strathmore visual journal... my new companion

Hello frnds,

today I am going to write about my new outdoor companion.

since last year I get a little time to spend with myself as my daughter started going to the playschool for 2 hrs.

I wanted to paint so badly that I thought I should utilize those spare time doing some sketch works on daily basis.

I tried to work with acrylic painting but it didn't worked out properly because I was always getting distracted by some or the other reasons.

I was desperate as its absolutely frustrating for me of not able to do painting the way I want to.

I was nearly broken when the idea of quick sketches strike me.

Visual journaling and sketching outdoor.

. I always liked the idea, as you can see in my previous blogs. I thought it would be great if I start with this concept once again as I have a little time for myself.

I started keeping a sketchbook handy with me with some pigma micron pens. I carried them always whenever I am outdoor.. anywhere and everywhere from children  playground to shopping malls ..

I must say I enjoying draeing people and places.

my sketchbooks varied from the local brand Brustro to Strathmore visual journals.

today I would like to review about my experiences with Strathmore visual journal and cotman portable travel set.

as you can see .. this journal is definitely well travelled .. hence it looks rustic and torn

here I must mention the details.

Visual journal- Starthmore
140 lb ( 300 gsm) watercolor paper
cold pressed
22 sheets - 44 pages
size: 5.5 in X 8 In (14 cm X 20.3 Cm)
Acid free wire bound
lie flat and open 360 degrees
page color- white

 It is compatible with

• graphic pencils
• Pen and Ink
• color pencils
• charcoal
• markers
• soft pastels
• oil pastels
• watercolor pencils
• watercolor
• acrylic
• collage
• gouache

now here is my own experience

just loved this sketchbook. as it is very compact and can be fit into a snall sling bag along with compact watercolor set and pens

love the texture of the paper.

I mostly used my cotman travel set and pigma micron pens

here are my sketches as a specimen of my visual review of this excellent sketchbook

these are some of my sketches with cotman watercolor set...

I am in love with watercolor sketches...

Hello..

Its been an wonderful journey of a new mom that I experienced in last 3 year. my daughter delighted us with lots of sleepless nights and lovely sweet emotional meltdowns.

she is 3 now.. and I hope I can resume to my weekly blogging exercises now..

now let me tell you.. what did I do apart form playing new mom or changing diapers and feeding her to be précised.


well... I bought lots and lots of art supplies and books... and of course some silver jewelries...



Meanwhile my mystic canvas page has crossed the first 1000 likes .. oh yeah.. and I don't know how.. because I seldom posted my artworks there.. still so many are just rotting on my desks and crawers..

no big paintings... no serious works..

I just kept sketching and journaling and buying supplies... those were my motivations.. seriously..

let me share some of my sketching works with you..

I will review about the supplies later..

Playground sketches

stormy night from 11th floor balcony

fallen

Checkpost

security check post

bedside workplace

as you can see.. I am obsessed with my art supplies and I  have no time to spend in my art corner.. so this is my regular easily convertible work place.

that's all for today folks... going to slice veggies for lunch...

see you.....

its fun to sketch people secretly...

Hello

last week, we had a trip to local diagnostic centre for a routine check up.. 

before I hooked up with this journaling idea.. we used to visit such  places without much happy mood actually.. a trip to doctor's place is never a fun.. you should agree with me...reading old magazines.. staring at TV, cautiously observing at other people and their activities.. scent of medicines and sickness... all those things made the trip most unwelcome one...

but now I carry my small notebook with water brush pen and water soluble crayons and believe me friends .... I feel more relaxed.. even if I have to spend more than hours waiting for my turn to meet the doctor..

My new found interest make me more content..as I find it thrilling to sketch unknown people in public places.. without letting them know that they are being captured in my notebook forever... heeehheeeee...

 

I saw this aged gentleman in traditional Indian cloth (Dhoti and Kurta) was waiting outside the ultrasound department.. he was dozing off on a nearby chair...while I was sketching him.. as soon as I finished the sketching.. he left to meet his doctor.. I was lucky indeed to finish the  sketch just on time..

in another section of the same centre... It was world cup time ..... so that's how people spend their waiting time in diagnostic centres... I am no big football fan.. but sketching people watching football.. and that too while waiting for doctor's appointment was real fun to capture... couldn't resist....

 

our other Bookcase

Hello...

I was again clueless about what to add in my todays journal.

late afternoon, I suddenly found the Tabla Set displayed in the lowest shelf of our Bookcase, among the other books of Dan Brown and William Dalrymple, quite interesting ...

 Though, I did made similar sketching, a couple of days before-- portraying A handmade photo frame and our once-upon-a-time-Tibetan-singing-bowl- now-the-lucky-bamboo-pot  displayed with series of books by Rick Riordan and others...

Happiness in Hobbies

for both the sketches, I used Brustro 300 gsm Sheets, that I glued together to give a shape of a journal.. yeah I know.. glue idea didn't work... I had to use paper clips to keep those sheets together.. as they are falling apart...though these hard and toothy papers with ivory white tone help the colors to come out really vibrant. and that's quite satisfactory really.

 

After all... happy happy colors on happy papers make me real HAPPYYYYY..... 

 

I am going to receive a new 160 GSM sketchpad today.. I am keeping my finger crossed so that I can make some real colourful and vibrant sketches with my watercolour crayons on it... Hope it supports the load of pigments and washes...