Currently Browsing: grids 12 articles
Finishing Projects and a Little Bit about International Fake Journal Month
After decades of teaching art and creativity classes the many disguises of the internal critic never surprise me. But one aspect of the internal critic makes me the most sad—the way he pretends to be your buddy and fills you full of ungrounded expectations (for skill level and time to execute); and jollies you along […]
Cerulean Blue Chromium—Does it Stay or Does It Go?
It shouldn’t surprise anyone that my friends like to talk to me about pigments. A couple years ago my friend Paul started talking to me about Cerulean Blue Chromium (CBC). In the Daniel Smith line it’s PB36. There is no standard usage of paint names in the industry so in a different line a different […]
Found Some More Grids
Sometimes life can seem very quick, agonizingly slow, and full of all the wrong things—all at the same time. If your life feels like that it’s important to pick up your journal and start writing notes about your life and activities; and to keep drawing (or start drawing if you haven’t already). These activities will […]
Fun with Grids and Studies: Or Things to Do with Leftover Paint
You always have time to make tiny sketches. Don’t forget that! Even the tiniest of sketches allows you to work on your observational, paint mixing, and shape comprehension skills. And in my case, fascination with hair and beard styles. Background Events I’m doing the last bit of journal index catch up I had hanging over […]
Building a Journal Grid with Collage and Sketches
Here’s a journal grid I created last fall. We’ll start with the final view, with every portion of the grid completed. You’ll be able to follow along with the building of the grid in the images which follow. I was working in a handbound book which I made using the Old Gutenberg paper (pre 2017 […]
More Fun with Journal Grids
Here’s a finished grid from a journal in May this year. I worked in a Strathmore 500 Series Mixed Media Journal (7.75 x 9.75 inches, soft cover). I pre-painted the grid squares using Nichiban masking tape and Montana markers. The spaces on the recto page were brushstrokes of acrylic color. Sean was glued down […]
Epiphany About Journal Grids
Don’t be surprised when you start keeping a journal that it will alter your life in many ways. It will help you weed through choices personal and professional. And it will remind you what matters to you artistically and creatively—if you listen. No detailed post today because of a family emergency. But “Epiphany about Journal […]
In Context: Big Hair and Doodles and Freeform Grids
What we save and what we get on the page of our journals varies a lot—here is one example of a freeform grid from my journal from around February. I don’t doodle much. I used to believe this. Now I’m not so sure. There is evidence everywhere in my journals lately of doodles and big […]
Thumbnail Sketches—Thinking Through Ideas
Over the past few months I’ve written about thumbnail sketches and grids a few times. I want to spend a little time today and going forward, discussing these topics because I think both are important tools artists often ignore. They save us time, they clear our brains, and if we are paying attention they show […]
Direct Brush Studies in a Grid
Here’s a page spread of direct-brush studies from a journal I worked in last September (2024). Some days I find it is useful to do multiple studies in “miniature.” (The small squares are about 2 inches.) You work quickly and get to test things like scale, pigment, the way the paint works on the paper, […]