Sketchbook Tour - Spring 2018

Hi there. How are you? 

As spring is quickly turning to summer in Southern Illinois, I thought it was a good time to look back and share my sketchbook with you. It's fun to see the work that I've created in my trusty Moleskine over the past 4 months.

These drawings account for hours and HOURS of work. I work for days, even weeks on one page. It's hard to estimate the exact number of hours I put into a drawing, as they're done over many days. Let's say I average at least 8 hours per drawing.

* The Amazon links in this post are affiliate links. If you click and purchase I will get a small portion of the sale at no additional cost to you. Thank you for your support.

So, without any further adieu, here's my sketchbook.

Yoobi Experiments

I got to experiment with my new Yoobi pen this spring. I will definitely be taking this 8-in-one pen with me to Europe this summer. On top of being ultra portable, the ink is really nice and smooth. 

Wedding Work

I've been working on invitations for my brother's upcoming wedding. These were both experiments for the actual invitation, which has a desert/succulent theme.  It was fun to work in one of my most favorite of color schemes. 

And before you ask, the burgundy pen is a Pentel RVSP. I've only been able to find these on Amazon. I suspect that they might not be manufactured any longer as they're about $5.50 a pop! But that color is pretty darn great, so I gave in and bought. 

Going Neon with Perfecto Pens

I also experimented with my Perfecto ballpoint set that a generous patron sent me from the Netherlands. (Thank you Natasja!)  The colors are so vibrant, especially the orange! These photos just don't do it justice.

*I would link to these Perfecto pens if I could find them anywhere on the internet, but alas, they are nowhere to be found. 

Destined to be Postcards

I got a little patriotic with these two. Both were drawn to be backgrounds for voter postcards. You can see how I used the bottom drawing here. 

My Most Recent Work

These are my most recent sketches. The blue one has become the background for my new Kentucky state print. 

The Oddballs

I started the black drawing on top when I was particularly frustrated. I don't even remember why I was frustrated, I just know I needed to start drawing without any thought behind it. It's a weirdo, but I like it. 

I set out early in the year to make some large drawings outside of my sketchbook to submit to some museum shows. I made this one above, but I'm not so sure how I feel about it. 

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This concludes our Spring 2018 Sketchbook Tour.

I hope you enjoyed it. I'm about to leave for a week on the beach, which usually means lots of time for sketch booking. Stay tuned! 

Before you leave.......Wanna keep in touch? 

Join my email list and you'll have access to a hyper lapse video of my drawing process. 

2017 Sketchbook Flip-Through

Hi there. How are you?

I recently used the last page in my current sketchbook.

It's fun to look back at all the drawings I've completed over the past 9 months in my trusty Moleskine. It's even good for me to look back at the failed drawings too. I've even gone back and reworked those once abandoned pages. (See a great example of that HERE.) 

I made a quick video of myself flipping through my 2017 sketchbook. I thought you'd be interested to see all 40 of the finished drawings along with the unfinished as well. 

So without any further adieu,

Here's the sketchbook flip through video, warts and all:

Click that arrow to start the video!

If you liked this, do check out and subscribe to my YouTube channel. There you can see all of my process videos. It is my intention to add more in the coming months . 

Well, that's all for now. Ciao!

New and Notable

Hi there. How are you?

For quite a long time now, I've been thinking about and talking about turning my abstract Moleskine doodles into a sell-able product. (Read more about that here and see some drawings here.)

This week, I finally made it happen!

The "Trade Winds" series as I like to call it, is a collection of 4 drawings I did on a vintage National Geographic map of Africa. I like the way the map gives some interest and context to the these flowing abstractions and I love the little bits of red text.

The line actually flows from one piece to the other. 

Though these pieces were created in a group, I really do think they can all stand on their own. Each piece has its own title, usually coming from the text on the map.  This one is called "Off Dakar, Feb 15, 1954."

I like how the map backdrop helps to further the implication of movement and/or travel.

Each piece measures just 4" x 4" and is mounted on a 3/4" deep panel. 

All four pieces are for sale individually in my Etsy shoppe.  If you are interested in purchasing the entire series of 4, please contact me.....You will receive a discounted rate. I have already had an inquiry about purchasing the whole set, so do act fast! 

Do let me know what you think of these new pieces, and do enjoy your weekend! Ta-Ta.