Wednesday, December 1, 2010

I've started my sketchbook project....


Yes, I've finally started my sketchbook for the project, and I have to say, I think I have a lot of work in front of me. LOL

I can never do something simple, no...... I have to get ideas that require work! Ah, but a labor of love it is. My sketchbook will actually be a story. A book about little Suzi Cher. What I have pictured here is the first page - and it's the story about Suzi Cher and her magic sunglasses. How did this all come about you ask?

Well when I signed on to the project, I chose "down your street" as my theme. And when I first started to sketch - I was outdoors on a street in town, trying to sketch. Quite a few people became concerned, wondering what I could be up to. So, I thought maybe I should not stand in front of people's homes & sketch. Instead, I would try using Google Street View to get visuals to work from. (Similar to the Virtual Paintout, except in my own town).  Funny thing was that almost all the shots in my town, when the Google camera took them, the sun was so bright that the images captured have a prism effect in them. Colors galore!  Now, I thought, what can I do with this!!? And so, the storybook was born. Every right hand page is an image of the town in vibrant colors. And the left hand page has the story, written in poetic rhyme.

For example:

Suzi Cher, had not a care, one bright sun-shiny day
Suzi Cher, ran down the stairs, and out the door to play.

My one big concern is that the paper within these sketchbooks is rather thin, so I'm trying very hard not to get a bleed through on them. Photographing them will be a bit interesting as well.

It all has to be done & mailed in by the middle of January, so I am trying to do at least 2 pages a night (and I know I'll have to do some extra's too). Since I have a background in printing/publishing I used a page makeup program on my computer to map out the pages, images & text. (all 40 pages!) All in all, it's fun - and a bit more work than I planned. But I think it will all work out (as long as I can get it done by the deadline!!).

Assorted color Pigma brush tip pens & pigment ink multiliners in a 5x8 moleskin sketchbook

9 comments:

martinealison said...

Beau projet... Bises

yasha said...

Oh it sounds interesting Nancie.Best of luck for your project.

Virginia Floyd said...

This looks so fun! Can't wait to see more. What is the project for?

Nan Johnson said...

Thanks all.

The Sketchbook project (I have a link for it on the right side of my blog - just below the fineart america icon) -- this is a project I found on the web through another artists blog. I signed up ($25.00) & the group mailed me a sketchbook. I had to pick a theme from their list & that is what I need to work with. Once it's returned to them in January, all of the sketchbooks start a tour of various galleries & museums around the US, then ending with a permanent home in the The Brooklyn Art Library. While on tour, they can be read by anyone who wants to browse through them.

You need to go to the website - it is really an amazing project. I can't believe it, but it says 28,769 artists signed on from 94 countries for this year! This is my first year working on this, but it is not the first year for the project. Click on the link & head over to the art house co-op site. Signups for the sketchbook project are now closed, but there are other projects that are open & ongoing.

Virginia Floyd said...

I just watched the CNN video. That is so awesome!

Unknown said...

Best of luck Nancie; I'll enjoy your future posts for updates on your progress. Have fun!

Kim Rempel said...

Hi Nancie! Thanks, and it's nice to "meet" you! Guess what? I'm doing the Sketchbook Project too. First time. I have a whack of work ahead - I've only done 7. Because the pages are thin, I am only working on one side. I'm using a finepoint Sharpie and there is too much show through. Great work - I just started following.

jbkrost said...

Yep..
sounds like a interesting project..
I must have missed you some how so I clicked on to your followers box.
thanks for the comments
jb

Paula said...

I'm excited to see what you do with Miss Suzie. I myself have about 5 books trapped inside my slowly dissolving brain. This would have been a great challenge to enter, if only! Good luck, and I know you'll do an awesome job!

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