Leanne Barrett: My Practice Inspired by the Sketchbook Revival

Monday 4 June 2018

My Practice Inspired by the Sketchbook Revival

Frenetic
Fun
Fabulous
Freeing

These four words are what I would use to describe my experience of the 2018 Sketchbook Revival: An Online Workshop created by Karen Abend.

It was quite a task to complete the 24 workshops that ran for two official weeks - with a 2 week catch up period. Each day there were two sessions to learn new techniques and mediums from a range of artist's that work towards sketching daily. Each session's video length was around one hour, so on top of the viewing time I spent extra time stopping and starting the videos, following the process to create my own sketchbook pages.
See my sketchbook revival creations later in this post.

Reflection On Workshop

It is now a few weeks since I finished the workshops and I'm really pleased that I took the time to immerse myself in developing my craft's; skills and techniques. Many of the workshops aligned with other creative practices that I am currently following ie: The Artist's Way by Julian Cameron and the Jen Storer's, Scribbles online creative writing course.

Combining workshops into my daily practice.
  • A daily practice can open your mind to your creative muse
  • Connect with your inner child 
  • You have permission to play
  • Explore & experiment 
  • Let things be messy
  • It is okay to make mistakes, that is how you learn
  • Practice the process
  • Do the 'verk'
  • Be mindful and in the moment
  • Find pockets of time to create
  • Make creating your new habit
  • Create at least 20 - 30 minutes each day or at least 3 - 4 times a week
  • Create in a no judgement zone
  • Daily practice leads to skill improvement

Post Workshop Practice

I am still working at drawing everyday, trying to create a new habit. But sometimes don't I draw and I don't beat myself up about it, I just begin again.

Over the last few weeks I have combined a few of the revival's artists practices into my regular sketchbook practice, by dating and drawing the ordinary objects and landscapes that surround me; Danny Gregory (D2 S1), Koosje Koene (D6 S1), Anne Leuk (D11 S2) and Liz Steel (D2 S2).

I have explored and experimented with new materials and techniques like Wendy Hollender's botanical drawing techniques (D4 S2) with Tamara Laporte's use of Tombow pens (D7 S1).


I have taken the child with messy hands from my meditation drawing with Bodhi Simpson (D10 S1) and developed her into a new and more detailed character. She is now part of a Facebook header.



My work in progress is a new collection my by Black & White illustrations. I have utilised some of  my previous learning with Nina Rycroft (D9 S1) from her Picture Book Illustration e-Course and her Sketchbook Revival workshop with the process that Bonnie Christine (D8 S2) uses to create her pattern collections. So keep an eye out for my anthropomorphic black and white animals.

My Sketchbook Revival Pages. 

Here are links to the artists that gave the workshops for the Sketchbook Revival and the sketchbook pages that I created over the two week period.

Day 1

Session 1 - Kiala Givehand - Handmade Sketchbooks
Session 2 - Amber Kuileimailani Bonnici - Using Intentions


Day 2

Session 1 - Danny Gregory - Inspiration for Illustrating Your Life
Session 2 - Liz Steel - Sketching complex scenes with edges and shapes


Day 3

Session 1 - Ria Sharon - Sketchbook Magic Fun
Session 2 - Shelly Klammer - Expressive Arts Play



Day 4

Session 1 - Val Webb - Things with Wings: Sketching Birds in Ink
Session 2 - Wendy Hollender - A Botanical Sketchbook of the Seasons


Day 5

Session 1 - Amanda Grace - Scribble Studies
Session 2 - Amy Maricle - Simple Marks & Creative Sparks


Day 6

Session 1 - Koosje Koene - Use Mundane as Your Muse
Session 2 - Lorraine Bell - Tips and Tricks for the Creative Traveller


Day 7

Session 1 - Tamara Laporte - Whimsical Mixed Media Sketchbook Project
Session 2 - Jake Parker - Pizza Bot: Sketching an Imaginary Character


Day 8 & 9

Day 8: Session 1 - Jane Sneden Peever - Drawing the Mandala Shape by Shape
Day 8: Session 2 - Bonnie Christine - Gathering Inspiration (No Illustration Image)
Day 9: Session 1 - Nina Rycroft - Face Mash Masterclass: Sketch a Series of Fox Inspired Faces
Day 9: Session 2 - Tom Hart - Storytelling Flow


Day 10

Session 1 - Bodhi Simpson - Creative Meditation
Session 2 - Whitney Freya - Paint Buddha


Day 11

Session 1 - Jessica Abel - What's Stopping You? (No Illustration Image)
Session 2 - Anne Leuk - Timeographical Activation!

Day 12

Session 1 - Kelly Hoering - Alternative Surfaces
Session 2 - Karen Abend - Collage Your Mantra



Extra Links:

Sketchbook Skool
SketchingNow
Inktober
Skillshare








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