Research task 1:0 - Emma’s Sketchbook

I really enjoyed seeing Emma’s Sketchbook, especially as she has made it herself and shown the binding process she used.

I was amazed at the depth of experimentation Emma uses for her projects and I liked the idea of the thumbnails filling the page and even including letters and other information so that the Sketchbook tells the story as you flick through.

Definitely inspiration to go deeper in my own Sketchbook processes.

Exercise 1.3 - How Personal?

1. How personal do I think a sketchbook should be?
I think I used to see sketchbooks just as a place to try out ideas or prepare for larger pieces of work. I never even considered using it more personally and how that could serve me and help me work through life issues as well as working on ideas for future pieces of work. I am very intrigued to try this.

2. How much will I share and with who?
I think that I am willing to share most of my sketchbook work with most people, however if I do decided to try using it more personally I think I would either find ways to mask the content or just share with my tutor and nobody else. I am not entirely sure until I try this.
I like Emma’s idea of hiding really personal things in the binding and am intrigued on how to do this.

I taped my 4 books into my sketchbook using washi tape. In order to hide the content I could stick some of the pages together. Stick things over the books, add in envelopes. Completely cover the page with another page. I could cut flaps in to let little parts peek through.


I started researching book structures and ways to hide pages. This is something I need to continue to look into and find new ways of concealing pages etc. I also checked out Emma's board on book structures.

3D Mock Ups:

I originally stuck my 4 mini books into this sketchbook with washi tape, which turned out not to be strong enough and they all fell out and so I thought it perfect to illustrate the envelope pocket and tuck them inside it.

Whats cool about this flap is that you can hide something both sides, not just one!

Here is the bow when open before tying.

It was quite fun to come up with these ideas, it's not something I've done before. It'll be interesting to see how I can incorperate these into my future sketchbooks.

Research task 1.1 - Artists’ Sketchbooks

I love looking at artists sketchbooks and have 4 artists in particular whose work I really enjoy. They have created videos of their sketchbooks which I wanted to share here.

Katnipp:

I love Catherine's work, she inspires me so much and she was the one who has encouraged me to try sketching using different coloured pencils, instead of just graphite. I love how simple, yet adorable her sketches are and her use of alcohol markers, which is a medium I have been learning how to use lately.

Franned:

Fran also uses different coloured pencils to sketch, but mostly red. This is one of her older sketchbook videos, but I really like her style and she inspires me to do more people sketching.

Leigh Ellexson:

Leigh uses a lot of watercolour and I love how she mixes abstract concepts with cute animals. She also does a lot of travel sketching using coloured pencils and watercolours which I find very inspiring.

Katie Jobling:

Katie is the one who inspired me to take my sketchbook along to Helmingham Hall gardens and try watercolour sketching for the first time. I made myself a little travel tin of watercolours and took a waterbrush and had a go.

My sketch.

I also made a video of me sketching:

Looking at other artists sketchbooks:

I hadn't come across Norman Cornish's work before, but I love how expressive his sketches are. His work is very inspiring to me as I'd like to get into people sketching.

I remember looking through books from the library of Henry Moore's sketchbooks. He has a very interesting style with his use of lines. I definitely remember his sheep drawings.

I love Monet's work and so find his sketches fascinating. I definitely want to research his work further.

I am a big fan of Beatrix Potter's drawings. I have many of her books and her art of book. Her ability to draw in such detail for nature sketches and also draw beautiful characters for her own books amazes me.
I have seen Audra Auclair's work online for several years now and whilst it's not really my style, I do admire her skills and her use of detail and line. Her watercolours are very deep and vibrant, which is also interesting.

Turner has been a big inspiration to me as an artist.The way he captures atmosphere with paint, the abstract look and the mood he created in his work really inspire me.

My six are:

• Norman Cornish
• Henry Moore
• Monet
• Beatrix Potter
• Audra Auclair
• Turner

I will continue to research these artists and add further detail to this page.

Added Research:

Recently I have been inspired by Amber Aki - Huang's watercolour sketchbook, which she shared on a recent Twitch.tv art stream. I have been very inspired by watercolours since taking the 'Illustration Sketchbooks' unit, experimenting with travel sketching and more detailed sketches with watercolour pans and water brushes. Seeing Amber's sketches in her Travelers sketchbook was very inspiring and is encouraging me to delve in deeper with watercolours. The process of painting with watercolours is very relaxing for me and I am keen to try different brands to achieve bright colours and effects. I have since purchased my own Traveler's notebook and plan to use it to doodle, sketch and keep momentos which I think it is a fun and special way to keep a sketchbook as you go about daily life.

Twitch. 2020. Twitch. [online] Available at: <https://www.twitch.tv/videos/741051759> [Accessed 21 September 2020].

I still love the concept and act of Cafe' Sketching and whilst I haven't been able to do that because of Lockdown, just recently I have been able to go out and do that again. There is something fun and interesting about sitting in a cafe with the hum of others around you as you lose yourself in your sketching with a limited amount of art supplies.

Another artist who is currently an inspiration is someone I came across on YouTube. Her name is Tiffany Tan and her brand name is 'Apple.Cheeks'. Tiffany is a recent Illustration graduate living in the USA. I came across her work on YouTube this Summer and have been studying her journey from student to self employed freelance artist. Her YouTube channel contains many videos that share her sketchbooks and her process of working in them using different art supplies and visiting cafe's either alone or with friends to sketch. This has been really interesting for me and I am inspired to try Posca pens, which is one of the mediums Tiffany uses a lot. It is very inspiring to see other graduate's art journey's and gain insight about other art mediums I could try as well.

YouTube. 2020. Apple.Cheeks. [online] Available at: <https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQ9XXjX0eNReH28Ass8E-hw> [Accessed 21 September 2020].