Summer Sketchbook

I have really been into painting and sketching recently and I decided to make a scrapbook to document my holiday this summer.

Sketching by the pool

I spent a week with my friend Mel in Mountain View, San Francisco which was awesome! Rather than just relying on holiday photographs I took time out every day for sketching, painting and collaging my holiday experiences.  Art equipment I packed for the trip were sketching pencils, Windsor and Newton watercolours, Chromacolour watercolour pencils, a few black pro-markers, scissors, a glue-stick, acrylic paint markers and a range of brushes.

Sketching on Mel's sofa

It was the most relaxing and enjoyable time and I pretty much sketched / painted everywhere starting out in the airport lounge and on the flight over to the USA.  The most indulgent was next to the pool, on the sofa at Mel's house and finally on a train ride to my next holiday destination in Wales last week.

Things I included in my journal were maps, leaflets, tickets and receipts of my adventures alongside traditional sketches and watercolour studies plein air of food, city scenes and landscapes.  I chose an A5 Seawhite concertina sketchbook which comes with a rather cool hardboard case. It is not quite finished yet but here are a few little snippets for you to enjoy.

Painting on the train to Wales last week

The many cool California signs found around Mountain View

Sushi and Santana Row a beautiful palm tree lined shopping street

Mushroom and leek omelette home cooking, film night on the sofa and the lovely Steven's Creek Trail walk

Ice lolly pool inflatable and the amazing graffiti of Clarion Alley in the Mission, San Francisco

Mel standing in front of a Frank Stella painting at the SF MoMA

Dusk at Pier 39 and Pier 23 neon sign from Fisherman's Wharf, San Fransisco

The concertina sketchbook laid out next to the pool before my return to the UK

I am enjoying putting the finishing touches to my journal and hope to finish it before my return to work in September. I also want to include my mini break to Wales in the remaining pages of the book.

What have you been doing this summer to relax and unwind?

Re-cycling sketchbooks

I tend not to talk about my day job very much on this blog but I thought I would make an exception today. I have been an art teacher for about 17 years and at the end of every academic year I have a good old clean up and general sort out.

Every year I come across old sketchbooks that have been abandoned by ex-students who have left. Any keen students ALWAYS come back to collect their work, but there are a bunch of 'em who are really not that bothered.

In a bid not to waste paper I have regularly recycled sketchbooks by ripping out the few pages that have been used. You are then left with a pretty decent 'pre-used' sketchbook ready for action. I often give these 'new' books to keen students who want to do some extra art in their own time.

On the 1st July my school is hosting a Creative Arts evening which will showcase art, drama and music. I had an idea to sell these sketchbooks with original hand-painted covers to raise some money for charity and the art department.

They are quality Seawhite sketchbooks with brown cartridge paper inside. The front covers were painted after work today by yours truly using acrylic paint, sgraffito techniques and simple print-making.

What do you think? Am I wasting my time or should I make some more? How much should I charge?