Sometimes, It's The Little Things
9:45 AM |
| Finished Journal Page Stillman & Birn Zeta Sketchbook Ink and watercolor 5.5 x 8.5 |
Wish that I could and would, I know that I'm not disciplined (or interested) enough to follow through with week after week of calendar doodles and journaling.
Instead, I tried a different approach that seems to be moderately successful for me. The journal page you see above actually looked more like the one below until yesterday when I added the touches of color to it.
I started off with just writing about small things I wanted to remember with a very simple doodle like the skink tail. This is either the fourth or fifth LARGE skink that the kittens have captured in the house. Even without the tail, their bodies have been four to five inches long!
The other day, they caught another one. While I wrangled this one outside, Moby and Willis were having a joyous time tossing the still-wiggling tail around the kitchen. Blah. Ick. Yuck.
Because this event has happened a number of times, I went with Skink Tales rather than Tails as a fun jest.
A few days later, the mighty huntress, also know as Moby, was playing with something in the office behind my chair. Upon closer inspection it looked like a wasp with yellow rings on the tail. Not a yellow jacket, but something similar.
The huntress was not amused at the removal of her latest toy—it buzzed.
I drew it in and then added the journaling and date box before going on with other things.
Lastly, I bought some socks this week—$36 worth for $2.11! Nine pair of socks for two bucks! Score!
When I showed them to Chris to tell him about my great deal, he responded, "You've got Dr. Seuss socks!"
No doubt, these socks will forevermore be known as my Dr. Seuss socks.
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| Just the Ink Platinum Carbon Black Using Pilot Namiki Falcon and Metropolitan Fountain Pens |
After I filled the page, I added a few more notes about other events that didn't make it onto the page.
I then added watercolor to the small sketches. It was not my intent to add a lot of color, just something to liven up the page.
It wasn't lively enough so I added some splatter for more liveliness forgetting that some of the ink (red) was not permanent. It didn't run too badly, but it's a note for next time.
There's nothing earth shattering or gorgeous on the page, and yet I find myself oddly pleased to have captured some of the simple moments that make up my days. I didn't feel "trapped" by having to fill every.single.box.on.a.calendar.page either.
By being flexible on the dates and when it was added, it made it more fun without any pressure.
I think I may just have to try this again!
10 Creative Thought(s)
...loved this post, and I love the ink splatters too. I laughed out loud with the "Skink Tales." I can just imagine what the kitties looked like after the skink let his tail go to escape. (haha...Suess socks...)
ReplyDeleteI can absolutely sympathize with not being able to fill in a bunch of calendar boxes. I always think it's a great idea, and looks very interesting, but every attempt to try it has usually ended after five days. Something like what you've done here is much more doable -- or even just managing to sketch something small daily on its own page is really just a bigger version of a calendar without the terrifying little boxes. I love the splatter effect that you added, too--even the slightly smeared red ink. It really links everything together. I had an accidental pen spillage when a brush leaked/spilled all over a test paste, and I thought it was a huge improvement. But I never think of adding it just as a decorative element. Also, your Namiki Falcon looks incredibly smooth! I love your lettering.
ReplyDeleteLaure! I love this page! I can't do the calendar thing either! I had no idea what a skink was, so after I write this, I'm gonna look it up! I really like your idea of just some small things on a page as opposed to a regimented day. by. day. fill in a square! Now to look up skink! :)
ReplyDeleteAt first I thought you wrote skunk. We are frequently visited by these so they were on my mind. Couldn't figure out how the kitties got the tail without getting sprayed !! Thank goodness it was a skink! I love your page. I have never tried this, though I know a lot of people do. How about a week of pages instead of a month? There are weekly calendars.
ReplyDeleteCharming page--and one you'll enjoy looking back on in future years. You might not have remembered these small incidents otherwise, and you've just given your future self a gift!
ReplyDeleteWhat fun. I can't do a daily sketch either I have tried and it feels too much like work. I love to sketch out something that really gets me going, like skink tales and socks. :)
ReplyDeleteI really like this kind of page - Kathy is right, it is a gift to your future self. And as you might expect, I love your socks and don't think they are Dr. Seuss socks at all. I have lots of striped socks!
ReplyDeleteIts Saturday night... and I have a little time to relax, so I stopped by to see what's new over here. Your page of odds and ends caught my eye right away. A page like this is not as intimidating as a more focused and serious page about something specific. I think this type of relaxed page is a great idea and I think that I (like you) would love to look back on it to remember some of the little details of days gone by. The little bits of color do make the page "pop" and grab your attention -- just a bit of color and not too much. Nice choices!
ReplyDeleteLaure - this is such a great idea. I so often take certain events for granted when in reality they make up a lovely tapestry of living. I am going to follow your example more...takes the pressure off to draw a pretty page but still capture meaningful things that happen throughout the day. I think your Dr. Seuss socks are awesome - what a super bargain too! Have a lovely day.
ReplyDeleteI resigned up to get emails when you post. Evidently I've missed a few!
ReplyDeleteI like to keep the calendar days and do pretty good -for a while. Then a visit to my daughter' sort some other thing will derail me and I find myself quitting yet again. I'm thinking about how to go about keeping track of some of my days and this page is one of th
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