I know it's early, but I just decided what I want to do. 2010 is almost finished and I didn't have much drive or strive this year, so I'm going to kick it into gear for 2011. My goal: to finish up the following sketchbooks...
- Aquabee 4x6 inch, only 13 pages left. I started it on 6/15/2007.
- Homemade sketchbook, 6x8.5 inch. About a dozen pages left of pastel paper. Started 8/11/2009.
- Canson watercolor, 6x8 inch. 12 pages left. First sketch was 9/4/2009.
- Strathmore WetMedia, 9x12 inch. 20 of 30 pages left (actually 10 pages, front & back.) First sketch is dated 8/23/2009.
- Moleskine Cahier, 5x8 inch. I am exactly at the half-way fold. Started as my notebook for an art class 1/7/2008.
- Strathmore Drawing #1, 6x8 inch, 41 pages left (that's 20, front & back.) First sketch is dated 3/26/09. I used to keep this one in my desk at work. Then when I got laid off, it just sat in the box of personal stuff that I took home on my last day. I couldn't bear to go through it until I started needing stuff again when I found a job.
- Strathmore Drawing #2, 6.8 inch. Also about 40 pages left. First sketch was 4/9/10. I knew where the other was but one day I found myself in an art shop to cheer up and I found a deal on Prisma Art Stix. I bought the sketchpad have something to scribble in with the new art stix.
- Pentalic 6x8 leather journal. Started 2/3/08 with sketches from Hong Kong. I'm almost exactly half-way through the 1/2 inch thick journal. I found it too big & heavy to carry around every day. Doubtful I'll finish it in 2011 but it's on my list anyway.
- Earthbound Cachet, 9x12 inch. Started 6/30/2008. I'd guess I've used about 1/3 of the sketchbook. That's alot of sketches to fill this one up.
- Homemade by Mom, 12x12 inch. Old, decaying, crispy crunchy, very acidic, and getting browner every day. It's over an inch thick and I've used maybe 6 pages so far, only using one side because it won't lay flat. Started in October 2010 for Artsomofo. It's on my list so that I'd have an even 10 items on my list, but it should have priority over the Pentalic and the Earthbound (#8 & 9) journals.
Why? OMG, I bought another sketchbook! I couldn't resist the paper, it's hemp and so soft. I'm determined not to start another sketchbook until I make a big dent in the list, above. Waiting in the wings:
- 6x11 inch Lama Li hemp sketchbook. I have yet to see what it's good for, but the pages and the cover were irristable.
- About 6x11 inch, Pentalic Water Color Journal. Beautiful leather cover, but I really bought it for the paper which feels incredible and stiff so it won't buckle. I rebound it, awefully, trying to get it to lay flat so that I could do a double spread like the Moleskines. Might have to try binding it again.
- I started a 4x6 leather covered journal 3/9/2009, exactly at the half-way fold. I think it's listed at Barnes & Nobel with "prayer string." Awesome feel inside and out. I have another one waiting in the wings but it doesn't have the decorative stitching on the cover. This isn't in the first list because it'll return to it when I finish up my current "carry around" notebook in a few months.
- & 5. I have A3 & A4 size Moleskine Folios that I only ever intended to use for plein air, hopefully acrylic sketching. It's still meant for plein air, if I ever get a chance again. I have other little Moleskine sketchbooks that aren't listed above. They're designated for trips until I get close to the end. Woudn't want to run out away from home.
