Handmade Sketchbooks.

I recently made two of my own sketchbooks using a variety of different papers including tracing paper, old opened out envelopes, parchment paper, etc. I used different papers since I'm really bad at sticking with one sketchbook, and in hope that this will keep me interested until the end. This will also help me with different approaches to different paper and media, helping me become looser in my illustration work. To make these books I used the coptic stitch binding method. For a first attempt, I don't think they came out too bad, they could be a little neater but that will come with practice I suppose. 

My Hand Bound Books. 

Norwich University of the Arts.

Last week was my first week starting my illustration degree at Norwich University of the Arts. We have all been in workshops for most of the week and I have found myself becoming looser with my work and coming away from what I would normally stick to. I have even found myself enjoying the use of colour a lot more! Experimental mark making is the main object for the first term/10 weeks of my time at NUA, exploring different materials, ways of making marks, ways of drawing, different drawing tools and items you wouldn't normally think to draw with. 

This weeks workshop involved creating our own unique drawing tools made of bits and bobs from around the house. We were set six different types of tools to create with our items (single line tool, multiple line tool, a tool which will scratch away a surface/layer, a blocking out tool, a smudging tool, and a brush tool), then we had to complete different drawing tasks with each tool. I will upload images of what I created and what I have done with them, explaining what they are and how they work.