Keeping a Sketch Journal
I’m trying out ‘Drawing My Day!” My name is Bill Booz and I am a book-aholic! When I get interested in something new, I buy books about the topic, hobby, skill. I don’t seem to be able to help myself. Many of the books I buy, though good, aren’t great or, at least, aren’t inspiring to me. Many are. Since getting into drawing about a year and a half ago, I’ve bought lots of books. Many have helped me. I need to do a post about those that did, but today I’m sharing one that is (a) a very nicely laid out and illustrated; (b) practical); (c) helpful; and, most importantly, (d) inspiring.
I am not a journal keeper! Don’t have the dedication, concentration, or creativity to do a daily written journal entry. However, Samantha Dion Baker’s book, “Draw Your Day,” whose purpose is to encourage people to keep a “sketch journal,” has made me think about following her advice. A NYC graphic designer, wife, and mother of two young boys, Dion-Baker has been keeping a traditional journal since high school but, maybe, a half-dozen years ago she decided to fill her pages with not only words but sketches. In 2017, she wrote this book as a result of a tremendously positive reaction to sketch journal page images she had begun to share on social media.
I’m only part way through the book (I’m also a very slow reader!) but today I decided to give her suggestions a try. Since I do want to sketch more and daily themes or sketch prompts don’t do it for me, perhaps trying to capture things, activities or thoughts (tough one!) in a collection of little sketches on a page in my sketchbook will motivate me. Can’t imagine doing a page a day, but this is a start.
I can strongly recommend this book if you, like me, want to sketch, but dislike journaling! And if you need some help getting your sketching mojo on, have a look at the summer offerings of my online class, “Sketching & Watercolor Painting On-Location Intro:” http://www.boozphotolearningcenter.com/online-sketching-painting-onlocation.
