Sketch Book Pages

I have never been good keeping up with painting in a sketchbook for practice. But for the past 2 years I have really pushed myself start to get into a sketchbook habit. I would like to have a better balance of practicing vs. producing … as I realize I lean too heavily on producing finished pieces to sell, and I think sometimes that steals a bit of the creative process (and my joy!)

I have some really beautiful brand new art sketchbooks sitting on my shelf untouched. For some reason, I feel like I am going to “ruin” them with my practice work! Maybe its because I see people share the most amazing sketchbook pages online. But a sketchbook is not supposed to be a production (at least not in my mind). So last year I bought a cheaper watercolor paper sketchbook with perforated pages — just in case I wanted to pull something out to mat or frame or sell. And I’ve probably only done about 15 pages in 2 years time! Though I notice when I keep it out I use it more. And I have been using it more in Pana since I don’t have my whole studio set up there yet.

Anyway, I thought it might be fun to share some pages. (It’s fun for me to look back on them, because I often forget what I have done!)

The deer below is from a photo I took of it when I saw it near our new property. I just love how many deer there are in our area, and how they are not at all afraid of people! This one let me come right up to her (or him, I can’t tell!) to take her picture. I came home sketched in pencil, and then did a little watercolor, though I never finished those last detail bits.

I like this way of using the sketchbook, and noticed I had done it this way before, practicing more on left, and painting on right. This set below was done at Breckenridge, CO on our ski trip earlier this year. It’s close to a Plein Air piece as I did the sketch looking out the window, and then went right to watercolor without using a photo reference. I really liked the blues in the trees here, and making scratch marks with a credit card in the paint.

And this one (below) is just simple brush practice for a rose. I’m glad I date them! That helps me see my progress.

Hey, that’s me! This was a little pencil practice for the McLean County Art Center portrait project. I had a few pages of these. I think this is the one I went with for the final painting.

And here is one, that really could be a final painting. But it has stayed in the sketchbook for now! It’s a house in Bloomington, but I honestly forget where it is! I think maybe on Fell?

And lastly, below is my most recent work in progress from this week. It’s from a photo my sister took (she is an amazing photographer, and I love her bird photos!). I am working in pastel here, not watercolor. But I need to put a pin in it until I am back in Pana, as all my pastels are at that studio. If I end up coming back to it, I will share it when i do my next share of sketch book pages. Stay tuned and thanks for looking!

Eileen Backman
Emybackart
3 Walker Drive
Bloomington, Illinois 61701
(309) 820 7689
www.emybackart.com

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