The Sketchbooks

Sketching is at the heart of all my work: idea -> sketch -> finished work. It's a necessary step in my creative process regardless of the final medium. And, while I hear the word "talent" tossed around, I find sketching to be more of a skill, something that has to be practiced. It's not as much about moving a pen or pencil across the paper as it is practice in looking. Taking the time to really look is the secret to good sketching and it is something that takes practice.

My sketchbooks are a places where I work out ideas and practice the craft of drawing. Some images are made from visual observations while others flow from whatever I see in my mind's eye at the time. Others reveal themselves as I make marks on the paper. Opening my sketchbooks for others to view is risky as can reveal part of myself, what I am visioning at the time, what level my skillset, and does not always represent my best work. The sketchbooks also serve a practical purpose for me as I can refer back to them and pick up on ideas that were not fully developed when I made the marks.

In the series below, I pull together images from my sketchbooks that work togther, either due to their content or the technique I used. They span several years and reflect how the process of creation is impacted over the passage of time.

Click on an image to go to that series


Abstract These are sketches I did with only a vague idea of what
they would be when I started them. I make a mark and let

Airplanes Time spent on an airplane provides a great opportunity to
get out the sketchbook and make some work.

Guys in Hats On occassion, I find myself someplace, waiting around,
sketchbook handy, and I see a guy in a hat. I sketched one or two and then I started doing more.

Miscellaneous These are sketches that defied being put into one
of the other groups so they landed here.

Objects It's good to keep in practice and sketching something
that is handy is a way to do just that.

Surreal These are sketches that arrive in my mind's eye and
I am compelled to record them in my sketchbook.

Urban Sketching Recording the world one sketch at a time is
the goal on the International Urban Sketchers. I started sketching
these a while ago on my own but these is now have a local group to sketch with.

Waiting Places If I know that I will be waiting someplace,
like a doctor's office, I will bring my sketchbook and record something in the area.

Sketches and Their Photos I've done some sketches based on photographs I've taken over the years.