Submitting to art challenges helps me maintain a steady pace of producing etegami. I've blogged about some of them in previous posts. Illustration Friday is one such challenge that has kept me on my toes because it renews every week, and the topics often boggle my mind.
You may have noticed the Sketchbook Project banner somewhere along the right edge of this page and wondered about it. If you haven't already done so, click on the banner and check it out. I thought about it for months before I actually joined, and once my notebook came, it took me almost as long to pull my ideas together, because it's the most large-scale art challenge I've ever attempted. I have to somehow fill up a notebook of fifty pages with artwork based on the theme of "if you lived here..." (I chose the theme from a list they gave me.)
I finally decided to combine the Sketchbook Project with a goal I set for myself at the beginning of this year of producing up to 150 etegami illustrating Japanese proverbs. Since the pages of the notebook are thin and slick, it doesn't work to paint directly on them. I have to print out copies of my etegami and glue them into the notebook. The result is sloppier than I would have liked, and the colors not as vibrant, but I'm trying to accept that.
I'm half-way through the notebook, and thought it was time to post some sample pages. I will probably be adding some hand-written trivia and doodles in the blank spaces of some of the pages, but not much.
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Looks great dosankodebbie!
ReplyDeleteYou are a talented and hardworking artist, hope you get published soon and we all get to collect your books at our own homes to inspire us in our lives.
I like the balance of white with the images,not busy, your pictures are fantastic as always.Carole
ReplyDeleteHi @jjwalsh, what a great surprise to see you here! Thanks for the encouragement.
ReplyDelete@origa-me, Look who's talking. Keep up the great work you've begun!
Debbie, these are fantastic! I love how you arranged them on the pages! And (shame on me) most of the proverbs or saying I'd never heard of before...so I've learned something new :D
ReplyDeleteCan't wait to see more!
Oh I love your Sketchbook, Debbie! It is wonderful! What a great idea. I agree about the paper. I have had to do the same. It has become quite the art project for me! It's my little bit of art solace for me as I restart my college journey. Take care and thanks for stopping by my blog!
ReplyDeleteI think it looks wonderful!!
ReplyDeleteMy blank sketchbook will get the first illustration today. Gulp!
You're right, it's quite an undertaking.
Absolutely beautiful work! I am six pages past the center in my Sketchbook Project book. Combining projects this way has been a big plus, Illustration Friday/BBW art/Sketchbook 2011. Your pages are inspiring! Thank you for sharing!
ReplyDeleteVery nice. Having a goal definitely helps to keep going.
ReplyDeleteAwesome work! Thanks for sharing these sample pages of your notebook. There is such wisdom in these proverbs, balanced by the beauty in your accompanying illustrations. Keep creating! :o)
ReplyDeleteLove these, I totally love your work!! :)
ReplyDeletewe all had such fun
ReplyDeletelooking at your sketchbook!
thanks so much
for
the pleasure!
:-)