Johnnynorms' book

I'm finding it slow going, but halfway house and here's my first four. The keyhole with scratches worked fine. Next is Doors Filter In, named after a song that starts "Well chosen metaphors, instead of all those slamming doors" and mentions "Steps steep, dreams deep" - finding it hard to let go and draw confident and fluid, this was stiff and awkward, saved by turning it into not what I meant in the first place - this is going to happen quite a lot.

The selfportrait looks unfinished, but I daren't touch it more - it's quite a fragile sketch and I don't have the skill to carry on.
And fourthly is Strumerama, a bit more relaxed and fluid. Yes, fairly pleased with that one. I can see lots of great work being posted on the blog, looking forward to seeing it in the actual books, still feeling daunted by adding my tuppence hapenny...but not as daunted as before I put the first pen to paper.

Various moles

When I bought my first ever moleskine for this project, I also bought a water color mole. I did these pix in it. It's easier to paint in than the sketch moleskine.

Don't worry, I won't keep posting the pix from my "private" mole. Just this set. I attached the last in the series, the robin, to the group moleskine because it is painted on the back of the second yellow tulip which I did because I wasn't happy with the first (though each has its flaws and points.)

The first is another portrait of BB with watercolor pencils, and ink, the second a friend at dinner, the third tulips for mother's day and the fouth the robin which I attempted to pain in as Asian brush style. I got some books about that but haven't had time to study them yet.

I photographed these instead of scanning them because the scanner wasn't hooked up. Which reminds me, that white gouache STILL is not dry!

mole_5

mole_4

Moleskin Heading to England!

More moles

Oops, these are out of order.

Last night, I painted the self portrait, LOL! I was looking through one of my art books for a Renaissance painting that would resonate for me, but when I saw THIS, I gave up on the Renaissance idea. I HAD to do THIS one (see my first spontaneous mole). This after Francesco Clemente's Self Portrait; the first. I had it in a book, but the one on line is much better than the book, and wish I were looking at THAT one when I made mine. Of course his is bigger than a yard by yard or meter by meter, and mine's in a mole, to say nothing of the fact that he's a much better artist! LOL! But hey, had to do it. :-D

The one I had painted Wednesday or Thursday (been so busy don't even know which day!) were yellow tulips in my yard. They are green, yellow and cream, but mine didn't work out well. I was trying to do a sort of Zen or Chinese brush painting (which of course I know nothing about, at this point!). So I tried again. The second one still isn't good, but it's a little better. I am going to attach it.

so--now I am almost done with the first round (in fact, I may have painted one too many pages, not sure.) But I'm not quite done yet. When my second yellow tulip dries, I am going to paint something on the back of it--hope I don't mess it up!

Which reminds me, the Self portrait after Francesco Clemente is done in gouache, my first ever--I just went out and bought some yesterday, rode my bike to the art store (Rainy Day)--took 25 minutes each way. BUT--here's the rub--I painted the picture last night and it's still not dry. THAT's why I photographed it rather than scanning it--hope it dries soon, or how will I be able to mail the mole?

OH, and, I forgot to buy black, DUH, which was the whole reason I got some gouache--but I don't normally use it when painting with water colors, so it didn't occur to me to get any.

the first four pages minus the first

The upside of this enterprise is I'm catching up on my neglected record collection. Music isn't essential here but I was stuck for something to put. I suppose it contributes to my background but I won't have any of this ''soundtrack to my life'' nonsense. Please! This is my first moleskine and at this stage I have to say I prefer my old cartridge papered A4 book (and at a third of the price). In comparison this experience is like drawing on plate glass. Or, perhaps, teflon! I'm just an art slut underneath.

Still, it takes me three months to get used to a new sweater so, onwards...
Having probs scanning a decent image, and it's getting v. late so, please feel the urge to click and enbiggen.


molepage #2


molepage #3


molepage #4

The First Four Pages

I've got a blit of a blue thing going here. Am I blue?

I might not be finished with flaws are charming quite yet.

I am working on one more 2 pager and then off to Steve!

I finished the first seven pages of my 'skine!

So I finished the first seven pages of my Moleskine and it's ready to go off to Ammon. I went with a theme pairing monsters, and whether or not future participants decide to continue the theme or go in a new direction is totally up to them. I asked my girlfriend Kristen to help me out with the fifth and sixth pages and took off with her initial paisley and flower designs. I'm psyched to get started in Andrea's book soon, as well as with seeing what Ammon does with this book. In the meantime, keep up the amazing work everyone and 'skine on!

other groups, concertina 'skine

I won't make a habit of posting links to this group but I happen to hit the wrong link in my history folder and up popped one by Stefano Faravelli from the same Detour series. Stefano has apparently been on a trip and used his moleskine to record events. It starts off a bit shaky but after page three he gets his stride. Lovely!

(Is it just me or is there something sensual in the way the black band is drawn to one side? I think it's the slight fumble there - it's just me then!)

Getting Stuck into the past

Caravaggio. St Matthew and the Angel. C1602
and Titian. The Worship of Venus. 1518-20

Pontormo. Portrait of a Lady with Dog. 1532-33
and a Self Portrait of Me with Bird.

Nicolas Poussin. The Ecstasy of St Paul. 1649-50

www.baggelboy.com

mole #6

Good thing this is a SKETCHbook--it says so right on it.

I took my first ever-water media as an adult just recently (I really
am a beginner!) and the teacher was always saying, "You can't hit a
home run every time," That's the scary part about a moleskine! AK!

This sketch of tulips is done in pencil, water color pencil and water
colors in my moleskin sketchbook. I wanted to just try water colors
but was afraid it might wreck the paper. I have a moleskin water
color sketchbook, so I prolly should try that. Then paste it in?

a snippet

Other people sharing has inspired me to share... Here's a little close up from a page of my book.  It's still in progress.

I'm going to add some color, but I'm not sure how much or what medium yet... I kind of want to use watercolor, but I haven't painted in months.  I moved recently and lost this really cool roll-top desk that I had all my painting supplies set up in.  At the new place, I don't really know what I'm doing yet... lots of my supplies are still in boxes.  I did manage to find my colored pencils, so I've been using them a lot lately.

Painting takes... planning and stuff...

Mole 4 & 5

I did a two-page spread in my Moleskine tonight. Hope you aren't sick
of Biker Buddy. He's a willing built-in model, so I drew him again
tonight, same deal, pen and water color pencil. A sketch--this is a
SKETCH-book, right? (I'll try to do something different next.) He
was pleased to have a "centerfold." I told him if he wanted a
centerfold, he'd better undress, LOL! (Don't worry . . . ){I won't
subject any of us to that, prolly.} Like the other, it's a bit of a
caricature.

Mole 1 and Mole 3

I drew a sketch of Biker Buddy, my husband, a sort of caricature, in blue ink and blue water color pencil. It was next to the pencil sketch I'd done of myself, and then my pencil sketch looked so washed out in comparison that I colored it with watercolor pencil and water soluble oil pastels.

Mole 2: The Italian Window

Acrylic in the inside cover of the Moleskine. Hard for me to paint that small. Click image to view larger.

mole_2

has anyone tried painting in a moleskine? just curious how the paper holds up.... guess i should practice that in my book.

Friday Update

Hello everyone and Happy Friday!

Great starts and dialogs are already happening! I am so excited you are all taking part in this little adventure! I love that folks are already posting drawings! I am sending a thank you gift to all of you, a little something from me to you. Watch your mail in the next week or two.

Unfortunately, Jeannette is not going to be able to join us, so we are down to 12. This means if you want to, you can draw up to 8 pages in each book. We agreed upon 7 though, so I don't want 8 to freak anyone out. Just do what you can and enjoy the process!

Check your email later today for addresses of everyone involved. You will mail to the same person each time, but I wanted you to have all addresses in case you needed or wanted them.

I will mail to Steve, Steve mail to Ammon, Ammon mail to Willie, Willie mail to Mike, Mike mail to John, John mail to Hannah, Hannah mail to Alan, Alan mail to Ian, Ian mail to Michelle, Michelle mail to Mary, Mary mail to Jessie and Jessie mail to me!

Sorry I was absent for a couple of days I went to SF to see The Breeders. It was a great show! I did however get my car window broken out near Slim's, guess what they took out of my car? My IPOD cord and my most current sketchbook. I am super bummed out. It is the first sketchbook I have ever "lost". I feel like a part of my self is missing. I am more bummed about the sketchbook than my window. Crazy, right? Have any of you lost almost full sketchbooks?

one mole

ok... kinda rough.. but it's my book.. so it's ok...
we're going to have fun doing this project.

What's in my thinks bubble

Excitements/Anticipations:
Seeing everyone's artwork coming through the post.
A refreshing variety of styles and approaches - we got all sorts.
Exploring my own ideas, trying out new things.
Being part of a club - I'm shy, but I'm here.
Handling a moleskine, which is new to me.
Opening the book, rubbing my hands with glee, and creating.

Apprehensions:
Revealing my lack of drawing skills.
Feeling uninspired, and just doing the same thing over and over.
Running out of time.
Making hideous mistakes.
Opening the book, staring at a blank page, and feeling my brain dribbling slowly out of my ears.

Reminders:
Others of you feel the same/similar.
Be myself - that's what I'm here for.
Stop worrying and enjoy it, you've got it for a year...