Finally, my sketchbooks for the past two years are now photographed, downloaded and on-line for all to take a peep inside the creative process, a record of what went on in my mind over the past two years for that is what a sketchbook is a visual record, a creative diary, the link is now on the right of the page.Someone once asked, 'what should I put in my sketchbook for people to see', my answer was simple, your sketchbook is not for people, it is for the artist himself, it is his diary, his bible, on many occasion a source of inspiration and a record of all those thoughts and ideas that pop out of the blue and should be recorded; more often than not, a random thought recorded arises again and again in the future, an idea is spawned and continues to grow over time.
A sketch book is not meant to be neat and tidy, it is not supposed to be filled with beautiful and finished images on every page, it is meant to be whatever the artist puts into it, over time it becomes an integral part of the artists creative process, occasionally there will be the odd picture that you are proud of but generally it is full of everything, poetry, quotes, information, shopping lists and orders from takeaways, bits of paper and tickets, a combination of words and rough pictures of dreams and aspirations all compiled, dated, page numbered and ready for when the time is right and the opportunity presents itself.
A sketch book is not meant to be neat and tidy, it is not supposed to be filled with beautiful and finished images on every page, it is meant to be whatever the artist puts into it, over time it becomes an integral part of the artists creative process, occasionally there will be the odd picture that you are proud of but generally it is full of everything, poetry, quotes, information, shopping lists and orders from takeaways, bits of paper and tickets, a combination of words and rough pictures of dreams and aspirations all compiled, dated, page numbered and ready for when the time is right and the opportunity presents itself.
Only last week I listened to a frustrated artist who has yet to start his journey telling me that he knew what he was capable of, that he knew what he wanted to do and that his dreams and ideals were so vast he didn't know where to start, I gave him a small wire sculpture that I had made two years ago and suggested firstly that he start small and await the opportunity to grow and secondly to get himself a pad, a book, anything that he could use to write and draw and then turn the page and put the idea to rest while it matures in his brain, until such a time as he was able to r
ecognise something that he had thought of and was ready to do, scribble, write, think, anything and everything that comes to mind.
ecognise something that he had thought of and was ready to do, scribble, write, think, anything and everything that comes to mind.For any individual granted the gift of a creative spirit there is just too much going on in the brain to allow for any sanity, without a sketchbook to record all of this information one will never get off the starting block, the buddhists have a saying that, 'every journey starts with a single step' for the artist the single step is page one of his sketchbook.
