A MINIATURE CHALLENGE ...

copyright of Karen Ruane

 Here is another peek at the work of Karen Ruane of Contemporary Embroidery

http://www.karenruane.blogspot.co.uk/

Copyright of Karen Ruane

She creates a fabulous mix of sketches and embroidery.

Thank you Karen for letting us use your pictures.

FANCY ANOTHER CHALLENGE ?

I recently sent a copy of Sara Midda's

South of France - A Sketchbook

to my friend Mo up in Scotland.

Sara draws in miniature

 So here's the challenge

 Fill your pages with miniature drawings

 It doesnt matter what the context is or the medium

 Its entirely upto you.

 I look forward to seeing what you do

 Post your pictures on the SKETCHBOOK FRIENDS GROUP FLICKR PAGE

 Or email them to me at  hollandweld@o2.co.uk and I will do it for you.

 Here is another of Sara's books

and strong rumours have it that a new one is due at the publishers soon.

Here is a You Tube video I found of the inside pages of South of France - A Sketchbook
SOUTH OF FRANCE - A SKETCHBOOK 

Don't forget to show us what you are doing in your books.

Keep them photo's coming.

Anika is still working on a PATTERN A DAY, you can see them on the Flickr group page.  She has great imagination.

Let me know if you would like to see anything featured or you have something to contribute.

Lynn x

SHOSHI'S ZENTANGLED THOUGHTS

A big welcome to new SKETCHBOOK FRIENDS members and contributors.

The work above is by SHOSHI, its fantastic to actually see the process of thought on her pages.

Link across to see more in

SHOSHI'S BLOG

I've been following the Flickr page of Sketchbook Friend Anika. Have a look at the pattern a day pages she has created they are excellent and may inspire you to do backgrounds in your own books then work on top of them. Or like me you might just enjoy looking at her pages.

 http://www.flickr.com/photos/anikamari/sets/72157631522222206/
nip over to her blog to see what she has to say.
 A IS FOR ANIKA BLOG 

White and one colour sketch pages

WHITE + RED

This is what Sketchbook Friend Mo Allan came up with for the 
WHITE & ONE COLOUR CHALLENGE
You can still have a go there's no closing date. Its a chance to make us think differently about our pages.  Don't forget to show us what you have done.

copy right of Mo Allan

 My pages were similar but I used pink

Lynn Holland

Cathy Cullis's page fits in nicely.
Here's a link to her blog
http://cathycullis.blogspot.com  

copyright of Cathy Cullis

 If you want to see more SKETCHBOOK FRIENDS pages 
link across here
www.flickr.com/groups/sketchbookfriends

THE SKETCHBOOK FRIENDS BUZZ WORD

INSPIRATION  INSPIRATION  INSPIRATION

copyright of Dandelion & Daisy

Its a big word at SKETCHBOOK FRIENDS and thats because there is a lot of it about.

copyright of Dandelion & Daisy

Like the fantastic pages of DANDELION & DAISY artist

copyright of Dandelion and Daisy

 

Have a look at her blog page and flickr site for more inspiring work.
Dandelion and Daisy Blog 
Dandelion and Daisy Flickr site 

copyright of Dandelion & Daisy

A BIT OF A CHALLENGE

How about a bit of a challenge.

I've been looking at the blog of contemporary embroiderer Karen Ruane
Link to Karen Ruane's blog

This picture and book are the copyright of Karen Ruane

 She also does lovely sketchbook pages which is why she is a part of this blog.

 I got to thinking that I would like to do some pages in one colour. So I am going with the White theme that Karen uses.

This picture and book are the copyright of Karen Ruane

Here's the challenge create pages in your book using White and one colour.  Do as many pages as you like.
Think about manipulating your pages by cutting out, adding other papers and materials.  The possiblities are endless.

The page I did above has been manipulated by punching holes in it, adding other papers, extending the pages, stitching into it and weaving paper through it.

This picture and book is the copyright of  Karen Ruane

ARE YOU UP FOR IT ? IF SO DON'T FORGET TO POST YOUR PAGES ONTO OUR GROUP FLICKR SITE FROM YOUR OWN or LEAVE A LINK TO YOUR BLOG IN THE COMMENTS BELOW THE NEWEST BLOG PAGE

SKETCHBOOK FRIENDS FEEDBACK & TIPS

 This message came in from Carol of Fuzzie Fingers.......

"Thanks for this wonderful blog including reviews on books that can help us along our way. 
Page after Page is definately one for my Christmas List. http://www.frannyp.co.uk/
The book I will be doing will be my first sketchbook/journal so I am always looking for as much inspiration that I can get. 
I love the work of Roben-Marie Smith who shows her pages on her blog and also has videos showing the process and I have also been following Donna Downey's Inspiration Wednesday video's on her blog. 
I am making a start on mine this weekend. I am making my own book to work on which is based on a video of Teesha Moore's videos on youtube on how to make your own 16 page Journal and my theme is going to be Hearts and Flowers."
Carol x , by Fuzzie Fingers.

http://www.robenmarie.com/ 

http://donnadowney.typepad.com/simply_me/2012/10/in.html

Teesha Moore images 

Thanks Carol for the great tips and good luck with your book.  We are looking forward to seeing it.

Lynn x

BEGINNERS CORNER......

My good friend Susan Woosey, who has never done a sketchbook before, took up the challenge after we had been talking about the new SKETCHBOOK FRIENDS blog.  

She came up with the theme BEGINNERS CORNER for her book. 

I am so proud of her for coming outside of her comfort zone and thank you for doing a such a great job on reviewing the THE  SKETCHBOOK  CHALLENGE by SUE  BLEIWEISS 

Blog friend Mo Allan is someone else who has stepped outside her comfort zone and joined us by starting a book of her own.  A big thanks to Mo for reviewing FRANCES PICKERING - PAGE AFTER PAGE.  Your review is really useful to both beginners and ardent sketchbookers.  I love the little zentangle you have done.

Its interesting how both Susan and Mo have started their books of with collage.... hmm now who has been influencing them do you think ?

BOOK REVIEW LINK

BOOK REVIEWS........

THE  SKETCHBOOK  CHALLENGE by SUE  BLEIWEISS  

 This is a great book for both the expert and “virgin” sketchbooker. The author gives good advice to the novice on setting up a sketchbook from scratch including choice of papers, mediums to use and themes. This is followed by pages from books created by various artists on different themes and using various techniques. 
Instructions and hints are included on many of the techniques used, encouraging people to try something new. 
The experienced sketchbooker will enjoy dipping into the book and finding inspiration from the various artists and techniques used. 
Altogether this is an excellent book to have on your bookshelf or to borrow from a good friend. 

Reviewed by Sketchbook Friend - Sue Woosey 

 PAGE AFTER PAGE by FRANCES PICKERING 

It's very exciting getting a new book isn't it. I've almost gone through Frances' first book and would recommend it for the simplicity and the pages are set out like a sketch book so it's easy to see and imagine what it could look like. 

She gives lots of tips and recommends themes and safety tips, tool tips etc. 

Some things though she expects the reader to know what they are. She is supposing her book will probably only be read by an art student who has previous, even if limited, knowledge. For example, she talks about Aquash brushes a few times and Pelmet Vilene, Acrylic Wax and Transfer Dyes. Foreign language to me.

But it doesn't detract from the attractive pictures and simple explanations of other things. I'm sure I could maybe find out what the other things are on line (I hope). I look forward to hearing about her new one UNDER THE COVER. http://www.frannyp.co.uk

 Reviewed by Sketchbook Friend - Mo Allan   

This is a little book I made with the aid of the Frances Pickering book

PAGE AFTER PAGE

 Thank you for the reviews ladies.  

Can anyone do a review on 

 and/or

 

NEW BOOK COVER...

 I have actually got started on my book.  It took me a while to find my direction.

I knew it would be collage, to start at least, and I knew it would have a textural feel to it but that was as far as i had got

 until I remembered the lace print paper I had picked up at a craft event.

So I hunted it out and came across a pack of papers that had a gingham print  and a spot one and I was away.

If I have to have a purpose for doing my book this way I would  say its because I am being drawn to doing more textural work and this could be my starting point. Then again I could just be doing it for the fun of it. What do you say. Is your book leading to other things ?

NOW

all I have to do is work out how to get pictures of your work onto the blog. Some photo's have a reserved protector on them so I cant copy and paste them on to here.  Any help with this techi bit would be appreciated.

Lynn x