adventures in keeping a sketchbook

After years and years of following Alisa Burke's blog, I finally got inspired to start a sketchbook. I tend to go in cycles with creative outlets, which can last as long as six or seven years. I'm certainly not giving up jewelry making, but I don't have the drive to make jewelry all of the time (and document much of the process here) the way that I did three or four years ago. Mixing up my creative routine allows me to not burn out on making jewelry so that I can still keep my jewelry Etsy shop and keep selling jewelry at craft fairs.

I've never had much natural talent or inclination when it comes to drawing or painting, but something about working in a sketchbook has appealed to me lately. It's been a fun way to experiment with colors and ideas while working on something creative and relaxing while I watch TV or hang out with family and friends and still pushing myself out my comfort zone a little. Actually the biggest part about getting out of my comfort zone is sharing my sketchbook pages. I still feel like a huge amateur. But here it goes.

 I have about a zillion little paper scraps left over from various projects (i.e. greeting cards, flowers), and I hate throwing them away. It's so fun to find new creative uses for paper scraps.

 

When I was printing sheet music on card stock for greeting cards recently, one sheet got pulled through twice and thus printed on twice. I didn't realize it until much later. It turned out to be such an amazing background that I might do this again on purpose.

I know that this looks really simple, but it takes many many hours.

Among many other things, Alisa has inspired me to use really cheap readily available supplies, like cardboard tubes (which I used here to make the circles), in my creative process.

I absolutely love silhouette skylines at sunset and would love to take a photo like this someday.

As you can tell, I sort of have a thing about clouds. It's one of the first things that I gravitate toward when I'm doodling.

Sometimes when I have little stretches of time, I prep backgrounds. I have no idea what I'm going to do with these little shapes yet. They're kind of fabulous on their own, but I might add more detail at some point.

Watercolor background. I have several of these backgrounds in different colors.

Another fun experiment with color that I may or may not add more detail to at some point.

As of writing this post, my current work in progress.

I do a lot of pencil drawing before going back in pen because I don't trust myself to freehand these sorts of designs in pen (yet anyway...).

I have no idea where I'm going with my sketchbook or exactly what I'll be working on over the next few months, but I'll continue to share my progress periodically.