The Sketchbook Challenge: prepping a book

I'm excited about the Sketchbook Challenge. I've always used my sketchbooks as a learning tool and a reference library. If it doesn't go down onto a page of my ubiquitous little black sketchbook - the idea most often disappears somewhere out in the ether. These little black books will never go away.

But this is a challenge right? I don't expect to create a masterpiece - but I've been in love with Melanie Testa's visual journals since the first time I saw them that I'm inspired to take a step in that direction this year. I'm going to play. I'm going to experiment. I'm going to strive for beauty. Take a look at the first step I'm taking.

So.

Join me. Join us!

Go over to the Sketchbook Challenge blog and "follow" it.

Sign in to the Flickr group.

You could win FAAAABULOUS PRIZES!

(If you've seen the muppet named Rizzo the Rat say that - say it in his voice!)

You won't believe all the exciting goodies that our sponsors are offering for the giveaways.

Sue Bleiweiss Podcast at the Voodoo Cafe

RICË FREEMAN-ZACHERY

over at the blog

Voodoo Cafe

has posted a fantastic 

interview with Sue Bleiwiess

about the Sketchbook Challenge.

Take a quick break and go listen.

Then come join in the fun at THE SKETCHBOOK CHALLENGE!!!

I'm making plans. 

I've got my books - and pencils - and pens - and paints - and glue - and collage materials

and you get the picture.

Anything goes.

Everyone is invited.

ALL levels are encouraged.

In other words 

I WANT YOU THERE!

For Your Inspiration: Snowflakes

Falcifer on Flickr

Melisande on Flickr

Origamiancy on Flickr

Cewil on Flickr

For Your Inspiration: Winter Scenes

TudX on Flickr

Infinity Rain on Flickr

Lalofont on Flickr

ANNOUNCEMENT OF “ONE” FUNDRAISER

I try to keep my business goals very simple.

One thing I know I want to do - is to make the world a better place.

by Felix on Flickr

Simple right?

While I can't end war (I dreamed about trying last night) I can do small things.

"...by small and simple things are great things brought to pass." -the Book of Mormon

I can use the talents I've been blessed with (and worked hard to develop) 
to do some good in the world.

Here is ONE way I can make a difference.

One Cause, One Wednesday, One Hundred Collages

One Cause – The Fight Against Cancer

One Wednesday – February 16, 2011

One Hundred Collages

artists

Natalya Aikens

Pamela Allen

Laura Ann Beehler

Liz Berg

Pokey Bolton

Laura Cater-Woods

Jette Clover

Jane Davila

Jamie Fingal

Gloria Hansen

Leslie Tucker Jenison

Lyric Kinard

Jeanelle McCall

Linda Teddlie Minton

Karen Stiehl Osborn

BJ Parady

Judy Perez

Cynthia St. Charles

Virginia A. Spiegel

The goal – Raise $8,000 for the American Cancer Society in just one day.

More details and a preview of artwork here:

http://www.virginiaspiegel.com/ONEFundraiserPreview.html

Fiberart For A Cause has already donated over $205,000 to the American

Cancer Society through the generosity of fiber artists and their patrons:

http://www.virginiaspiegel.com/NewFiles/ACSFundraiser.html

For Your Inspiration: Frost

luvpublishing on Flickr

Fussjewelry on Etsy

photographybymonl on etsy

Lori411 on Etsy

The Sketchbook Challenge

I call my sketchbooks my

PAPER BRAIN

These books are filled with doodles, drawings, composition studies, grocery lists, exercises, and nothing in particular. They are one of my favorite resources for new ideas. If I don't jot down ideas immediately they simply evaporate into the ether that is between my ears. I love these books. I'll never leave them. 

But...

Starting next year I'm taking it to the next level!

I'd like to invite you to join me for

Perhaps you want to start keeping a sketchbook but every time you sit down with a book in front of you and pencil in hand you freeze up and just can't seem to get started.  Might it be helpful to take a glimpse into another artists sketchbook to see how they use theirs? Do you need a nudge or an idea to get you started?

The sketchbook challenge is a new project launching on 1/1/2011. Follow along with us as we fill our sketchbooks based on a monthly theme that will be announced on the first of each month.

You’ll be keeping company with some inspirational artists including

Jill Berry
Sue Bleiweiss
Laura Cater-Woods
Jamie Fingal
Judi Hurwitt
Leslie Tucker Jenison
Lyric Kinard
Jane LaFazio
Carol Sloan

Carla Sonheim
Susan Sorrell
Melanie Testa
Diana Trout
Violette Clark

Each month we’ll announce a new theme on the sketchbook challenge blog then show you images from our sketchbooks and talk about the intention and inspiration behind them.  Along the way we’ll be sharing tips, techniques and tutorials.  We hope that by giving you a peek inside our sketchbooks and showing you how different they all are that we’ll inspire you to start keeping a sketchbook of your own.  And of course if you do, we’ll want to see some photos of your book too so we’ve designed a blog badge for you to put on your own blog to show your participation in the project.  You can get instructions and the html code for your badge here.

We encourage you to post photos of your sketchbook pages on your blog and then post a link in the comment section of the Sketchbook Challenge blog so that others can look at your pages too!

And here is something fantastic to sweeten the pot ... thanks to the generosity of some terrific sponsors we’ll be doing some givewaways and special shopping offers!

So pick up your blog badge, go grab a sketchbook, some pencils, pens, markers or paints and get ready to sketch with us!