Leanne Barrett: My Practice Inspired by the Sketchbook Revival

Frenetic
Fun
Fabulous
Freeing

These four words are what I would use to describe my experience of the 2018 Sketchbook Revival: An Online Workshop created by Karen Abend.

It was quite a task to complete the 24 workshops that ran for two official weeks - with a 2 week catch up period. Each day there were two sessions to learn new techniques and mediums from a range of artist's that work towards sketching daily. Each session's video length was around one hour, so on top of the viewing time I spent extra time stopping and starting the videos, following the process to create my own sketchbook pages.
See my sketchbook revival creations later in this post.

Reflection On Workshop

It is now a few weeks since I finished the workshops and I'm really pleased that I took the time to immerse myself in developing my craft's; skills and techniques. Many of the workshops aligned with other creative practices that I am currently following ie: The Artist's Way by Julian Cameron and the Jen Storer's, Scribbles online creative writing course.

Combining workshops into my daily practice.

A daily practice can open your mind to your creative muse
Connect with your inner child
You have permission to play
Explore & experiment
Let things be messy
It is okay to make mistakes, that is how you learn
Practice the process
Do the 'verk'
Be mindful and in the moment
Find pockets of time to create
Make creating your new habit
Create at least 20 - 30 minutes each day or at least 3 - 4 times a week
Create in a no judgement zone
Daily practice leads to skill improvement

Post Workshop Practice

I am still working at drawing everyday, trying to create a new habit. But sometimes don't I draw and I don't beat myself up about it, I just begin again.

Over the last few weeks I have combined a few of the revival's artists practices into my regular sketchbook practice, by dating and drawing the ordinary objects and landscapes that surround me; Danny Gregory (D2 S1), Koosje Koene (D6 S1), Anne Leuk (D11 S2) and Liz Steel (D2 S2).

I have explored and experimented with new materials and techniques like Wendy Hollender's botanical drawing techniques (D4 S2) with Tamara Laporte's use of Tombow pens (D7 S1).

I have taken the child with messy hands from my meditation drawing with Bodhi Simpson (D10 S1) and developed her into a new and more detailed character. She is now part of a Facebook header.

My work in progress is a new collection my by Black & White illustrations. I have utilised some of my previous learning with Nina Rycroft (D9 S1) from her Picture Book Illustration e-Course and her Sketchbook Revival workshop with the process that Bonnie Christine (D8 S2) uses to create her pattern collections. So keep an eye out for my anthropomorphic black and white animals.

My Sketchbook Revival Pages.

Here are links to the artists that gave the workshops for the Sketchbook Revival and the sketchbook pages that I created over the two week period.

Day 1

Session 1 - Kiala Givehand - Handmade Sketchbooks
Session 2 - Amber Kuileimailani Bonnici - Using Intentions

Day 2

Session 1 - Danny Gregory - Inspiration for Illustrating Your Life
Session 2 - Liz Steel - Sketching complex scenes with edges and shapes

Day 3

Session 1 - Ria Sharon - Sketchbook Magic Fun
Session 2 - Shelly Klammer - Expressive Arts Play

Day 4

Session 1 - Val Webb - Things with Wings: Sketching Birds in Ink
Session 2 - Wendy Hollender - A Botanical Sketchbook of the Seasons

Day 5

Session 1 - Amanda Grace - Scribble Studies
Session 2 - Amy Maricle - Simple Marks & Creative Sparks

Day 6

Session 1 - Koosje Koene - Use Mundane as Your Muse
Session 2 - Lorraine Bell - Tips and Tricks for the Creative Traveller

Day 7

Session 1 - Tamara Laporte - Whimsical Mixed Media Sketchbook Project
Session 2 - Jake Parker - Pizza Bot: Sketching an Imaginary Character

Day 8 & 9

Day 8: Session 1 - Jane Sneden Peever - Drawing the Mandala Shape by Shape
Day 8: Session 2 - Bonnie Christine - Gathering Inspiration (No Illustration Image)
Day 9: Session 1 - Nina Rycroft - Face Mash Masterclass: Sketch a Series of Fox Inspired Faces
Day 9: Session 2 - Tom Hart - Storytelling Flow