Still Working On The 100 Day Challenge

 And another on-line challenge popped up that fit right in. Karen Abend's Sketchbook Revival.  The posts short tutorials -- sketchbook ideas with instruction.  I don't watch all of them but if it's an artist I know and like I check it out.  This little accordian sketchbook from Karen Stemper is made from a piece of copy paper.  Kind of fun and could be used for just about any thing.  The dark on the left edge of the pink polka dot pot is a shadow.  I cut out the pot using the fold so it was even and inserted a piece of paper behind it to add the color.  

If I need a break I grab a cup of coffee and my ipad and search for abstract art first looking for art I like then looking for who did it.  That's how I found Karen so when I saw she was one of the instructors in the Sketchbook Revival I decided to sign up. Karen does a lot of her work in the accordian style sketchbook.  She's British and calls them concertina sketchbooks.  Here in the U.S. I found they are called accordian or zig zag sketchbooks.

Another artist I found that I like is Robyn McClendon.  I found her because she was doing one of the tutorials and I liked her work in the introduction so I checked out what she offered.  I loved it!  I do enjoy making books and have made several.  Some I use, some I don't like using but had fun making.  Robyn's little tutorial was about making a journal from an altered book so I was hooked.

It was such a simple concept and provided me with an idea that I think I can use.  She uses collage papers she has made to cover a page, tearing the page so the bottom half of the image can become a pocket. She backs the bottom half with a bit of heavier paper so it's sturdier.  Then she makes tags or cards to put in the pockets, again using collage papers or her art.  

I had an old hardcover book that had been on my shelf for as long as we lived here and I knew I was never going to read it so it is in the process of becoming my new art journal.  I used images of some of my paintings and then decided the tags needed an additional pocket that was separate from the book to be stuck in my purse or pocket.  I usually carry a small sketchbook but this can do the same job.  And when the tags are full they go back in a pocket.  It would take up less space than a sketchbook.  I've spent this week doing pages and spreads.  This is one of the spreads and some tags.  The tags are backed with part of a file folder and I've either gessoed on it or added a piece of vintage journal paper.

And this is the extra pocket I made to carry tags in my purse.

And adding one more sketchbook prompted me to finally clear some bookshelf space.  I've started going through all of the sketchbooks that are piled every which way on those shelves and if they are full they're going in a file box to go to the basement or garage attic for storage.  I have several boxes already stored from my many years of sketching.  The current box is half full and I'm not done yet.  I can see light at the end of the tunnel!