Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Workshop thoughts -- Emerson Idea Book

I only saw it for a few minutes, but it made a big impression on me. Dawn Emerson's large format (16 x 12) sketchbook was filled with value studies, line drawings, photographs from magazines, and postcards that inspire her, and many notes about what meanings and applications she had about what she included. 

What a great idea!

Even when I don't feel much like making art, or when I don't have a lot of time to commit to painting, I can work on the idea book, or just spend time looking at it and dreaming of what I might create. In the photo above you see the first page of my new big idea book. I think it might just prove to be a slump-elixir, too.

4 comments:

Nancy Van Blaricom said...

I love seeing this. I love the idea of it. I love the possibilities. I love reading about 'ideas'. I do not use my sketchbooks to their potential. Thanks. I'll try to remember the lesson in seeing the beauty in our sketchbooks.

Katherine van Schoonhoven said...

Hi Nancy -- I have enjoyed adding more pages to this idea book. It's amazing how little time it takes, yet what pleasure it brings me. I hope you'll try it, too.

Suzanne said...

What a great idea to have an IDEA book rather than just a sketch book. Or the 5 different sketch books with different size and mediums or written notes (hmm)like I have. It looks like you have a following with this suggestion.

Cmichaudart said...

perfect...somewhere to noodle around with pretty things we clip and never remember where we stashed!