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Helen Capewell
OCA Learning Log
Student Number: 522802
Degree: Illustration
Current Level: 2

Exercise 1.1

Updated: Jan 27, 2021

What is your relationship with your sketchbook?


I think it's on/off. We have good days and bad days. I do love taking it on trips with me, it's almost always in my bag! However I very rarely use it. I wish I had a good style for sketchbooks, or just flowing ideas to fill the pages. I hope to improve on this during the course!


 

So to continue with this exercise, I felt inspired by the course and decided to make my first little sketchbook using recycled paper bags collected from the local produce market.



In response to the next stage, I decided to scribble my thoughts and quotes from list of OCA responses to the question in the book.


What do you notice about your selection?


I realise I'm not alone! I feel I can relate to a few that are listed. It is comforting to know that more often than not, an artist relation with sketchbooks is on/off. We all have our struggles with sketchbooks, and everyday is different. It's simply, on/off - good days bad days. It's a relief to see this pattern within the comments. It's common to carry a book around with you all the time, and its equally as common to not use it!

Image on the left is how I see a sketchbook. A magic to behold, but once in possession I have no idea how to use! Page on the right I put thoughts of my own regarding sketchbook beside quotes from the list provided in this exercise.


With the selection that I would like to apply to books / attitude in the future, I feel a longing to be this connected with sketchbooks. It makes me want to fill book after book, to use it everywhere I go rather than feel shy. It seems crazy to me that people are THAT attached to their sketchbooks. I feel as though I'm missing out on something awesome!


Which of the 3 sketchbooks will you choose for this?


I think a handmade book might just become 1 out of the 3. I would like to stick with an A3 ring bound sketchbook. I currently have a square sketchbook at hand which I would like to be more confident in filling, and I'm deciding between handmade sketchbooks or a small pocket sized sketchbook with a soft back that could be quick to fill.

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