Sketchbook Project 2013 - thoughts and musings

 Now that you've seen all of the pages of my 2013 sketchbook project book, what do you think? Feel free to leave comments - good or bad - in the little box.

I really enjoyed the process of following the very loose brief, and I liked that I could do as many, or as few, pages as I wanted. I would definitely take part again, except that they appear to have changed the format for the 2014 project, and I am not currently particularly taken by any of the topics either :-/

It remains to be seen how my book will go down either with the organisers (I still fear that oils are banned somewhere in some rule document that I haven't seen... *wibble*), or the viewing public of America, or the world once it has been digitised, but that's not really why I did it. I took part, simply because I thought it would be a good way of me getting back into painting after such a long time away from it. It's worked brilliantly for that - it's got me back into the swing of it, proved to me that my brand spanking new studio (of which, more later ;)) works, and reignited my love of oils. I am eternally grateful for all of those things. I have rediscovered my love of painting, and the joy that it brings to me. Will someone *please* smack me upside the head if I forget again?

I've also learnt how to bind books (sort of lol)

What was YOUR favourite page?

Sketchbook Project 2013 - the finished article

The Finished Article :D
"Creatures", by me

Sketchbook Project 2013 - did I say that was the last set?! I lied!

Pelican
Oil on paper, approx 7x5 inches

Team GB
Oil on paper, approx 7x5 inches

Nelli
Oil on paper, approx 7x5 inches

Good job I thought to count them up to check really!

Sketchbook Project 2013 - Last set, honest!

Where is Chas?!
Oil on paper, approx 7x5 inches

Snakey
Oil on paper, approx 7x5 inches

One Giant Leap for Canine Kind
Oil on paper, approx 7x5 inches

Sketchbook Project 2013 - Breakfast is ready!

Peck
Oil on paper, approx 7x5 inches

Rise and Shine
Oil on paper, approx 7x5 inches

Sketchbook Project 2013 - There's no rush to get to the end, surely?

Snails Pace
Oil on paper, approx 7x5 inches

Coming to get you... very slowly
Oil on paper, approx 7x5 inches

Sketchbook Project 2013 - Monkeys!

Monkeh!
Oil on paper, approx 7x5 inches

Monkey Sketch
Oil on paper, approx 7x5 inches

Sketchbook Project 2013 - yet MORE pages...

What came first again?
Oil on paper, approx 7x5 inches

The Purple Dinosaur
Oil on paper, approx 7x5 inches

Off with her head!
Oil on paper, approx 7x5 inches

Sketchbook Project 2013 - More Pages!

  A few more pages for you :)

Sam's Dinosaur
Oil on paper, approx 7x5 inches

*ROAR*
Oil on paper, approx 7x5 inches

Are you my mummy?
Oil on paper, approx 7x5 inches

Sketchbook Project 2013 - Spacedog on the moon...

Moon One
Oil on paper, approx 7x5 inches

Moon Two
Oil on paper, approx 7x5 inches

Sketchbook Project 2013 - pages!

I am not entirely sure as yet what order these images will go into my sketchbook in - they weren't done to tell a story, or anything that obvious, although one or two of them are one of a pair, so obviously they'll be put so that they work together.  For now though, here is a small, and random, selection of pages for your viewing pleasure :)

Moomintroll
Oil on paper, approx 7x5 inches

A Close Match
Oil on paper, approx 7x5 inches

A Night At The Museum
Oil on paper, approx 7x5 inhes

Sea Creature
Oil on paper, approx 7x5 inches

Sketchbook Project 2013

As mentioned in my last post, I have been working on something for the Sketchbook Project 2013. The basic premis being that they send you a sketchbook, which you can then do whatever you want to, including rebinding it, provided you send it back to them with the same 7x5 inch dimensions, and it is no wider than 1 inch, and it has their barcode sticker on the back, in roughly the same place as it was on the one you were sent. You have to chose between a  number of categories, this years were: Travelogue, Memoir, Narrative, Atlas, Almanac, Chronicle, Sketchbook, Chapbook, Documentation, Photolog, Undecided, Dwellings, Strangers, Participate, Diagrams, Warnings, Lists, Creatures, Dinosaurs, and Upstairs. Then, you fill it full of your ideas/drawings/paintings/collages/whatever, and send it back to them in Brooklyn, before the cut off date (this time it must be postmarked before 15th January 2013). They then digitise it (if you've paid the extra for that), and add it to their digital archive. Then...  (and this is the exciting part!) your sketchbook, and all of the others registered for this project, go on tour around America (annoyingly, I missed the 2012 tour, which came to London *sobs*), before finally being added to their permanent collection in the Brooklyn Art Library. Anyone who wants to can go in and view my book :D

I chose Creatures. And because I am mental, I decided not only to ditch their (rather poor quality, I have to say) sketchbook, and make my own from scratch, but also to paint the whole lot in oils. Yes. I am THAT crazy. A book full of oil paintings. 'They'll all stick together' I hear you cry. Well, yes, they would. If I weren't binding wax paper in between each page. (or at least, since I haven't bound it yet, that is the plan lol. If even that doesn't work, I shall cry. Lots.)

I finally finished painting my 'creatures' yesterday. I did a little dance, as I wasn't 100% sure I would get to the end before the 'post by' date, let alone be able to varnish each side of each page, and then bind it all too! But I did. Hurrah for me. I started the varnishing today, and shall post the various pages over the next few days. I wouldn't want to give you them all at once now would I? Where is the fun in THAT?

Front Cover. Yes I know the title is off centre... what of it? (this was a feck-up by my poorly pre-Christmas self that I only noticed yesterday. It will be remedied somehow... just as long as it doesn't require a complete repaint :-/)
7x5-ish inches, Oil on Canvas Paper, glued to board

Once I'd chosen the theme of my book, I asked my friends and family to share with me the (non-living) 'creatures' who share their lives and homes. The contents of my sketchbook are testament to their variety - I only wish I'd been able to paint them all!

I shall post some more pages for your viewing pleasure tomorrow :-)

Half an apple a day....

Oil on canvas, 8x10 inches

...Keeps the doctor half-away? Away every other day? What? hehe

I decided to give myself a little break from the layering thing today, and this was the result. It's been a long while since I did a 'from life' wet-in-wet piece, and I suspect it shows! It was fun to paint though, which is the main thing!

It almost didn't happen at all - after I'd set it all up, balanced my whites, and sat down to start painting, the bulb in my main daylight lamp blew. I don't know how long they're meant to last - but I would've expected it to last longer than that! Of course, I didn't have a spare bulb that would fit (it's a different lamp to my others, and of course, I've got spares for them, but they're totally the wrong shape!), and I couldn't find my spare lamp anywhere (must've put it somewhere 'sensible' during my big painting room tidy up a couple of weeks ago!) so I had to hunt around the house for a new light source (and put the room back together again, after taking it apart hunting for the elusive spare lamp!) before I could start!

Peach Rose - 1st colour layer

Oil on canvas, 8 x 10 inches

Well, this layer took me all day to do - so much for me saying it was quicker using this technique in my last post about this particular painting! I'm happy with how it is coming along though, which makes a change! It still needs another layer, and now I am looking at a photo of it, rather than staring at the real thing close up, I can see that I need to soften a lot of the edges, and bring the front petals further forwards. A job for another day though I think!

White Rose... Almost there....

Oil on canvas, 16 x 16 inches

This is the first complete colour layer for this painting. Well, I guess it is sort of the 1 and a half colour layer - as I re-did a lot of the work I did last time! I changed the background colour totally, although it is fairly hard to see a major change in these photographs I think. It's now a lot more purple than red. I just felt that the colour scheme really wasn't working unfortunately, and had to have a rethink of the whole thing. It's meant that some of the shadow colours etc in the petals are a ways off where they should be - but I aim to correct that in the next layer. I did make a start on it today, but the previous colours are still having a huge influence, and will need to be covered a little more fully next time. At least that is one of the advantages of working in oils (and in layers!) - if I was trying to do that in watercolours or something, it would be impossible!

I'm still undecided at this point though, whether or not I prefer working in layers to painting directly, as I have done in the past. It's got its good points for sure, but I do love the immediacy of working directly, and the challenge of getting the colours (almost!) right first time. I'm not sure that I have the patience to work like this all of the time!

I haven't posted in a while - it was my birthday last week, and with my OH off work for that, not much gets done! I did get to spend the day of my birthday mooching around The National Gallery, and Tate Modern in London though, looking at amazing paintings, which was fantastic. I could quite happily do that all day, every day I think!

I did start work on 2 more, much smaller roses last week though - and shall post pictures once I've completed the next layer (second umber layer) - probably tomorrow, or the day after. I'm hoping to complete the first colour layer on the second rose tomorrow as well - I'm determined to get at least 4 finished by the end of the month!

Rose (grisaille)

Oil on canvas, 8x10 inches

Another layer on this little one today, whilst the biggun dries. This rose is actually more complicated than the other one, but it came together really quickly - this layer only took a couple of hours, including mixing the various tones of grey (which always takes me a while - first they're too light, then too dark, then too light again... lol)

Getting there...

Oil on canvas, 16 x 16 inches

Almost finished with the first colour pass on this one now! Just the stem/leaves to go, and a quick fix on the petals in shade on the far right. The dark, diagonal mark showing on the bottom right of the canvas isn't actually paint - it is the shadow being cast from one of my brushes, sitting in a pot in front of my easel! Really should be more careful when I am photographing my paintings indoors!

Small update...

Oil on canvas, 16 x 16 inches

Started work on the 1st colour layer today. Still got a way to go before I finish it, and another couple of layers before I finish completely, but it is starting to come together!

Rose

Oil on canvas, 8 x 10 inches

Second Umber layer. The first (slightly blurry - sorry!) pic is of the rose's second layer, before the background was added. Obviously, the second includes the background. I am enjoying this technique much more than I thought that I would (I've never been noted for my patience - which is what this method requires!)
This layer will now need to dry, which will take at least a week, and then the 4th layer, the 'dead layer' will go on. I'm looking forward to seeing how it comes out already!

I seem to have a rose fixation atm...

Oil on canvas, 10 x 8 inches

I really do seem to have a rose fixation at the moment! This is my second current work in progress - I wanted something else to work on whilst the first one dries between layers. I decided to try the full 'seven layer flemish technique' on this one. So that is an imprimatura, followed by an umber layer (this one), then a second umber layer, followed by the 'dead-layer' (the grisaille, as in my last post), followed by 2 colour layers, and a finishing layer. I'm not sure what this - the umber layer - does to help the final painting, but we shall see!
I'm going to add in a few details to the background/stem and leaves in the second umber layer. Didn't want to faff too much with it today!