The Sketch Book Project 2011

For some fun and for some play, I decided to participate in next years The Sketchbook Project. From the several themes available I decided to go with Trading Forever.  I’ve already started some of the writing, and will illustrate as I go. My interpretation is largely a play on many ideas and where they converge.

Luckily, given the restrictions of the size, I am allowed to rebind the book and at any thickness I desire. So I have two tasks for this month. One, to experiment with adhering leather to masonite and then to experiment with inks and medieval egg tempera on the parchment scraps I’ve ordered.  Historically one artist would not do the binding, calligraphy, and the artwork, but for this project it is best.

I would like to go wild with the creativity and use some old disappearing reappearing inks, as well as glow in the dark inks. So much to play with, but yikes to learn it all for one project by the deadline. I should just consider ordering the book on ink recipes and see what we have time for from there.

I am very nervous at the idea of working on real parchment given the cost of it; but am glad to have the scraps to practice on. Then to hold the theme and still keep some of the costs down I will do some of the work on a faux but well made parchment styled card stock. It is acid free and holds a variety of mediums well.

In the meantime I am still working on my two main projects. I have been very nervous about publishing online after knowing how a few people have had their work pirated. There is always a risk, but I am trying to weigh the pros and cons for a while longer.

Posted in The Sketch Book Project