Monday, December 5, 2011

Sketchbook Project

Well, I posted absolutely nothing during Art Every Day Month.  I did art some days, but not all.  Now, I'm embarked on the Sketchbook Project (information available at www.arthousecoop.com/sketchbookproject), first putting down my money and selecting the strand "The Writing on the Wall". While I was waiting for the book, I thought a lot about the topic, and looked up the reference.  Usually when we think of the writing on the wall, we think of a warning, a foreshadowing that something dire is going to happen, which we would all understand would be inevitable if we were only paying attention.  I decided to be much more literal and use it to mean actual writing on actual walls.

When the sketchbook arrived, I studied it and tried to figure out a way to replace the paper with watercolor paper.  I figured out something, though I'm not sure how durable it will end up being.   Here's the first sketch, of an actual sign found on the walls all over Suchitoto, El Salvador.  It's translated:  In this house, we want a life free of violence against women."


 I'm now working on the second sketch and have a roadmap in mind of where this is going.  The rules I've created for myself are...
  •  All have to have some writing or symbols
  • All writing or symbols have to be on or attached to a wall (well, maybe one won't)
  • I have been to the place depicted and have personally seen the writing or symbols, so the writing or symbols and general locations actually exist, though liberties may be taken with the composition and sketches may be composites
  • Sketches will use only watercolor and ink
  • I won't worry about an overall message, I'll just try to get it done
  • I'll have fun!