Saturday, November 8, 2008

old sketchbooks


One of these days I'm going to build a bonfire in my backyard and throw in all the old journals, notebooks and sketchbooks I've got cluttering my little home office.


The old sketchbooks are maddening to revisit because for every page with a drawing -- there are ten (or more) pages of partial doodles that I gave up on before moving on. I imagine real artists' sketchbooks are filled with fascinating drawings with no such gaps. And when those artists die, nobody later looks at these books and finds a bunch of pages with nothing more than a nose or a scribbled-out rabbit.


When I was very young, my mom used to get mad at me for wasting paper because I'd only put a few lines on a page before tossing it. If those first few lines weren't perfect -- what was the point of continuing?? I'm too old to change. And I can't ever apologize enough to the trees who died providing me with the paper I've wasted.


This posted doodle came from a very ancient sketchbook of mine. It's probably from my senior year of college.


16 comments:

Call me Paul said...

If it'll make you feel better, go out and plant a few trees.

Rachel said...

I like these guys. They make me happy for some reason.

sim warford said...

I think just the opposite; most artists' sketchbooks are filled with incomplete thoughts, random doodles, noses and scribbled-out rabbits. As are most writers' journals and notebooks. Ideas have to come from somewhere--and sometimes, are halted in their development for whatever reason.

~~Silk said...

...and professional photographers, unlike us amateurs, will take a hundred shots before they get the one they want.

All those aborted sketches simply mean you have standards. That's not a bad thing.

Kathy said...

You should keep your old sketchbooks and journals. I think you would regret destroying them.

Love the drawing. Kind of reminds me of Dr Seuss.

Chris said...

They kinda look like the "Skecties" from the Dark Crystal movie....only happy, good skecties.

Kath said...

He-He I love these Russ.Don't get rid of all your brilliant work.Someone someday with gets lots of pleasure from it all.I know I would..Keep up all the good work it's fantastic.Take Care God Bless Kath

Sage Ravenwood said...

Too cool! Thought you were channeling Dr. Suess. Miss you! (Hugs)Indigo

Debra said...

bullsEYES abound! grins, debra

Leigh/BlueDragonfly said...

There are a couple journals that I don't get "alerts" for. I've just figured out that I have to get here by a different route.
See? You're not the only one still learning all the new tricks.
Russ, please save your sketchbooks. What if you become famous and someone wants to do a biography of your life, and there's nothing to see?
And like "call me paul" said, you can always go out a plant a few trees!
:) Leigh

Beth said...

If you have pages that consist of just one or two lines, recycle 'em! We recycle almost all of our junk mail and various papers.

Beth

swmpgrly said...

im so behind in reading , i miss the alerts

Dannelle said...

Hey Russ, I am on your followers and I never get a notice you have posted! I just doubled back from another journal (by the way, you deserve the REAL award!! Congrats)and found you have been posting! I guess I will have to sneak in the back door... Love and hugs, Dannelle

Lisa said...

I think you would be surprised to see artists sketchbooks. I bet they aren't much different from what you have.

Anonymous said...

You're not wasting anything. You're being an artist. Pop was an artist. And we found TONS of unfinished or partially finished or barely started works in his collection.
It's all part of the process.
cheers!
xo
MJ
PS I found you... LOL forgot you were adult content.

Big Mark 243 said...

I agree with Mary Jo... face it, we are at the top of the food chain... there is enough 'conservationists' to allow for the creativity of an artist!