Dear Jazz
I am starting to look at the breadth of the 'sketchbook'.
I am working with first year art college students and the difference in
individual understanding of the sketchbook is quite extreme.
I agree that a prevalent attitude is that certain standards and formats are
expected, with the sketchbook seen almost as a showpiece for tutors etc
I think the making of books to work in is interesting as size, paper etc can
be personalised but....sketchbooks can be collections of loose drawings
bound together in some way, in a folder, box or bag.
The privacy issue is really interesting- I suggest a number of books, some
private, some public to create a safe space to play.
Presenting people with as wide a range of possible ways of working seems the
best way to go. I am looking at and cataloguing sketchbooks from students
and artists/designers who agree to go public.
A number of students feel that they use sketchbooks 'wrongly'; I want to
look at how and why this is, and where these preconceptions come from.
Are you using a sketchbook 'badly' when it's for someone else and not for
you?
Best wishes
Alison Mountain
----- Original Message -----
From: "Jazz Green" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Sunday, February 27, 2005 1:53 PM
Subject: Call for suggestions, methods/techniques to support visual
realization through use of sketchbooks
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> Begin forwarded message:
>
>> From: Jazz Green <[log in to unmask]>
>> Date: 27 February 2005 13:49:00 GMT
>> Subject: Call for suggestions, methods/techniques to support visual
>> realization through use of sketchbooks
>>
>> Dear Drawing Research list,
>>
>> I am new to this list and have followed with some interest the debates
>> surrounding drawing... whether as a "hands-on" concrete experience or
>> more abstract, cognitive process.
>>
>> I am about to work with some mid-stage foundation diploma art students
>> and plan to begin with the notion and need of the "sketchbook" to
>> inform their creative, visual realization of ideas. My methods so far:
>> Brainstorm/Mind mapping: physical object, tactile, sensory engaging.
>> They will be encouraged to create their own- make paper, stitch,
>> bind, etc. This hopefully leads on to engaging them in thinking about
>> and exploring their personal relationship with the "object": as open
>> book, secret, confessional, therapeutic, risk-taking, discovery,
>> scientific journal, etc. They will be encouraged to use (thinking,
>> recording, collating, evaluating) a mix of images (drawings, photos,
>> scans), text, materials, even sound, to develop and support their own
>> ideas. In this way, I hope the drawing aspect will become less
>> marginalized/separated from the other "creative" processes, and less
>> formalised (ie. planned), contributing to their cognition of
>> themselves and the world around them.
>>
>> My concern is that students often see the development of "sketchbooks"
>> as part of the presentation for their final portfolio- very rarely do
>> you see the genuine "thumbnail sketches", scribbles or notes on daily
>> life- it's all too polished for an external audience.
>>
>> Can any members contribute ideas on activities/methodologies
>> surrounding drawing, which could reasonably be engaged within a number
>> of 2-3 hour sessions, to stretch their current capabilities beyond
>> creating a visual journal?
>>
>> Thank you for time.
>>
>> p.s. perhaps a solution lies in our understanding of the term "sketch"?
>
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