How do you feel about your sketchbooks? Inspired – or perhaps slightly guilty?
We recorded this episode in response to a listener question about the ways in which we both use sketchbooks. Louise uses many of her sketchbooks as judgement-free playgrounds, places in which to relax and explore while Alice does this kind of work on loose sheets of paper and keeps her sketchbook for a more thoughtful development of ideas, often amongst multiple books.
We both also have a practice of journalling about our art, although again in slightly different ways.
During the conversation, we:
• share how we’ve worked in the past
• debate our favourite sketchbooks and how much impact choosing the right format can have
• discuss the different ways that our sketchbook work feeds into our finished paintings
While sketchbooks are intensely personal – there is no right or wrong – we hope our ideas help to make sense of your own feelings about your sketchbooks (or lack thereof!)
Mentioned:
Seawhite sketchbooks (regular): https://www.amazon.co.uk/SEAWHITE-Hardback-Artists-Sketchbook-195X195/dp/B0067JPQR0
Seawhite concertina: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Seawhite-A5-Concertina-Sketchbook-Case/dp/B00BUPIPMO
Moleskine sketchbooks: https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=moleskin+art+sketchbook&adgrpid=54075308395
Stillman & Birn books: https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=Stillman+%26+Birn&ref=bl_dp_s_web_3818381031
Hannemuehle sketchbooks: https://www.hahnemuehle.com/en/artist-papers/sketch-drawing/sketch-books.html
Handbook sketchbooks: https://www.jacksonsart.com/brands/hand-book-journal-company
Robert Motherwell Storming the Citadel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9V1ccTOBoQ
Artholes Podcast: https://artholespodcast.com/
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Credits
“Monkeys Spinning Monkeys” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
This was really interesting, you are both so passionate about your sketchbooks ! Loved listening to you both on this subject.
I couldn’t agree more Louise, the concertina sketch pads have gives a new lease of freedom!
. The small ones I find make great street scenes and fragments of buildings for small city breaks that i have visited, it is like telling a story and one image leads on to the next. As you mentioned being able to pull them out and work on large areas gives a lot more possibilities than a single page in a drawing pad.
To go a little more abstract I you have both touched on scale and I think I will treat myself to a bigger one.
Feeling a little excited to take a blank concertina into the gallery when I go back to work and make a steal like an artist book.
Thank you xx