April 26, 2006

…the cold press book …the hot press book…

…building the perfect beast…

…a vellum cover sheet for the first page…
Almost all the pictures I have loaded on Brother Jones come from my watercolor sketchbooks. I love to work in them because when I finish one up, it’s like having a mini portfolio of original artwork.
The first one I got had cold press paper in it. I dont really like painting on cold press because of the rough surface, but it forced me to work thru the texture and I came out with several nice pieces in that book.
The second one I got had hot press paper in it which I liked much better. It wasnt the same watercolor paper I actually worked on, but at least it had a smooth surface to it. I just finished the last page of that book, and called the art supply store to get another. They said they were out of stock and were not expecting to be receiving any more for at least three weeks.
Wait a month for another watercolor sketchbook? I dont think so.
Last week I spoke at an elementary school that was in the middle of one of those “write your story, illustrate your story” type projects, and they were going to make their books themselves. I decided if a bunch of third graders can make a book, surely I can, too.
I took three large sheets of my favorite hot press watercolor paper and cut them into eighteen pages. I ripped the back off an old pad of sketch paper, cut out a cover and a back and spray painted them. I then took the whole thing to Staples where they punched holes in it and put on the spiral binder.
The watercolor sketchbook I was trying to buy from the art supply store sells for about twenty-five dollars. My watercolor sketchbook…
…three sheets of paper… $9.00…
…the hole punching and wire binder… $1.78…
…having your favorite paper in a new watercolor sketchbook…
…priceless.
The Comments
Doug Jones
hey… great little critter, Den! I like the way he is shakin’ his Badonk-adonk!
Jeff
He’s Practicing for the next Olympics. Ski Jumping is his event and the tail is just for counter stability..
Dennis Jones
…he does seem to be missing ski poles in his hands…
Jeff
He finds it cheaper to practice in the off season.. Animal Olympic budget cuts…
Don Jones
The colors are vibrating on my RGB screen… beeyoutifulll. Your back row positioning is still engrained from all those art history classes. Was there green vending machine coffee available?
Dennis Jones
…for some reason I ended up in an art history lecture class in college that started at 7:30 in the morning… every class period started by turning off the lights and then clicking thru slides… the back row was a premium spot to sit because you could rest your head against the back wall and doze until class was over…
Jeff
I used that very study technique during American History.. It turns out, George Washington did not have anything to do with the Civil War.. Who knew?
Don Jones
Here’s a little lecturing flashback- When examining the above image for the intrinsic value inherent in its purpose, we find that in order to conceptualize its true meaning, the image must be experienced in the visual realm. zzzzzz…
Jeff
Whut?? My pa did’nt go fur all that book larnin’.
Doug Jones
anyone see Paul McCartney on PBS last night?
Dennis Jones
…zzz …>snort<… oh, I just woke up after Dons last comment…
Don Jones
I caught that Beatle. That was a really good show. His on the spot recording at the end was the best. I’m looking for some glasses around the house that will ring like those
Doug Jones
just think… you have more in Garage Band than they had in their entire recording studio back then…
Don Jones
That’s a crazy thought… and true. The only things missing on my end are musical talent and a good head of hair.
Joe Programmer
Ah, so that’s what you were doing way up there, Dennis. For fun I looked at my notes (which are usually phrases that I didn’t understand) including “chapel credit”, “manga style”. Not a single doodle, not a single Bible verse… I like yours much better.
Dennis Jones
well… I must confess, Joe… that Bible verse came from my exhaustive note taking at church the following Sunday…