Thought I'd show some pages of various journal sketch work I've done in recent months. I'm using different journals and all kinds of styles, whatever suits me at any given time. This past summer I began what I call an "Anything Goes" journal. It contains whatever I feel like doing on any given day whether it be strictly writing, something pretty, something silly, whatever, and I'm finding that I really like this casual art journal the best these days, but I'm also working in a few other types as well. I hope maybe you'll find some inspiration here to begin or continue on with your own art journals. They are a lot of fun to do and are so much more relaxed to work in than trying to come with a formal painting, a masterpiece, if you will. So, here goes....
The below photos are of various botanical sketches I've been doing this past fall of 2013 in conjunction with a nature sketching class that was held in The Naples Botanical Gardens:
A view of one of the beautiful lakes in the gardens painted from a lovely granite bench with the above poem engraved on it.
Eldea
Water Chestnut Tree Flower
A fallen Rubber Tree leaf from many angles.
A whimsical wind chime located in the Children's Area of the garden.
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These couple of sketches were done around Naples, FL while sketching with an artist friend of mine...
View of condos from the Bayport Inn restaurant. This was a particularly fun afternoon. We sat at a comfortable table, ate lunch, had iced tea, dessert and wonderful service from a very attentive waiter. Plein Aire painting doesn't get much better than that!
Tin City from across the river, another very pleasant afternoon spent with my painting buddy.
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I recently bought a gray toned journal for the purpose of seeing what materials work best on toned paper. I haven't gotten very far in it, but here are a couple of things I've done in it with colored pencil. I like the way the gray recedes and makes the subject pop forward in this journal:
A holly branch from our new house in Lake Grove
One of the Knock Out Roses from the bushes we planted in our new backyard.
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The sketches below are only a very few examples of what I've done in my "Anything Goes" journal:
Dangle One
Dangle Two
More Knock Out Roses
Some sort of weed coming through the fence in our new early summer backyard that I was so grateful for. At least it was green!
Tangle Girl
Tangle Garden
Hair Girl
This day I was sitting at Naples Beach on a damp, foggy day and I simply wanted to capture the colors I was seeing, then sketched the end of a sea grape branch that was nearby on the same page.
Here we're back on Long Island painting what I call "Gull Island", although "Laughing Island" would be more appropriate. Scads of seagulls nest and spend their nights here. The noise as they settle in each evening is hilarious-and deafening.
Vignettes from a Sunday evening concert in Melville Park
Vignettes from Cow Meadow Park in Northport one fine summer day
Just where I was at the time
Thank you, Rebecca.
Just wishing for a world that made sense
So true
After reading "Running With The Wolves" I decided I was an old crone and very proud to be one. It's taken a lot to get here.
What a lovely evening this was.
Documenting a strange experience.
Haven't found it yet.
The fruit of the Spirit...
One day something will strike me and it will be written here.
If you're an artist at all, and I've been one for 40 years, you'll get this one. :-)
Made a tri-fold page from a failed painting.
This is the page before opening the above.
I like the colored page, must do more of them.
An ode to chocolate :-)
