Sketchbook 30 Day Challenge

— TODAY'S COLUMN —

SKETCHBOOK JOURNAL YOUR WAY TO BEING A BETTER ARTIST!

by Michelle Morris

Having just taught a sketchbook journaling workshop last weekend, I’m fresh from the creativity and excitement of being with others who were eager to learn and explore the “how’s and why’s” of keeping a visual journal. And I’m eager to share a bit more with all of you! 

So far, I’ve discussed some of the tools I use to create a sketchbook journal. These tools can be as varied and creative as you are—the sky’s the limit! I’ve seen journals hand-stitched with twine, a twig, and old paper sacks. At the other end of the spectrum, I’ve seen expensive leather-bound journals with the finest linen or rag paper. I feel the journal itself is as expressive as what I put in it and becomes an art form in and of itself! To fill it, use anything you want to make your mark and express your creativity.

We also talked about the illustrated travel journal and the many ways you might carry supplies on your travels and how to sneak in a sketch here and there. Keeping a travel journal is a wonderful way to make your travels more memorable by having a visual and written record of your experiences and sights.

Today, let’s talk about how very useful a sketchbook journal can be. As a professional artist, my sketchbook has long been a practical tool in the making of my art. In it, I work out the problems with a painting, sparing myself countless hours of painting larger works that fail! A failure to plan, is a plan to fail, as the saying goes. 

I use small thumbnail sketches to work out my values and compositions, and to find the format that works best. I then paint small studies to work out color harmonies—all before I start a larger painting. The painting below, “Arm in Arm” is an example of a work conceived and planned in one of my sketchbooks!  

The best way I’ve found to get the most out of your sketchbook is to actually use it! I follow several sketchbook blogs (and will provide info on those later), and many have issued a daily sketch challenge. This January I challenged myself to 30 sketches in 30 days. To keep myself honest, I blogged and posted them on Facebook each day. I wrote about my process, all that went into my sketches, and what I was learning. I learned a great deal with that discipline. 

In my eyes, the takeaway for any type of daily practice is: 

1. You build a habit. While I did not continue to sketch daily. The daily practice was valuable in showing me that there is always a way to make time for my art! 

2. The old adage “practice makes perfect” applies to your art, no matter how experienced you may be. My art has improved by being consistent. 

3. You have a record or your journey as an artist and can see how your work has evolved over a period of time. Through my journals I realized that I had lost the playfulness I brought to my earlier work by becoming a better artist technically. I then used my journals to explore and make the transition to a more spontaneous style. This, in turn, helped me become more technically competent, which gave me the freedom to express myself and find my voice as an artist.  

Lastly, I think a sketchbook journal is a safe place to take an art adventure. It’s a private place where you can experiment without fear and embrace making “mistakes” (In art, what’s a mistake anyway?). Since your sketchbooks are a volume of works, ideas can evolve or dissolve as you continue to explore, push boundaries, and expand on them. It’s a place to play and just have fun—to be yourself! Your sketchbook may very well become your new best friend!

As you can see, a sketchbook journal is a useful, practical way to move forward in your artistic journey. Using it often as a place to hone your skills and express yourself creatively has applications far beyond its pages.  

How about you? Do you think about making art, but never really get around to it? Are you up for a challenge? Do you need a push to get you going?  Or maybe some accountability to get you back in the game? Take a look at the “Resources” section in this issue to find out how you can take the 30-day sketchbook challenge.

Michelle is an artist/writer living and creating in Columbus, Ohio. To see more of her work, read her blog, Living a Creative Life, or visit her website.

— RESOURCES —

TAKE THE 30-DAY SKETCHBOOK CHALLENGE!

S

enior Artist contributor, Michelle Morris is issuing her own sketchbook journaling challenge! You can join her and other artists on Facebook for a 30-day sketchbook challenge. You can post your work as you go, or if you’re too timid to show the world, you can watch as others share in the adventure.

Michelle will post small “challenges within the challenge” and will be posting tips and techniques for sketching throughout the 30 days.

The rules are simple—more like guidelines really:

• Produce one sketch daily for 30 days.
• Use pen or pencil to draw, and add color if desired.
• Choose any size or subject.
• You are responsible to no one but yourself. If you want to get the most out of the challenge, you’ll have to stick with it!

Ready? Set? GO! The challenge starts today!

Visit Michelle’s Facebook fan page and click “like” to start receiving the daily challenges in your newsfeed.

VISIT MICHELLE'S FACEBOOK PAGE!

Senior Artist Article

Posting my article from this issue of Senior Artist.  Read all about it!  And for more art related tips and articles go to www.seniorartist.com. thanks for reading.

Turn Your Vacation Into An Art Lesson You Won't Forget!

June 10 , 2013

by Michelle Morris

As I mentioned in my last piece, the very first time I used a sketchbook for anything other than drawing was on a trip to Italy.

Having painted plein air for several years, I knew that such a complicated setup and that luxury of time was not possible while on a tour of another country. I knew I would be seeing some incredible art and architecture, and I wanted to follow in the footsteps of so many before me and paint what I saw. When in Rome, right?

Packing light was essential!

I pared down supplies to a minimum with a sketchbook small enough to fit in my purse, a small paint box, a travel brush, and pencil and eraser. Bottled water is easy to come by most anywhere, but I also have a small water bottle I can carry with me.

My sketchbook was a 10 x 7 spiral-bound Strathmore Field Watercolor Journal. (I have since moved on to better journals with better paper, but I've used several of these and find them an excellent option and readily available.) In between each watercolor sheet, these journals have regular paper on which I journaled my experiences every day.

That first journal was the beginning of many travel journals to come.

As the years went on and my husband and I were able to take a few trips, I schlepped my ever-evolving "kit" with me.  Since I mostly used watercolor in my early journals (I'll cover other mediums to try in a later article), I found that when I need to pare down even more, the Niji paint brush came in handy since it carries water inside the handle! I've used a larger paint box by Yarka and found a sealed watercolor palette that I use with my tube paints for trips when I know I might have more time.

Below are some sketches from that first journal, made while on the tour bus of the Italian countryside. I sketched when and where I could!

So, how do you use a sketchbook while traveling?

When you find you have a bit of time and want to do a sketch, begin by asking, "How long do I have to do this sketch?" Often, that determines the size. Below are a few I did as we motored down Holter Lake by boat toward the Gates of the Mountains in Montana. Each is about 2x3, which was all I had time for since the scenes passed rapidly. There was no time for drawing with these. I just recorded with paint what I saw.

Other sketches are larger, if time permits. I painted this (below) from our cruise ship as we came into port. Having your supplies with you when the chance to paint presents itself and asking yourself those two questions helps you make the most of the time you have.

Next ask, "What about this scene makes me want to paint it?" The sketch Church at Messina (below) was lit by the orange sunlight of the setting sun, and the dome was orange with reflected light. That was what spoke to me and what I wanted to capture. Because light changes, objects can move, or something might disturb your time, if you've gotten the essence of a scene, then you have a complete sketch. Not all of my sketches are "complete," nor do I feel the need to finish them all. But if I identify what speaks to me and capture it, I've captured that moment in time and in my journal forever.

While it’s not always easy to find the time, one option is to do the drawing off-site. Scribble some color notes or make small color swatches on the side, then paint it back at your hotel in the evening. While I would rather finish on-site, finishing at your leisure can be a less hurried and relaxing end to the day. I will often note colors and impressions, details, and even feelings to evoke memories back at the studio. That way, when I go to paint the scene, it comes to life again. My point is this:  be flexible and find what works best for your situation. The important thing is to just do it!

Lastly, don't get caught up in perfection.

In my experience, sketching is about the act, not necessarily the finished product. My sketches are not going to get a frame. For years no one even saw them. I certainly wouldn't have shared them if I thought they would be the standard of judgment for my body of work! No, these are personal records of my travels. Some make it to larger works in the studio, yet many are so special in their simple sketched form that I consider them small works of great worth on their own!

I've found sketchbooks so valuable not just because they record my travels, but more importantly, because having a visual journal has made such solid, lasting memories. I have thousands of photos, but few bring back memories as clearly as those sketches. The reason is simple:  you are taking a few extra minutes to really experience that place. I may have painted things I could do quickly and was not able to finish the sketch, but I chose things that spoke to me—things I wanted to remember. Taking the time to observe, record, and fully experience the scene leaves a lasting memory—something a photo can rarely do. 

Michelle is an artist/writer living and creating in Columbus Ohio. To see more of her work visit her blog, Living a Creative Life, or visit her website.

Wrapping up a portrait class.  Planes of the face and some feature work in oil.

Planes of the face 

Features, nose and mouths

It looks weird to have noses and mouths floating about, doesnt it?  Where are the eyes?  forgot to photograph them! While everyone has slight variations in their features, it's still necessary to practice painting the basic structure.  And although I was teaching, it was a good review for me as well.  I don't work often in oil these days so it was nice to get back to it.  I think I need to do some portrait work in oil again!  

Next comes a well deserved vacation.  Look for some sketches in the future!  

Sketching Iris

As write my articles for Senior Magazine and prepare for my Watercolor Flowers and Sketchbook Journaling classes, I want to share my excitement and encourage everyone to get and keep a sketchbook journal! It's also only natural to combine my love of flowers and journaling!

Below are a few sketches I did in a class.  The iris are so fleeting but in full bloom now.  Sketches are not meant to be great works of art, but I find I love them as much and sometimes more than those studio paintings I put so much love and work into!  My sketches range from fun and free form to detailed small paintings.

Add caption

 This first sketch was to show a student how the flower forms without much detail say "iris".  Done on regular paper, it is buckled and the colors are soft because the watercolor behaves differently on regular paper.  I liked it so well for its simplicity so I am going to glue it in a journal!!

 Again, a color demo on a watercolor sketch pad.  This time for color mixing and to show how form and a free approach still say "iris"!  I knew after it dried that I wanted to add ink for some detail and whimsy.

To the right is the finished product.   To me, this is what a journal is for.  A place to see whats possible, to experiment and take a risk.  I think it paid off!    

Iris 6 x 8  Framed (for sale)

         

And last, a much more detailed small demo.  Same iris, different view, different treatment.  And I love them all!!  

I have more work to share so I'll be posting again a bit more regularly.  Stay tuned and email me or post comments on the blog if you have comments or questions for me.  

Have a creative day!  

New Hat's for Michelle Morris Art

Glacier National Park- Plein Air 

Well, the blog has been idle, but I have not!  I have been busy trying on a few new hats.  Some very exciting new hats!  While they all surround my art and have kept me busy, be assured I am still painting and will share my newest stuff with you  in the coming weeks.

While teaching is not new, I have a new teaching venue this summer in Columbus with the Cultural Arts Center downtown.  Two workshops, Watercolor Flowers and Sketchbook Journaling.  I am very excited about this opportunity to expand my offerings to a different audience. Click on the highlighted texts for more information and to register for these workshops.

For those who want something in the northern suburbs, I have two workshop offerings at the McConnell Arts Center.  Plein Air in Watercolor on three separate dates, Wednesdays, June 12, 19 or Saturday  June 22: 10am-5pm (or take all three!) and a Basic Watercolor workshop- Wednesdays, July 31 and August 7: 1-4pm.  That link is not up yet but I have the info on my Web page.

But wait, there is more!  The workshop program is new to the Cultural Arts Center.  The mainstay of the program is quality local teachers who teach in an intensive time frame of one or two days.  This works so well for those who cannot commit to longer time frames of weekly classes.  The Director and Workshop Coordinator of the CCAC have given the Friends of the CCAC (non profit fund raising group that supports the CCAC) permission to bring in nationally known artists to the program once or twice a year.  I will be assisting with this and sent out a newsletter a few weeks back with a survey.  My apologies to you if the survey was missing.  Somehow I screwed that up after the fact.  Twice!! This time I promise the link is good and if you would indulge me and answer a few brief questions it would help tailor the workshops to what you, the public, most want.  This is a wonderful opportunity for the Arts in Columbus, but take the survey even if you dont live in the area.  I can use the data!  Click here to take the Survey.

And last, but definitely not least.  Read all about it!  I will be a regular monthly contributor to Senior Artist online magazine.  Senior Artist is an online magazine geared to older adults who finally have the time to pursue their artistic dreams.  As a contributor I will be introduced to the subscribers this Thursday May 16th as the featured artist with a brief bio and samples of my work.  On Thursday May 23rd I will be starting a monthly five week series on the many ways and reasons to keep a sketchbook journal.  Please check it out at the highlighted link above and subscribe to receive Senior Artist in your inbox!

Thanks for reading and I promise to get back to regular blog posts within the next week!