tulips (drawings) from Amsterdam

Last weekend I had a trip to Amsterdam to film my classes for Sketchbook Skool. I'll be a tutor in the second Semester, which kicks off on July 4th. I was met by the co-founder of the skool Koosje Koene and we spent two full days of filming.

I have to say I was more than a little nervous. I am not a natural in the front of the camera, in fact it's probably one of my biggest fears so if you are signing up to the second semester then please understand!

I really enjoyed the whole project, though. More than I thought I could, which was thanks to Koosje. I think we worked well together and I hope that my videos will be enjoyable, informative and useful, despite my awkwardness.

As well as filming we got to hang out in Koosje's neighbourhood a little. We ate some great food (those guys really know how to eat well) and, of course, we did a little bit of drawing.

I remember, at one point, discussing, with her, some of the other sketchers I'd met over the last few years and saying "some of them are REALLY obsessive, really hardcore sketchers". I then proceeded to make 17 drawings in my short stay! Turns out I might just be a little bit obsessive myself.

Here are thirteen of the sketchbook pages I made. I also did a couple of 'finish at home' jobbies - which I'll post later. And, of course, one drawing that will be revealed at Sketchbook Skool. The other sketch I made was so bad NOBODY will ever be seeing it. Koosje asked what I do if one of my pages goes wrong. I said "collage". Her musician husband, Pascal, said "ah, in music we call it a medley". I liked that quote.

One evening we sat outside a great restaurant, in the sun, where Koosje and Pascal are regulars. I drew the  guy in the cap, below, whom Koosje called 'an old sock' - which is an expression for a young guy person who has an old soul (I guess). Again, I liked that expression and the magpie in me will be flying off with these and storing them for future use.

Koosje also remarked on how quickly I made my sketches. That, again, is something I'd never noticed about my own drawing. And it came as a surprise to hear, as over the past few years I've sat labouring over drawings that take hours and hours and hours. But, she is quite right. It's true.

I've taught myself how to draw really quickly more recently. Yes, I still do my long highly worked-up time consuming drawings, but I've also learnt to capture things as they are happening. It's not only a totally new way of drawing for me but it has also opened up a whole new way of seeing the world. I'll tell you how I did that sometime - but that's another film/class/blog/song.

So, that was my weekend. I had no idea at the beginning of May that I'd be making this trip so it was an unexpected surprise. I also got an extra day in Amsterdam to wonder around, in the sunshine, drawing whatever took my fancy.

When I look at the drawings I made there it makes me realise how far I have come in the last few years. Just two or three year ago, I'd never have been able to do this stuff. I'd never have drawn people on the plane, in the park, having coffee. But that's what keeping a sketchbook or illustrated journal does. It's not just a place to document your life, but also somewhere to work on your skills and techniques.

 And, just one more observation I made on this trip; if you ever thought that being cabin crew was a glamorous job then you ain't ever been on the weekend stag-party flights from the UK to Amsterdam. Those guys deserve medals.

many dreams have been brought to your doorstep

Over the years I've heard many people say that they find starting a new sketchbook the hardest part. They become frozen with the fear of messing it up. Especially, it seems, when it comes to Moleskine sketchbooks. Why is it that they are so intimidating? Is it because of the history of Moleskine? The prestige? Or is it just 'cos they are not cheap that makes you want to take extra care? Funnily enough, I never have that problem. I LOVE to start a new sketchbook. I (almost) cannot wait until I get home. I'm scribbling my name in it in the car (almost). No, I have the opposite problem.

This is the last but drawing of my travel themed Moleskine. There's just one more little page to fill. It's a travel sketchbook with a bit of a twist as I've created all the drawings at home with the souvenirs and memorabilia that I have brought back from my trips. Actually, not just my trips. This book also contains souvenirs from my friends travels too. That's the good thing about being a memorabilia artist; people always seem to bring me bits and bobs back from their trips. For example, a friend brought this back from the Leonardo da Vinci exhibition at the National Gallery, London, earlier this year.

I started this Moleskine on the 29th of April 2009. I cannot even begin to think of how many hours work, and love, have gone into it. I think that it is my favourite sketchbook so far. In fact, it most definitely is. I am very proud of it. And now there is just one more page to go. Will I ever finish it?

You can see the whole of the sketchbook (minus that last blank page) HERE.

what did you feel there?

Another from our day sketching in Chesterfield. This was the 'shot' that I wanted to get; the crooked spire poking up (for want of a better phrase - it's very late) above the town's rooftops. It was such a hot day, so I took my Scottish colouring out of the sun and went into the air conditioned library where I got this view. I drew whilst a lovely old girl told me every last thing that she'd bought with her Marks and Spencer's gift vouchers. And every programme she enjoyed watching on tv. And what she thought of this government. Bless her. That could be me one day. It could be all of us, I suppose.

it's all too beautiful

Last Saturday Sketchcrawl North went sketching in Chesterfiled. In complete contrast to the week before, when we were sketching in a wintery Buxton, the day was hot and sunny and perfect for drawing outdoors. I've always wanted to visit Chesterfield. That may not sound that ambitious, or difficult, as I do live in Derbyshire but I've only ever passed through it. Every time, though, I become distracted and mesmerised by it's famous crooked spired church - which is a concern as I'm usually driving. The crooked spire is a thing of beauty. It really is. There are various theories to how it became twisted, from untreated wood to the lead they used, however it happened the results are quite stunning.

Inside the church I came across this notice board and stopped for a while to draw it. I'm really kicking myself now that I didn't go up into the spire. I have no idea why. It's apparently as crazy a structure from the inside as the out. I'm also kicking myself that I didn't go into the church gift shop. I can only imagine the array of spire souvenirs I could have laid my hands on. Actually, it was probably a good thing that I didn't.

Finally, I squeezed this little sketch in, below, before we all met up at the pub. It was literally a five minute sketch which is probably a record for me. I kinda like it though. These three drawings were made in my tiny Moleskine sketchbook I also made a couple of larger sketches from various places in the town but I'll pimp them up before posting them.

and if the flowers are in bloom

 I'm playing catch up at the moment. Not on the drawing front (I have NOT stopped drawing recently) but on all the other things that go along with that. Like blogging. These are a couple more drawings from last weekends sketch crawl in Buxton. And very shortly I'll post the drawings from this weekends sketch crawl in Chesterfield. Our group seems to have a very busy schedule because there's more planned for next weekend. Phew. Exhausting, but great too.

I did this little one in the Buxton Museum and Art Gallery where I held my exhibition last year. This is of the mantelpiece in the Victorian room. At least I think it's the Victorian room. But don't listen to me I seem to think everything old is Victorian. I have no idea why.

i'm glad i spent it with you

Another little sketch, in my mini Moleskine, from last Saturday's sketchcrawl in Buxton. While most of the sensible sketchers sat in he warm botanical garden drawing I, like a fool, stood outside and drew this ice cream van. It was such a cold day and drawing an ice cream van just made me feel even more chilly. At least, I guess, Diane our visiting sketcher from Australia got the full Sketchcrawl North experience. Brrrrrr.

This sketch is okay, I suppose. I tackled one of those subjects that I find quite intimidating; vehicles. It's nothing special. If you'd like to see some REALLY good drawings from the day then hop on over to Lynne Chapman's blog. She is the dog's bollocks. And, to those not familiar with that term, who may think I've just been very insulting, it means quite the opposite. Perhaps, to avoid any confusion, I should have just said she's great. Anyway, go and have a look for yourself HERE.

it ain't necessarily so

Previously I mentioned that I thought that end-paper artist would be one of the most the perfect jobs for me. Here's another; font designer. I couldn't be happier than when I am playing around with words and letters.

One of the reasons it's taken me so long to post this drawing is that, as some of you may know, Blogger have been making changes. And, apparently it's now much easier to make posts. Apparently so.

with a sleeping roll

Another from my new travel journal. I'm not sure how I feel about this one. It's not quite as all singing all dancing as some of the other spreads in the sketchbook but sometimes I think you need the quieter moments. I see these kind of drawings as the commas in a sentence. A moment to pause for a second.

The handwriting's pretty rubbish to be honest, but corrugated cardboard is a new texture on me. Oh well back to the drawing board.

how do you stop?

This is an example of one of those drawings that pisses me off. Actually, it's myself that pisses me off. I cannot blame the drawing. I piss myself off for not knowing where to stop. Originally, I set out to draw a nice piece of lined paper, a pen and a little bit of a brainstorming doodling session. That was it. But part of the way into it I started seeing a brain, and then the sea, and some land, and I just kept adding layer upon layer until I ended up with what looks like a bloody pirate's map. Not that I've ever seen a pirate's map. Then, I was so annoyed I smudged it all with my sleeve. Purposely, I should add.

I don't know what else to say.

she's in my head, she's in my mind

This is an X-ray of my head right now. That's exactly what's going on in there at the moment. I get into a project and I live and breathe it.

I was hoping to post this drawing over the weekend but it took far longer than I'd anticipated. I reckon there's, at a guess, around 16-20 hours work in this spread. I suppose in the grand old scheme of things that's not so long. When you think of how long people take making books or albums then it's a drop in the ocean.

I often think about such things, like the making of an album, when late at night and the world is dreaming and I'm scribbling away creating this crazy stuff. I suppose it's a way of comforting myself. Have you ever seen the film about the making of a Springsteen album ('The Promise; The Making of the Darkness at the Edge of Town')? It's all about that crazy obsessive manic compulsive demanding compelling destructive beautiful creative drive. I bloody love that film, mainly because it reminds me that I'm not alone.

I also think that if I were making an album I would not want to listen to it for at least a year after it's completion. I'm just putting this sketchbook away for a couple of days now.

then your life becomes a travelogue

So, lets get this show on the road. As I promised in an earlier post I'd share this new project I'm embarking on. It's basically a new sketchbook idea. A travelogue.

But, it's so much more than another sketchbook to me. When you consider that some of my Moleskine projects have taken as long as four years to complete then you might get an idea of how much I invest into them.

I always theme my sketchbooks too. I know it's obsessive but I see them as a whole, not a series of drawings. So, this is a project that I intend to get lost in. To obsess over. All for the love of it. I can't think of a better reason to do anything.

The idea is that I create a new travel journal. A carne t de voyage. But with a twist. I'm going to journal about places that I have never even visited. Yes. If you'd like to read more then click on these drawings. This is the story so far. Hope you join me on this trip.

Roll up! Roll up! Come and see the amazing bearded lady (oops no, that was my last post)

This drawing had been sat, unfinished, in my travel Moleskine sketchbook for about 3 years. I'd committed to it by drawing in the tin and the outline of those little Seaworld sweets, but I had no idea where to go with it. Whenever I was working in the sketchbook I'd see it and it would depress me.

The unfinished drawing followed the page below, in which I am having a little rant about how upsetting I find seeing animals performing for humans. Of course, I'm not talking about our pets here. I regularly get my cat to juggle knives, and in a way I feel that's how she earns her keep. No, I'm being selective with my disgust.

Anyway, the other day I was flicking through this sketchbook again when it suddenly came to me. I knew exactly how I should complete the page. Rather than being concerned about my state of mind my first instinct was to draw it, and that's how I came up with a circus of performing (drawn) animals that are actually souvenirs from my travels. It all made perfect sense.

Actually, I do think that this is a way of dealing with those pages that sit unfinished, the ones that you feel are spoiling your sketchbook; just throw as much at it as possible. Give it all you've got.

Just one more page to go in this sketchbook! One more page and my first carnet de voyage, volume 1 (because there will be another) will be finished. How will I pluck up the courage to start that final page? What will I put on it? Hmmm, the possibilities are endless, if a circus of performing souvenirs are anything to go by.

I have two mini travel sketchbooks on offer HERE. Pop them into your the pocket of your Moleskine sketchbook for when you need a little bit of inspiration. Cheers, my dears!

waiting just to fly fly fly

Click on drawing to view... Hope your bodies are warm this Christmas.

tales from the riverbank

I promised an exciting update on a project in my last post. This is not it. Although, personally, I am excited to be working in my travel themed Moleskine again. It's been too long. And, I only have a few pages to complete before it's finished and becomes my second completely filled jam packed Moleskine.

This is my favourite of my Moleskines to date. I love that it's bursting full of colour. And memories. See it all, so far, HERE.

And that exciting update in my next post. I'm not making it up so that you come back. Really, I ain't.

climb onto your seahorse

Spot the difference.

I'm still not sure if my extra work on this drawing improved it but I like it all the same. These are my favourite kind of drawings. Getting lost in all the little jewels and treasure. I could have filled the whole page. But, even up to this point, it must have taken over twenty hours. And, I've got other jewels and treasures to find.

This drawing is now for sale on Etsy HERE.

i'm hanging on the wire

I'm so tired these days. I'm exhausted and need my bed as I type this. I just cannot keep up with everything I have to do. When I started this blog I guess I just wanted to start drawing again. Then some time went by and I realised that I might just have some skill and, who knows, I could actually turn my hobby into work. Now I'm at the stage where I can't keep up with it all. I know that all small businesses go through this transitional stage and this is where they can flourish or, for want of a better phrase, go tits up.

I just wasn't expecting to get to a stage where I hardly have the time to draw. These are two pages from my new Moleskine project; the airmail/penpal/Scandinavian themed one. I managed to sneak an evenings drawing in earlier in the week. At this rate this book will be finished in 2036.

Any advice?

get it on

I've been doing so much of that very precise detailed drawing recently - the stuff that I'm probably best known for. But, I feel that I don't actually learn anything new from that kind of work. I guess that I'm always improving my technique but it's nice to have a bit of a change and do something a bit more freehand. That's what I did hear with these sugar sachets. I did draw around each of the sachets to get the shape but there were no pencils involved or any measuring up. I just drew. And that's refreshing.

This is another spread from my travel Moleskine. You can see the rest of that 'carnet de voyage' HERE.

trying to remember just what for

Although everything has been quiet around here lately I'm still busily beavering away at this one. So, I thought I'd share another stage of this mammoth drawing with you. So far I've been drawing all the bits and bobs in with colour ballpoints and fine liners. I still don't know how, or if, it'll come together as I rarely do a full-on colour drawing like this. I'm thinking it's nearly there. The final stages will be to get the whole drawing down in pen and then I'll add the final details and, hopefully, a little more 'atmosphere' (is that the right word?) with some soft pencils. That's the plan anyway.

Then what I'd most like to do is get back to blogging. It's just that these days I have lots of things coming at me from every direction. Again, I'm not complaining. Exciting things are happening. It's just that I'm not getting the time to spend with you guys. And, I miss that.

where sleeplessness awaits

So I started this drawing about two or three weeks ago but unfortunately it's going to have to be put on the back burner for the next few days as a new, more pressing deadline has emerged from nowhere.

This is one of the most ambitious drawings that I've undertaken yet. It's on A3 paper which is double the size I normally use. Plus it's full colour. Thus far it has taken approximately 20 hours.

Anyway, I thought I'd take this opportunity to show you how I make these big mad drawings as it is a question I'm asked often. In the past I've been asked if I set up the compositions or whether I draw from a photo. The answer to both of those questions is no. I almost always draw from life.

What I do do is start with a couple objects (in this case the tram ticket, the Mary and baby Jesus and the seahorse) and then add the rest around them. I place the other objects on the paper, mapping it out piece by piece. It's almost as though the composition works itself out. I love drawings like this. I love the way they reveal themselves to me, the way they unfold in front of my eyes.

how a fool begins

As, it seems, I've taken to of pinching things from the wonderful Suzanne Cabrera (you know; quotes, ideas, her signature, her identity) I have decided to continue in that vein and am using a theme she chose for the amazing but almost dead MoleyX group we were involved in for my brand new Moleskine. Although Suzanne chose 'mail' as her theme I have expanded on that a little. My theme is more a mail/travel/air mail/letters/pen pal themey theme. Look, I know what I mean.

This Moleskine will have some kind of narrative running through it (I hope). Which starts with the story of a friendship. I am looking for some help with this project specifically from any Scandinavians out there.

If you are Scandinavian and would like to contribute please could you leave a comment and I'll get in touch with you. Cheers, my dears.