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Only one sketchbook?! I don’t know about you, but I have not found THE sketchbook. You know the one. It goes everywhere and contains all things, even coffee stains. No matter how many I buy, or how many I have, they just don’t seem to fit. I’m like Goldilocks without the porridge, or the nap for that matter.
My solution: seven(teen) sketchbooks. I’m not joking. Okay maybe I am, but each and every sketchbook has its place and purpose. One sketchbook just doesn’t suit my lifestyle.
My Sketchbooks
Random Garbage
The one sketchbook who’s paper is too thin, who’s spine is bent, and that’s been floating around for over a decade.
Vent-ilator
The book converted sketchbook for all the negative thoughts. Whether those are art related or not.
60 Ways to Skin a Cat
Endless supply of Ren & Stimpy. Perfect for testing new ideas or mediums without the bias.
Ideations
Work or life, this is full of problem solving, design ideas, and random thoughts from both here and there, just not everywhere.
TV Guy’d
For those random doodles during commercials or boredom. Not all TV is created equal, but this one sketchbook can alleviate the pain.
Pirate Handbook
My getting back in point. One sketchbook, multiple doodles, no order, all chaos. If you suffer from blank page-itis, this idea might work for you too.
The Rest
Call it what you want, sometimes starting over means starting new. Or maybe I just have some weird obsession with starting sketchbooks.
One Artist to Fill Them
Why so many sketchbooks? Perhaps it is an attachment thing. Once we find that perfect-in-every-way sketchbook we will try anything and everything in our power to keep it perfect. This means no drawing, no doodles, no coffee stains. It is the sacred space we reserve for perfection. The problem is not the sketchbook itself, but our idea of what it will become. We place all these expectations on cardboard wrapped, dried, and pressed wood pulp.
That’s right, WOOD PULP.
Fancy, huh? My feelings of sacredness are quickly turning into feelings of sadness. If this were a different time or place, these feelings of holding out for perfection would be warranted. But right here, right now, we get dried pressed wood pulp delivered daily, and that idea brings out a whole different kind of sadness.
This realization just kind of opened up an acceptance of sorts. The idea that I would openly deny this wood pulp the satisfaction of fulfilling it’s life purpose breaks my heart. And here I thought I was actually a decent human being… There is only one way to fix this: Fill the sketchbook! Every… single… one…
One Artist to Bring Them
By utilizing every page of every sketchbook for some form of artistic expression, I will not only become a better human being I will also become a better artist. Isn’t this the entire goal of buying the sketchbook in the first place. To become better, stretch those creative muscles, and fulfill life’s purpose?
Sitting around here contemplating the destiny of wood pulp is not getting these sketchbooks filled…
