Ten Minutes of Imperfection

My kids are right: I talk too much...even in a sketchbook. For more about my embarking on The Sketchbook Project, click here.

The Sketchbook Project 2012

It's here!!

I developed a serious case of sketchbook envy when I started blogging last December and saw the wonderful Sketchbook Project posts on many artists' sites.  So, imagine my glee when I happened to visit the Art House Co-op website the very day that they opened the sign-ups for this year's edition!

The Sketchbook Project is a traveling exhibition of sketchbooks created by artists.  Each participant receives a blank 5" x 7" sketchbook that will be exhibited on the 2012 international tour and cataloged permanently in the Brooklyn Art Library.  (The little barcode on the back will trigger a text or an email to the artist when someone views their sketchbook on the tour!)   The 2011 tour will stop in San Francisco in June - I'm really looking forward to visiting.

When you sign-up to participate, you are asked to choose a theme from about 40 topics.  They're really flexible with this (there's even one called "Untitled") but I felt that I needed to choose something to get myself focused.  I ended up choosing the theme "10 Minutes", since a sketch is supposed to be a quick drawing anyway, and so that I didn't create an unrealistic assignment for myself.  I figure that if I limit each sketch to 10 minutes, I won't procrastinate or stress about it.  Maybe.  We have until January 2012 to fill 32 pages, which seems pretty manageable, even for a procrastinator like me.  I'm also thinking of making it "10 Minutes in My Garden" to sharpen the focus, and to encourage myself to do more plein air drawing.  The cover is a wonderful blank material, just waiting to be jazzed up, but I figure that I may do that at the end.  (And no, that is not procrastinating, I don't want the work on the cover to get all messy during the year.  Okay, it may be rationalization, but it's not procrastination.)

I'm hoping to post some of the pages as I get underway.  They haven't yet provided a blog badge for this year's edition, but Shane at Art House Co-op promises that it'll be out soon.  I can't wait to slap in on my sidebar!  I'm really eager to see what other artists do with their sketchbooks, so if you haven't sign-up for one, get over to their website and take the plunge!