Sketchbook Studies

Let me start by saying that this is by first “official” sketchbook. 

Typically I would just use various sketchbooks when I felt like it and remove the pages when I was done which only left me with a lot of skinny sketchbooks with a few blank pages and tons of loose sketches in various sizes with no place to call home. Then it dawned on me after watching several sketchbook tours on YouTube, “why not just have one sketchbook for everything?” Taking this question into consideration my next question was “what size?” 

Of course, I wanted something portable since almost every video I watched stated, “if you don’t carry it with you, you will never use it.” After some careful consideration, I finally decided on an Exceed medium dotted journal in the color violet bloom. This journal was priced reasonably and contained 120 sheets on 100gsm heavyweight paper. 

The only things I do not like about this journal is that the paper is ivory instead of white so any materials that I use are not true to color and the pages are still a bit too thin for certain mediums. Nevertheless, as stated previously, for the price and for this being my first sketchbook that I may or may not use it has been well worth the money spent. 

I opted for the dotted journal instead of the blank journal because my intention was to experiment with geometric pieces as well as work on anatomy. I figured the dot grids would be quite helpful with symmetry on the geometric pieces and with proportions on anatomy studies. 

All of this being said, here is a look at a few things that I have been working on in my sketchbook lately: 

TITLE: Geometric Rose 
MATERIALS USED: mechanical pencil for initial sketch, ruler for straight lines, pilot frixion erasable ballpoint pen in the color mauve for color, and black pigma micron pen in the size 08 for outlining

TITLE: Geometric Dragonfly

MATERIALS USED: mechanical pencil for initial sketch, ruler for straight lines, old CD for half circle, cra-z-art colored pencil in the color green fern for color, and black pigma micron pen in the size 08 for outlining

TITLE: Geometric Butterfly

MATERIALS USED: mechanical pencil for initial sketch and color, ruler for straight lines, honeycomb stencil for butterfly wing design and background, pilot frixion erasable ballpoint pen in the color purple for outline, and cra-z-art colored pencil in the color purple for color

I tried to zoom in on the colored honeycomb pattern in colored pencil behind the inked honeycomb pattern outlines but the camera just refused to focus. I hope you can see the design a little.

TITLE: Geometric Ants

MATERIALS USED: mechanical pencil for initial sketch, ruler for straight lines, and pilot frixion erasable ballpoint pens in the colors red and black for outlining

What I have learned from the above, is that geometric pieces take some planning and a lot of time to complete but the results are so worth it. 

Until next time, let inspiration find you!
A. Cornelia