A Sketch Collage of Snippets

I took a two-hour workshop over the weekend with Sketchbook Skool that gave a lot of ideas of ways to fill up pages in a sketchbook. One of the suggestions fits in with something I already love to do - collage drawings. I do this with my travel journals. This spread was much quicker and more loose and wonky than I usually draw but it was fun.

The suggestion was to take a spread, a couple of pages, in your sketchbook and fill it with drawings of things that you live with and that are around you. It can be done all in one sitting or done over a few days. The drawings could be larger or smaller or exact size to fit in puzzle-wise on the spread. You can keep it as just ink or add color later.

I started with various things that were on my desk or were within arm’s reach. A lot of them turned out to be things that I had been keeping there so I would draw them. I have a dragon from Japan, soap from Portugal, a gift, a picture of my grandmother’s cat, pictures of my departed dog, as well as various odds and end like a Kleenex box, lip balm, a jar of brushed, a small container of ink..

What’s nice about this kind of project is that it can be as simple or complicated as you want to make it. It can also be done in different rooms of the house or it can be a visual diary of a day. Do it with one kind of tool one day, and a different one another day.

Try it and share with me what you drew.

A sketch collage of snippets from my desk

Are you interested in the possibilities of what you can do in a sketchbook? Do you have some ideas but aren’t sure where to start? I am offering a new 6-week workshop: Exploring Keeping a Sketchbook which starts this Friday, May 1st. We will be meeting live via Zoom, 10:00 am - 12:30 pm Pacific time. I will give you at least 5-10 different things to try every week in class and between sessions. Come join the fun and start filling your sketchbook and developing a creative habit.

Playing with Paint Splotches Video

I have been thinking that with making my drawing videos, it would be nice to also make some drawing videos to encourage people who don’t feel they can draw. I want people to join in and try some art and to play and explore even if they haven’t done any drawing in years. Life is so very stressful these days, that having some creative outlets where one can be distracted and productive helps calm anxiety and stress.

Here’s my first attempt at that kind of video. It’s playing with paint splotches. It’s a lot like the game of seeing what you can see in cloud shapes. Here you do it with watercolor splotches and a pen.

This kind of thing works for any level of artist or non-artist. There’s no real skill required in making a splotch of paint, and then the drawing can be of imaginary animals or fruits and vegetables, or everyday items, or patterns or zentangles, or doodles.

I got the idea from another artist, Maja Sereda. She does amazing work with ink and watercolor. Check her out.

What kind of arts and crafts do you do when you’re stressed?

Feel free to share as you wish.