This last week I have been going though my old sketchbooks. It's only a coincidence that it's the end of the year, but I've been in a reflective mood and that's appropriate for the season.
Pictured are 39 sketchbooks. All the sketchbooks I've ever had.
When I was a little kid I would draw on that computer paper with the perforated strips on the sides, THIS stuff. You know that stuff. Then I would take the best pages and keep them in a folder with pockets (or a dope trapper keeper). That way I could keep all of my drawings and sketches in one place and show them off to my friends.
As I got older the compulsion to show my stuff to people faded, but the act of having recent work close was a habit that I kept. I liked to keep track of my progress and to stay aware of my trends and habits, so I kept up the folder style.
Then in college (2002) I was required to have a sketchbook so I bought one of those big hard cover things (A). It was a big adjustment. I couldn't just throw away the shitty drawings like I could when they were on loose sheets, so I was constantly confronted with all my warts and imperfections. It took me the entire school year to fill that guy up. But I eventually got the hang of it. It just took time.
Obviously it's important to draw everyday, all day everyday. Right? But in addition I think I really benefit from having my work hang out with me for a bit after I make it. I think it's important to look at your stuff, to be confronted with it, and to be responsible for it. Even if it's just some bullshit. Probably especially if it's some bullshit.
For a brief period, when I was super broke I would steal copy paper from libraries and staple a small stack together (B). Then I got a job like a grown-up and started buying sketchbooks with a spiral binding so I could lay those dudes flat (C). Then for awhile I was super broke again and made a sketchbook. The paper was some posters with blank backs that I took out of the trash at work. I learned the stitch online somewheres. Look around if you're curious, there are tutorials all over the internet. I made a sketchbook(D) for the first time back in 2005 and haven't bought one since. The whole stack on the right is of handmade sketchbooks. Each one is a different size because I usually make them out of whatever paper I have available.
Okay, that's all for now. More later. Happy New Year and all that.
3 comments:
- thanks for sharing your story on this ;-)
I now remember my hard days drawing on cheap endless-computer-print-paper my father brought back home from work - one side printed allready on ;-)
Not too long ago my friend I found the Mortal Kombat drawing you did for me for my birthday all those many years ago. It is put away safe for a rainy day ;)
And I remember you drawing on that crappy computer paper -
Hope all is going well!
I love the idea of making my own sketchbooks. Is there a particular style of binding that you're using here? I've been looking for videos, and they're a huge range of styles that people use.
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