Phobias, Sketchbooks and Resolutions




Lady in Purple
encasutic on birch 6x8

Ok, I admit it... I have a phobia. Its one that I've decided to tackle in the new year. Its not a huge thing like a phobia of spiders or heights. But it is one that is a bit concerning as an artist. I'm going to address the elephant in the room. "Uh hum - Elephant? You are really cute, honestly.. but you do take up a lot of space and its time for you to move - at least to another room."

My phobia? - It's sketchbook-a-phobia... I hang my head in shame. Honestly, compliling artwork in a sketchbook brings me great stress. I think its the anal perfectionist side of me that just has a real hard time handling the idea that there are bad drawings, paintings and sketches in the book as well as the good ones and many that fall somewhere in between. I buy them - sketchbooks, I have them and I've even started some. But, as soon as the less than perfect thing happens in the book - well, its tainted and that's the end of it for me. Or really, the mere thought of creating a less than perfect drawing in a book makes me run far and fast in the opposite direction. I even have one that I have about 5 or 6 pages of good drawings - but I can't bring myself to add another for fear the good luck has run out and a dud will appear. So it sits in the started but never completed pile of sketchbooks - kind of like the land of the misfit toys.

Face
Oil in Sketchbook :)

So.. in 2013 I'm going to suck it up and get over this thing. I spend every Friday visiting blogs where artists are creating art journal pages, sketches while in restaurants, travel sketches, backyard sketches, all kinds of beautiful paintings, drawings and sketches - AND... all these are in books mind you! Inspiring to say the least. I hold these people up as the amazing sketchbook idols that they are. So, here it is in big letters - red too just to really make the point:

In 2013, I'm going to finish a sketchbook, one that I started already and I will show it here when its complete - warts and all. I'm saying this out loud because I'm good to my word - and I've said it - so now I have to do it. I even bought one that does not have tear out pages!

Happy Friday everyone. Thank you to my fellow PPFr's for your weekly inspiration. Hit the button and visit some of my sketchbook idols as well as many other amazing artists.