Saturday, January 11, 2014

Yikes, the Sketchbook, or the Yikes Sketchbook

Hues and values are exaggerated and there are strange watermark-like marks in these scanned images, but you get the general idea. So here it is in all it's glory.
I wrote, "I'm not sure who I am," in white ink on top right corner above.
The first page's window lifts, and you see a tiny section of a weaving draft. This is the only weaving-related content except for the intro in the last page.
What I learned:
* My scissors-, glue-, box-cutter-, and ruler-skills still have much room for improvement.
* I drew, wrote and washed some pages before collaging but disliked them so I covered them up, making some pages messier than necessary. The center, mono print page is the only "original" work.
* I prefer visual coherence to logical; this used to make me feel shallow, but now I don't mind so much; pretty is preferable to smart, and no, I can't believe I just typed it!!
* I prefer sparsely-worked pages to crowded ones. What seemed underdone earlier in retrospect may have worked out just fine. 
* As I said, I was too caught up with the "Strange Neighbor" theme. When I am less worried about themes or logical cohesion/continuity within the book, (my first, 2010 was always at the back of my mind,) I end up with what is to me a more interesting-looking book.
* Unlike my 2010 book which looked messy in a badly-executed-grade-school-project fashion, this one is a tried-to-be-too-smart big-kid project that's still executed badly. I feel I've lost the Sketchbook Project innocence.
* Still, the interesting thing is the last page: in the last two sketchbooks I sent in, I didn't link me the weaver to the book that I can remember; I didn't say I'm a weaver, even though I crammed in a weaving content. I don't know why but I felt it more "natural" to link this to me this time. I don't know why.

EDIT: I would really appreciate if you could tell me which one or two is/are your favorite/s; I don't need reasons, but am curious to know when you were in an Art House Co-op-like environment and saw gazillion sketchbook, what sort of thing you look for or take home with you. Thank you very much in advance. 

12 comments:

  1. I love what you have done with the project. I particularly like the weaving content you placed on the first page and the How well do you let me know you page. Very inspirational and I think the whole weave patterning thing in really interesting and could be expanded on somehow but don't know how!

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  2. Thank you very much, Kaz.

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  3. I enjoyed all pages, especially your notes. Probably the stand out pages for me are page 10 Scream, pg 11 Do you know where I go ...
    and especially pg 13 I like to travel to become a stranger.

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  4. Thank you, Dianne. Much appreciated.

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  5. This is seriously wonderful, Meg...REALLY!

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  6. Connie, just glad I finished, but the rest, agree to disagree? I do like hue harmony. And I don't do "lots" well.

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  7. I agree with Connie. I think its lovely. Really nicely done and I love the notes

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  8. Oh... where did my comment go? Hello? I'll try again. I love it. Not blogger, but your fabulous sketchbook. It's a visual poem. And if I had to pick favourites (very hard) it would be 'There are those who cannot see...' and the hidden weaving. I love hidden things. Does anyone ever really grow out ofo pop-up books?

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  9. Goodness me, Blogger is eating mine, too! I wrote, "Sorry, thanks, and no, never, Cally."

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  10. So inspiring, Meg. Thanks for sharing this visual journal/journey.

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  11. Ahhhh... welcome? I don't know about me and sketchbook, Margery; I don't know.....

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