May Musings: Being more Intentional; back to the sketchbook!
Hello, Hello, Hello!!! The year continues to be busy; it seems like only last week I was writing April’s blog! At home I’ve been doing lots of planting in the garden and it’s just lovely to look out of my garden studio to see it growing, and the visiting pollinators make me so happy! I’ve also been able to pop some dates in the diary; I am exhibiting at Landmark Art Fair in October this year and the Fountain Gallery next July which I’m super excited about. This has spurned on an influx of work…but in a different way.
I’ve been thinking for a little while that I need to explore my ideas and techniques much more than I am currently. I previously had an A4 sketchbook where I would jot down notes, scribble ideas and splatter some colour swatches. For a large piece of work that would take me weeks, most likely well over a month, I would ‘plan’ it over a page or so in my sketchbook and then I’d wing it!
As my pieces are becoming increasingly detailed and layered I started to realise I needed to develop the planning side of things to reduce the possibility of mistakes. I spend a lot of time and work on each piece and making silly mistakes or just not being 100% happy with it is no longer a risk I’m willing to take. Don’t get me wrong, I always know what a piece is going to look like in my head but I think I now need to explore it thoroughly on paper and to develop my ideas before starting a big time consuming piece!
I first started realising this when I was creating ‘Bringer of Joy’. I initially used a dark grey pen for the detail on the flowers and once I had finished I realised it didn’t work and looked washed out next to the black pen detail on the birds. Luckily, I was able to go back in with the black pen but it took a long time and was a little disheartening to be honest. Wasting this time could have been avoided had I tried it out first in a sketchbook!
I think the reason I have avoided working in my sketchbook (and apart from ‘Bringer of Joy’ I’ve got away with it) is time. My day is reduced to a school day at the moment and during this time I am also balancing lots of other life admin, so when I get in the studio I want to work on the exciting things; creating pieces of art! However, I now need to be more intentional and push my ideas further inorder to develop my professional practice, so, I bought a couple of sketchbooks.
I am now using an A5 notebook to jot down my ideas and scribble sketches as a way of getting them out of my head and on to paper. I then use the A3 sketchbook more intentionally to draw, clip in reference images (if they aren’t taped to my studio wall!), sketch and develop ideas, and explore colour and composition. So far, yes its added time onto each piece but I feel more invested as I have explored each idea thoroughly and therefore feel more confident in where its going.
I have been wanting to revisit the Peacock for a while and decided to start by sketching and adding colour to the studies. This has really helped me to practice drawing the peacocks before working on the panel as well as leading me to create a pair of panels instead of my initial idea which was a single bird.
I always like to do a bit of research on my subject matter as I personally find it interesting and it really helps me with titles. Once I have researched I tend to mull possible titles over whilst working on the piece, always thinking what I am trying to achieve and what ‘fits’.
Exploring other peoples’ art work also helps to develop ideas and consider different possibilities. In this case I decided to add cherry blossom to the sides of the piece which has really helped to bring it alive and balance the composition after seeing the way trees have been used to do the same in several Japanese paintings.
The studies and research led to a final design sketch of the idea with colour swatches. By doing this I realised I wanted the peacocks to be facing different ways and for the heads to be in slightly different positions. By planning it, I have already made changes which I wouldn’t have been able to do had I pretty much worked straight onto the panel board and I now have a clear idea of where these pieces are going.
Through these design sketches I have also been able to narrow down the frame colours to two choices but I will make that final decision once the pieces are finished and I have started working on the frame. I want the sketchbooks to support my work to give me direction but not become too regimented and over planned so I feel like I can’t alter decisions and work organically when working on a piece; its most definitely a balance.
I have avoided spending too long working in a sketchbook for quite a while now but so far I am really enjoying this new intentional way of working. I always remind myself that I am my own boss and can work in whatever way I choose and create whatever work I wish. I love having that freedom and find it liberating but I’ve realised a bit of structure in the way I work is a good thing and I believe my work is better for it. Ultimately, this is a journey and it’s important to adapt and review my professional practice in order to develop and progress as an artist and not become lost and stagnant. At the moment working in a sketchbook is here to stay and surprisingly it’s not the chore I always thought it was!
See you next month!