Art Journal Every Day: A Peek into my Sketchbook

If you're new to Art Journal Every Day, the concept is simple: It's a commitment to take ten minutes each day to do something in your art journal.  No need to finish anything or even like it.  It's about making the time to nourish your creativity every day!  If you have the time to flip through your phone, you have the time to Art Journal Every Day.  If you'd like to share what you make, use the hashtag #artjournaleveryday so that we can all take a peek.  You can find new Art Journal Every Day posts here on the blog most Fridays.  The archives go back to the first Art Journal Every Day post in 2010.

In my sketchbook, I'm currently working from some nature photos.  That's probably not a big surprise to you given my current 100 Day Project focus on botanicals. 

I love to start with reference photos as a jumping off point for color schemes, composition, motif inspiration, mark making ideas, and more!

Check out these simple abstract explorations based on the two photos above:

They're not copies of the photos.  They're explorations kicked off by the photos.  This kind of exploration is a big part of my creative process.  For me, a sketchbook isn't about knowing how to draw. It's about generating ideas and creating reference material for myself so that I'm never wondering, "what should I do next?"  Whenever I'm stuck in the middle of an artwork, I look to my sketchbook for help.

If you'd like to learn that process, join me via Zoom for two Saturdays (starting tomorrow) in my class "Sketchbookery: Breaking Down a Photo."

Thanks for stopping by!