Learning from a Sketchbook

 

I don't use sketchbooks to make a record of my life, though of course they become that to some extent. For me, sketchbooks are a way of working out ideas and techniques, exploring compositions, and delving deeper into what I see around me. When I go back through past years, or even past months, I can often see a progression or evolution, which wasn't necessarily evident as I worked, and this is extremely helpful. Sometimes there's an obvious ending, or a breakthrough into something new. That's why it's so important to keep a sketchbook as a practice, not judging it day to day, but keeping going, filling the pages -- and then, later, revisiting where you've been, and getting a clearer idea what direction you want to pursue.

Sketching while traveling became something important to me in recent years, but during the pandemic, as my world seemed to shrink, drawing was solace, meditation and companion. I didn't have a specific goal, except to try to keep at it and learn something. 

In this video, I take you on a guided tour through my sketchbook from October to early April - what was I doing, what works, what doesn't, and what does it tell me about where to go? It's nine minutes long, so you'll need to settle in and look over my shoulder, as it were...or you can skip through it using the time slider to the right of the PLAY/STOP button.

View the video full screen for best effect, and please tell me what you think!