Sketchbook Project 2012 Update

Cuddling in bed has got to be one of the most wonderful, and relaxing, things to do.

That was one thing that was hard with the long distance relationship, when we had it – is that you don’t wake up together all the time. And the bed is awfully cold in the winter without that extra living space heater.

Sketchbook Project 2012 Update

I’ve had this white-marker pen for a while, and I’ve been utterly in love with it. It’s perfect for adding little touches here and there, and working as a resist with watercolours (it’s oil based).

I wanted to create a spread that just used the white marker with a nice background. Here I found the green creates the perfect ‘organic’ feel for the greenery that is sketched / drawn out.

Sketchbook Project 2012 Update

I’m starting to work on the cover, and get that done. This is where it stands now:

I like the ‘raw-ness’ of it. It sort of goes against the technology that it’s illustrating. For those who are new to my blog, and since I haven’t posted about this project in a long while, my topic was “Long Trips and Short Phone Calls”. I’ve self-edited the title to reflect the long-distance relationship James and I were in when we were in school: Long Trips (Distance) and Short Phone Calls (Text Messages).

The 2012 Sketchbook Project: You and I

I have been in love with with the song “You and I” by Ingrid Michaelson.

Love this song, it’s just too cute!

I decided to use some of her lyrics in my latest sketchbook layout:

‘You and I’ – Watercolour and ink

The words in the clouds are not from the song, I just added them in to tie them into the theme of my sketchbook.

I feel that I’m getting close to the end of my sketchbook, but I also feel like there is so much left to do on it. I will say this: I am ridiculously happy that I got my sketchbook when the 2012 program started. If I was getting it now (with it due in January), I do not think that I would have time to complete it the way I want.

The 2012 Sketchbook Project: A Love Like Sunflowers.

Last week was my 25th birthday, and James got me a gorgeous bouquet of flowers. They were so lovely, especially the sunflowers – which he knows that I love!

A Love Like Sunflowers – ink and watercolour, sketchbook project 2012

So, I thought that I would create a spread in my sketchbook for the sketchbook project with a sketch of them.

James also gifts me a KOBO – which I have been reading on almost non-stop since! It’s perfect for me, since I often bring books to read during breaks / lunch at work and now I don’t have to lug them around, and I can flip between books if I want very easily. All my wonderful friends gave me quite the jump at a surprise dinner as well. I love them all so much! It was a very wonderful and special birthday.

The Sketchbook Project 2012: Love Songs

I finished another spread of my Sketchbook Project. I do believe that I am half way done now, or at least very close.

This spread features lyrics by Paramore and and Ingrid Michaelson. It was done in ink and watercolour using masking fluids and cling wrap.

I’ve also started working on the cover, having finally decided on an idea – but it will take a little while to complete. It’s just in it’s preliminary sketch-phase right now.

Here is a sneak-peek at another spread that I’m working on in ink. It uses the other side of the tissue paper from another spread in the book.

Sketchbook Project 2012: Our Distances

I completed page 4 (and 4b) last night. It was a mixed media page, using a couple different mediums: acrylic paint, matte gel medium, glass beads medium, gold mica flake medium, black marker, collage. I'll take you from the start, and then show you the end product :o) ... this is going to be a long post with tons of pictures!

Firs I coated the image that I printed out with gel medium, so that when I started painting and dabbling on it, it would not run / smear.

While this was drying, I rebound my sketchbook so that I could insert a page of tracing paper. I have never bound / rebound anything before, so I did not have proper tools. I ended up using a thumb tack and a screwdriver to make the holes a bit bigger, and threaded in green/white bakers twine. I had to do this twice: the first time, I rebound half the book upside down from the other half - opps! This also means that towards the end of the book, there's another piece of tracing paper! :)

So I ripped the edges, and then used the same gel medium to affix the image to my book.

I added some colour with some paint.

Now on to the fun part: I added glass bead medium. It goes on white, but dries super clear and adds a very interesting texture. I used a palate knife to add this, I find it works better if I want large sections of beads.


A close-up of it dry - those little beads just attract so much light into them! :)


The tissue paper makes this spread that much more interesting. The other piece that I have in this book, I'm going to try to make it so it interacts with both sides.

Next, I added more colour. The green I just dabbed on with a piece of shop towel (I find these 'paper towels' stand up better for my painting - you can get them at Canadian Tire ect.)

After a bit more painting, some more glass beads and some gold mica flakes - the page is complete!

A close up of those lovely beads:


The spread with the tissue paper on top. The tissue paper has indicated where either of us lived (since we were long distance for while), where we started and where we are now.


And, with it on the other side, the lightened areas are places where one of us have lived.

I hope you enjoyed this (thorough) look at my pg. 4 and 4b page :)

Sketchbook Project 2012: All my Lovin'

I've already made a painting based on this theme, but I do love the song, and I love the little paper airplanes:

Sending You All My Lovin' - pg 5 - watercolour and ink

I know - I'm bouncing around in my book...it's just some spreads are only one page, and some need both. This one was half done for a little while too, I wasn't sure if it was complete, and then I added some watercolour hearts in with the ink, and I'm confident of it's lovliness now.

Sketchbook Project 2012: Coming Home

After my sketch of the "Berry Bird" in my square sketchbook, I knew I had wanted to do another sketch in a similar style.

Coming Home - Pages 12-13 - Pencil

It's a finch welcoming her fellow finch with a welcome home leaf :)

Sketchbook Project 2012: A-Mazing Love

I recently completed another page in my Sketchbook Project submission:

Amazing Love, Pgs 8-9 - watercolour and ink

I used to make mazes when I was really little (Grade 2 or 3), after an 'art project' in class: the whole class each made a maze, and then the teacher photocopied them all and made us all an activity book. and I loved making them. They weren't as complicated or large as this one.

I just hope that no one solves this puzzle in ink / pencil when they're reading my little sketchbook. I put a disclaimer on the top, just to be safe.

Sketchbook Project: The Forest City

The Sketchbook Project 2012 - Long Trips and Short Phone Calls

Pages 6-7: The Forest City

London, Ontario is sometimes called 'The Forest City' since there are so many trees in it. This is where James and I met. It was there that during our (almost) five years together, that we lived the closest (until we started semi-living with eachother: he's gone half the week for a job somewhere else, and then half he works where I live).

Back to the story - despite never have met, and having been totally set up by a mutual friend: we lived within walking distance of each other. After that: we both moved for additional school - me to Sudbury, and he to Barrie. Then I moved to Orillia for clinical placement (half-hour from Barrie), and shortly he moved to Whitby for work (1.5 hours from Orillia). Then, I moved in with him for a couple months after school looking for work; but ended up working in Owen Sound (close to his home town, where he ultimately wants to end up). He got a job here but he wanted to keep working the Whitby job for now...so he lives between two places. Yes, we have jumped around a lot. I cannot wait to not have to move anymore, or if we do: not have to move cities - or across Ontario.

So that's the travelling-hobo part of our story: the beginning though was in 'The Forest City'