape for me. Not only do I love the illustrations and commentary, it lifts my spirits and reminds me to get back to the life that is important to me. Thank you!
Author
I really appreciate you letting me know that, Vicki — thank you!
Aaah, Frances. You have inspired me to get back to my sketchbooks. I too have been guilty of moving onto a new one, usually driven by my inner critic! I love your approach. I especially enjoyed the OOTD art. Thank you!
Author
I’m so pleased to hear this, Genevieve! I think we’re conditioned by the imagery of commercialism and, especially these days, of curated perfection, so that when we have pages that fall short of what we hoped to achieve, we get discouraged easily. We need to re-educate our inner critics! 😉
(I’m happy you liked my little OOTD portrait — it was fun to sketch!)
Delightful…and inspiring. Someday I will try this wonderful way of capturing memories.
Author
I think you’d have fun!
Thank you for sharing the pages from your sketch book. The colour palette is quite consistent and soothing, which is a good way to combat the woes of February. I admire the way you keep up such a wide variety of creative and educational endeavours and I enjoy reading your thoughtful reflections. Well done on volunteering at the library.
Author
You’re very welcome, Maria. February can be tough and I’m happy to provide an antidote 😉
and thanks — the library work is still quite new and I’m weighing pros and cons. So far, it’s great to have another connection outside the house.
last Summer I took a class in nature sketching at the library. the class included my own sketchbook.
took it on vacation to my favorite island an did a few drawings, but alas I seem to have put it away since then. I do manage to journal most days, but this would add richness. I too, get caught up in judging my work, seeing it as amateurish but that isn’t the point is it?
Author
Good for you, taking the class and then following through with drawings on vacation. . . It took me quite a while to settle into a format that works for me. . . and that changes from time to time, depending what I’m doing. But if you’re leaning more to journalling in handwritten prose (or point form or whatever), you might think about adding a very simple, quick sketch on the bottom half of a page — or just draw yourself a small square somewhere on the page for a sketch and then write around it. Time the sketch — limit yourself to anything from three to five minutes; I find this really lightens the judgment — it’s not you, it’s the time limit! Choose a simple object that represents something from the day — or pick something on the table or desk nearby. Or the mug you drank your coffee from. The wine glass you just emptied. Just get into the habit of adding an easy sketch to your written journal and then maybe every week or so you’ll find yourself wanting to use the whole adjoining page for a little landscape or a sketch or your shoes or the cover of a book you’re reading. And I think you’ll be surprised how much you enjoy leafing back through these pages and noting how much the sketches enliven the journal overall. I’d love to hear back if you find yourself getting into it.
just love your sketches, nothing childish to me ! you are do talented and I keep wondering how you manage to pack all the things you do in a day !!(reading, walking,italian classes and so on..) Think I need some vitami n C (or sea..) ..
Author
Thanks, Sylvie — I would say the same for you, with your artistic and creative talents, the needlework, the three languages. . . And oh yes, Vitamin Sea, and the season is getting closer. . .
“Spread myself thin but do so mindfully” – that is what I am trying to do all the time, but I would never have been able to put it into words so precisely. Thank you.
Author
Oh, I’m so glad to know it makes sense to someone else!
Love your sketches! Mixed technique is so fresh and unique-it makes you happy,it makes us,who love your art,happy: win-win!
Dottoressa
Author
You’re always so encouraging, thank you!
Oh, I so love your sketches! And envy your talent. I’m afraid I’m one who was born without the drawing gene (I try not to be resentful, as I do have other talents and abilities that I value and enjoy) so look with wonder at people like you, who can just draw a square and give yourself 5 minutes and come up with something. And I love how the collaging adds a whole other level to your work.
Inner critics have their place, and sometimes that place is on a long walk you’ve sent them on.
Author
Thanks, Carol! But know that until I was 50-something and decided to take a weekend course in making an Illustrated Journal, I was equally convinced that I “wasn’t artistic” — I envied the sister who’d clearly inherited mom’s talent and contented myself with my other talents and abilities, as you do. . . I absolutely could not have filled a square with anything, no matter how long I had. But in ~15 years, taking a number of subsequent courses here and there and filling quite a few sketch journals along the way, I seem to have picked up a few skills which I am tickled to be able to use.
I love all the “messy”, pasted in with scraps of this and that, and hand-written pages. So much layered meaning… like a poem. Soothing to look at and probably very engrossing and fun to do. Wish I had the ability to spread myself a bit thinner. I seem to be reluctant to commit my time to anything but EXACTLY what I want to be doing.
thanks for sharing these! I was just trying to put into words how delightful it can be to keep a visual journal and here I’ve found you’ve said it all perfectly. Your approach is so inspiring — do it for the joy, to slow down, to play… and the images will be filled with life and memories.
I tried sketching (drawing) in my jounal yesterday for the first time ever. I enjoyed it despite my childlike illustration. I can draw only in one dimension but I colored it with pencils and was pleased with my result. Thank you for the idea.
Author
Wonderful, Susan! Thanks for letting me know! (and as for the typo, I’m embarrassed for doing this regularly — doesn’t happen in print, but online is a different story; I guess typos like an audience 😉
*journal. How embarrassing to catch a typo after I’ve posted. 😳
I think these are very creative. And , generous to post them. I love the yellow boot piece.
I’m an oil painter and sometime watercolorist , I love seeing other people’s work.
Thankyou. !
Author
Very kind of you to say so, thank you! The boots were fun to sketch and collage. Messy fun 😉