Just the Beginning of an End

I have completed my Sketchbook project as far as sketches goes.  There are a few other minor things still needed before I send it away to sit upon a shelf waiting for someone to experience the essences of my world of artistic expression. I have plenty of time as it doesn't need to be postmarked until January, so I can view it a few more times and share it with my family members.  I am excited to have done this project.  I have learned so much as I struggled with the blank pages staring back at me, daring me to give them color, lines, glue or even raise them from the flat 2 dimensional realm in which they once were.

I have found while working this sketchbook that I tend to go with moods and experiences.  Smooshing, scribbling, coloring outside the box or swiggle my way across the page pretty much tells me that I like 'spearimenting. I'm still not quite sure what my "style" is and I really hope I don't have one particular way of expressing my creative flow.

Here are a few pages and not in any certain sequence of the sketchbook itself because I didn't start on the first page (are you in shock? I know, I know...), therefore as I find them floating around in my picture files and say, 'oh yeah, there's one', I'll share it here with a bit of a description or title, if you will although I didn't title any pages that I can recall at the moment.

The page on the left is done in charcoal on drawing paper.  The painting on the right is of an early morning sunrise here at the farm in acrylic.

This is the cover and I guess I should have introduced it first, but actually, I didn't do the cover until I was half way finished with my sketchbook pages. Typical of me and I'm not very excited from the finished product but oh well, learn from it and do better next- go- around, right?  Note to self: don't use high gloss medium on covers of moleskin sketchbooks.

This particular composition was fun to make.  I made the stamps myself using some blocks of wood from some nicknaky thing that had the letters printed saying "WELCOME" and used the foam sheets you can get in a pack at your local craft store or department store which I won't name but I SQWAL-Mart there often.  I cut my own stencils out drawing on the back and then using an x-acto knife to cut away the negative parts.  You'll see a few more of this type along the journey of visiting here.  I enjoy creating 3-D art. I like art that reaches out and invites you to play.  I also made my own background pages as well using different techniques and mediums.  The paper in the moleskin book was rather flimsy at best although it is acid-free.

 As you can see by this example, I doodle and dripple, a lot (not sure dripple is a word, but describes this piece very well, don't you think?). The doodling is done while watching the television, sitting at appointments or while I'm winding down from my day....I just doodle.  The dripple is done while I was 'spearmenting.  Take a plain piece of glass from a picture frame, not the drinking kind of glass, place dripples of paint, (note: this particular paint is acrylic, the cheap kind, in a plastic jar that comes from the school supply section of your local craft store) on top of the glass and spray with water.  Take your paper and spray it with water and lay gently on top of the glass with the dripples then slowly pat and lift it up.  I got floating leaves on this one, or so it appears to be.

So that's it for now.  It's snowing here in the south of the northern hemisphere and a frigid 25 degrees outside. I think I'll go warm up the kettle and plan on what to do next...to begin again.

Have a wonderful day!