Sketchbook Practice: Karen Abend's Doodle Diary

Hello everybody!

Do you keep a sketchbook? I think sketchbooks are a very personal way to record events, jot down ideas, and practice a form of art.  Some of the sketchbooks that I will never tire of looking at are from Liz Steel who draws everyday objects like teacups, Abbey Sy who records her travels in different sketchbooks, and Emma Block who has whimsical storybook sketches.   

One thing in common for those who own a sketchbook is the fear of the blank page. "What will I draw?" or "How can I fill this page with something beautiful?" are just some of the thoughts when faced with an empty sketchbook page. 

Today, I'm going to introduce you to a lady who has helped me overcome this fear. 

Her name is Karen Abend, an artist and organizer of Sketchbook Revival (a series of free on-line classes with different teachers demonstrating ways on how to be truly inventive and intentional in one's sketchbook). She organizes Sketchbook Revival because "creativity can fall through the cracks" so it's important to work on it daily and offer support to others whatever stage they are on their creative practices. 

Karen likes to make visual diaries or doodle diaries. She makes a page a day with a little journaling and the date written down. 

One of the themes of her sketchbooks is "30 Days of Animals." It was very focused and she used the same materials repeatedly. She says that doing daily explorations can be powerful, fun, and you can see your growth and development.

She also says that, "To succeed, the practice should be easy. Use a small format or pages. Keep it low pressure (should just be for me and can be done in 15 minutes). It should be fun, lets you play with different art materials, and is open ended. It should also be meaningful. The diary format keeps a record for my own life that helps me remember and look back on."

Here are some of Karen's sketchbooks.

Sometimes, she just uses loose copy paper. 

She suggests making a booklet out of copy paper (8 pages) or draw frames in your sketchbook.

Assign a prompt per page. 

Use materials that you already have (experiment with different media).

Remember: drawings don't have to be too precious.

It's okay for sketches to be messy, loose, and imprecise. 

Karen emphasizes that perfection isn't the goal. Regular practice results in abundance, as well as ease and flow of your art. 

Above is a list of prompts Karen provided to start us off.

Here is my version:

I recycled a sheet of brown paper (packaging material) and used colored pencils and watercolors for my drawings.    

Here's a closer look: The bookstore is my happy place; I almost didn't notice a leaky kitchen faucet; Something surprising is an egret spotted on the Hudson River (I usually only see seagulls, ducks and geese); and I am feeling relief after some distressing news.

Today I am wearing a checked shirt and khaki shorts; An activity I did was arranging some flowers; I want to learn how to juggle (maybe it will impress the toddlers in my family); and in my dream, I saw friends who I haven't seen in quite some time (they say that if you dream of people, it means that you miss them...and I really do).

I love this exercise from Karen. It definitely turned a blank sheet of paper from blah to TADA!

*****

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A Multi-Pocket Envelope

How are you guys doing?

If you're ready for some crafting, we will turn a brown paper bag from blah to TADA!

I'm using a brown paper bag with a non-gusseted bottom that I cut in half.  

I'll only be using the bottom part of the paper bag. 

Fold the paper bag in half and glue the bottom and outer edge together. Allow the glue to dry. 

We should have three inner pockets within the envelope.  

Decorate the envelope with collage and rubber stamps. 

Do the same for the other side of the envelope.

Because the envelope has many pockets, we can add different paper goods inside like bookmarks and handmade cards...TADA!

Write sweet messages or favorite quotes on the cards and tuck them inside the envelope. Don't you agree that this is one adorable package?

If you want to mail this, put it inside another envelope.

And that is how I turned a brown paper bag from blah to TADA!

*****

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Three Thoughts for October

Well hello October!

I know a lot of you are excited that this month has arrived, perhaps it's your birthday month or because of Halloween.

Maybe October is a month of rituals like apple picking or choosing the perfect pumpkin in the patch.  

via Terrain 

Maybe October encourages you to slow down for activities like decorating pumpkins with paint or gluing on pressed flowers.

October also means dressing up for Halloween. I really love this costume of Goldilocks with the Three Bears in her apron, easy enough to replicate using items in our closet.

Wherever your adventures take you, I hope your October will transform from blah to TADA!

Sketchbook Practice: Art Journaling with Megan Wells

Hi! I am pleased you're here.

I've maintained a sketchbook practice for several years now and I love learning new ways to fill its pages.

Today, let's learn some techniques from Megan Wells. She did this class on Workshop Week. 

Apart from a sketchbook, we will need: paintbrushes, watercolor paint, water, markers in different colors, white gel pen, black acrylic paint, white paint. 

To get rid of the blank white page, Megan suggests adding different paint colors all over the page.

When the base layer is dry, add some water on the page with a paintbrush, then add a drop of paint on the water -- see how the paint spreads like blots. Let this dry.

With the same method, you can tip the sketchbook to achieve some drips. 

Splatter is another fun way to add color to the page. Dip the paintbrush into the paint then gently tap the paintbrush above the page to get different-sized dots. Let this dry. 

With black ink and a paintbrush, draw some leaves and flowers randomly on the page. Work with odd numbers. Add flowers with a lighter paint shade (ex. blue or purple) for added dimension.

Megan likes to add black paint in certain areas of the layout. 

While the black paint dries, she adds more color to the flower petals and leaves using markers. She adds lines (using black paint) to add more depth to the flowers and leaves. 

With a white gel pen, add designs in the areas with black paint: lines, dots, crosses, mandalas, even words or phrases. These designs tame the black areas and are very meditative as the patterns are drawn repeatedly.

Here are other pages from Megan's sketchbook:

Here are two versions I made in my very own sketchbook:

I enjoyed the process and the many layers that emerged with just paint. This is such an inspiring way to turn a blank sketchbook page from "blah to TADA!"

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Postcards made from Cardboard Boxes

Hello everyone!

I love to repurpose materials that I find around the house and transform them from blah to TADA!

These were originally food boxes. Shaping them into birds and decorating them with acrylic paint gives them new life as greeting cards or classroom decor...TADA!

This little booklet is made of junk mail envelopes, dressed up with scrapbook paper and rubber stamps...TADA!

These envelopes are fashioned out of brown paper bags and the liners are magazine pages...TADA!

So you see, we can start crafting with items that we already have on hand. All we need is some imagination. Let's see how we can re-imagine these:

They are cardboard boxes and I think you'll agree that they look quite blah. 

But when we add a few coats of paint, they look more presentable.

Trim them into rectangles and they become postcards...TADA!

Here are several ways I gave them a new look: 

Adding some paint splatters and gluing on some hand-drawn fodder flowers make these postcards extra cheerful!

Apart from hand-painted fodder flowers, hand lettering, and handmade confetti, I used floral gift wrap tissue to decorate these postcards...TADA! 

Quotes and words of encouragement done in hand lettering or calligraphy can easily turn these blank postcards from blah to TADA!

And these postcards are made extra colorful using paint, rubber stamps, and flowers drawn with a pointed nib pen...TADA!  

That is how I turned cardboard boxes from blah to TADA!

*****

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