"Language" sketchbook journal - new sketches

I'm trying to keep my weekly practice of working in my "Language" sketchbook journal. This week has been a bit difficult because I got so inspired to make books after teaching the book making workshop last Saturday. My plan is to juggle book making and creating in a sketchbook journal...along with working at my day job. Here are this week's sketches created in my "Language" sketchbook journal.

"Language" sketchbook journal - "pure energy" and "the creation of static"

close up - "pure energy" 8"x5"

close up - "the creation of static" 7"x5"

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Book Making Workshop and 2 Coptic Stitched Books

This past Saturday (6/2/18) I taught my first book making workshop. The workshop took place at San Fernando Valley Arts and Cultural Center for the members of Surface Art Association. I was too busy to take photos but some of the members posted photos of the day on Facebook. Click here.

It was such a fantastic learning experience for me. Yes, you read that sentence correctly. I learned a lot by teaching others. Some of the things that I learned in no particular order:

Students like to share their knowledge with others, which makes teaching a learning experience for the teacher.
I have knowledge that others want to know.
I can speak in front of an audience without making a fool out of myself.
I can't say enough about being prepared and organized.  
Things will happen that are out of my control. 

Another by product of teaching is having samples to use for future projects. I brought samples of how I decorate my covers in various stages of completion. Instead of storing away for future workshops, I decided to construct books using these samples. Here a two that I finished so far. Both are 6"x4" with Gelli printed paper glued to the covers and bound using the Coptic stitch.

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"Language" sketchbook journal - new sketches

Back in January, I had planned to work in three sketchbook journals at once. More about the three sketchbook journals click here. It was working out as planned for awhile then I started focusing on creating in one at a time. First was my "Uncomfortable Zone" and now "Language". I should clarify that I'm working on one public sketchbook journal at a time. I have 2 other journals that I'm working on but for now those are remaining private. 

But I digress...The reason I'm mentioning this is that I find that I like the continuity of posting one sketchbook journal at a time on social media. It's a good way for me to see the progression of the sketches. I get a clearer perspective on how the sketches look after I post them on social media. Part of the reason I post my art on social media is to document my art journey. The other part is, of course, sharing my art journey.

Here are the 2 new sketches:  "Something in the air" and "magic". I cut out
"Something in the air" from a magazine. In my head, I kept hearing a song with the lyrics - "Something in the air, it's magic". So the other sketch is "magic". I don't know if it's lyrics to an actual song but is should be. 

"Language" sketchbook journal - "Something in the air" and "magic"

close up - Something in the air 8" x 5"

close up - magic 8" x 5"

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"Language" sketchbook journal - new sketches

Usually, "meditate" and "breathe" aren't associated with warm colors. While painting these pieces I thought of how I need to "meditate" and "breathe" when I'm stressed, frustrated, depressed or angry. These are the colors associated with those emotions.

"Language" sketchbook journal - meditate and breathe

close up - meditate 7" x 5"

close up - breathe 8" x 5"

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Accordion book

I have tons of small paper scraps from the different book making projects. Instead of throwing the papers away, I used some of the pieces to make an Accordion book. 

This project started by creating 10 4"x4" pieces of art. I dusted off my sewing machine and sewed pairs of the pieces together then hand stitched the pairs to connect all 5 pieces. Total size of this Accordion book is 4" x 20". It was a very quick and simple project.

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"Language" sketchbook journal - new sketches

After struggling on last 2 sketches , I decided to go back to creating in my comfort zone style with these 2 new sketches so I could regroup and rebuild my confidence. I didn't overwork either design. The colors are close in value. The marks aren't overly busy.

"Language" sketchbook journal - fearless and friend

close up - fearless 4"x4"

close up - friend 4"x4"

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Girl Scout Cookies books

Similar to the books I made using Dove Soap boxes, these books were made with inexpensive materials. This time I used Girl Scout Cookies boxes as the substrates then glued monoprinted paper to the outside and inside covers. The paper used for the signatures is Blick White Sulphite Drawing Paper.
 

3 Girl Scout Cookies books

4"x7" book - Gathered Long Stitch with Link Stitch

4"x6.5" book - Long Stitch with Link Stitch

4.5"x6" book - Coptic Stitch

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"Language" sketchbook journal

I struggled this week with creating in my "Language" sketchbook journal. I had a lot of starts and stops, painting and repainting, hours of staring at a page without feeling inspired to create. In a way, I feel like I wasted the two wonderful word prompts, "patience" and "what if", on these 2 pages. Instead of dwelling on the negative, I decided to turn this struggle into a positive learning experience. It's only paint (and oil pastel and pen). 

"what if" was overworked so, I have learned that it's best to stop and walk away if the design isn't going in the direction I have planned. A sketchbook journal is made for experimenting. I have to remind myself that each page doesn't have to be a finished piece of art. 

"patience" was going well then I covered the whole page with very mat medium to seal the oil pastel. I normally just go over the oil pastel so the whole design won't look chalky. I was in a hurry to get some art time in before going to my day job. It's kind of ironic if I think about it. I wasn't being patience.
 

"Language" sketchbook journal - patience and what if...

close up - patience 4"x4"

close up - what if...7"x5"

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Dove Soap books

In between working in my sketchbook journals, I have been practicing book binding. As I mentioned in this post, I'm using inexpensive materials while practicing. These 3 mini (3.5" x 2.5" x 1/5") books are made with Dove Soap boxes. I cut away the excess cardboard and left the part that made the 2 covers attached to the spine. I glued monoprinted papers to the outside and inside covers. Also, used these papers for the signatures along with scrapes of book and magazine pages.

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"Language" sketchbook journal

I'm continuing to create in my "Language" sketchbook journal.  Sometimes I don't finish a sketch a day but I do work in this book everyday. Here is this week's sketches.

"Language" sketchbook journal - could,should, would, did and the parts of a book

close up - could, should, would, did 8"x5"

close up - the parts of a book 8"x5"

"Language" sketchbook journal - fabulous and touching souls

close up - fabulous 8"x5"

close up - touching souls 7"x5"

"Language" sketchbook journal - obsession and be

close up - obsession 7"x5"

close up - be 4"x4"

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