sketches | Dana's Photo Memoir

HAPPY MAY!

Sketchbooks, notebooks, notepads, you name it. Sketchbooks (including notebooks, ect.) provide the best outlets for people. They don’t HAVE to be restricted to JUST drawing or writing. My sketchbooks (yup, I have quite a few, I’m proud to say) are for my thoughts, my lists, my homework, my schedules, my sketches, my research, and the list goes on and on. I use it to personalize and confide in. I enjoy and hate my book at times because I can be nervous to write/draw in it, I could think of nothing to put in it, or I could be simply bursting with ideas to pour into it within minutes.

Over the years, I’ve tried using different types of books, various styles, and different sizes. Choosing a sketchbook or notebook HAS to be based on YOUR personal preference. Not because someone else likes it. You are the one using it, so you need to be comfortable with it. Price doesn’t matter, it could be from a dollar store, or a name brand shop, but you need to choose the one for you.

Here are some of mine:

And this one is one that is my Grade12 baby, which my friends all called “10 months pregnant”: (Note: That’s how it looks on it’s own because it’s so full of content that I can’t actually close it. I tie a ribbon around it just to keep papers from flying out.)

I’ve learned a few things from all these different stationary pieces.

The bigger my sketchbook was, I was more overwhelmed and intimidated by it. There would be so much space to fill, it would actually pressure me to fill it up, but in the end I would just leave it blank.
I enjoyed mini notebooks/notepads that could easily fit into my handbags so I always had it on me all the time. (It’s my must-have accessory!)
When it comes to mini notebooks, I love it when they look intricate and unique because it has its own special touch.
I prefer to use a medium-sized notebook that I can carry in my hands and walk around with.
Reusing old school books are great because you can tear out pages to write small notes for yourself if needed.
Spiral bound books work much better when it comes to opening them. (My “10 months pregnant” sketchbook isn’t spiral bound and most of the time I was worried it would fall apart, even though it looks much more professional appearance wise. Thing’s aren’t always what they seem!)
Some of the texture of several of my books can really bother me so much that I cover them up!

I keep several books restricted to one theme so that all of my idea’s are there when I need to find them. I have a travel sketchbook, a general art book, and one notebook specifically for all of my photography idea’s.

In the end, experiment with your books, see what potential you can find in them. No book has to be perfect. If you cross out something or scratch it, who cares? You aren’t being graded on it. But, if does bug you, then fix it (:

The last thing I wanted to say was: NEVER THROW OUT ANYTHING! I am dead serious! You may not use it now, but you never know in the future! Stumbling across stuff I find that I wrote/sketched/created YEARS ago has helped me to make new things now or to come up with interesting concepts!

Till next time~

Here’s a sneak peek at some of my general pages from my sketchbooks:

I tend to sketch the people around me as quick as I can. It’s a great exercise.

This is still one of my photo theme’s that I have yet to do. Know any good photo challenges?

When I was young, I used to do a lot of storywriting. I liked fantasy books a lot like the W.I.T.C.H. series (which I STILL have to this day!) I always had lots of fun creating character profiles and making back stories for characters. But I never finished actually writing any of the story ideas that I had. ^^”