The sketchbook exchange - my book is Home!





A slide show of all the gorgeous work in my book :>) - hovering the mouse over an image will show the name of the artist

My book is home :>) and the sketchbook exchange is almost over :>( , I'm putting the finishing touches to Ronell's book and will post it on Monday I hope. Sorry I was a bit slow with this one Ronell.

Look at all these fabulous images and imaginative ideas.

The challenge that I set for my book was landscape/your surroundings, in any scale - huge vista or tiny detail - and to draw/paint a feather. I enclosed a pigeon feather and my book came back with several lovely feathers including one irridescent capercaillie feather from a military hat in Italy :>) So that's some feather sketches coming up soon!

I love the different twists and original ideas that people gave the themes - the bustling French market full of character being drawn by those feather quills (Ronell), the tumbling Italian towns, glowing fruit and irridescent feather (Robyn), the very original change of scale with the feather and figure and the lovely use of pattern in the background (Nina), the murky pool of fish that echo the feather shape (Glen), the vivid waterways and linoprint feather (Lindsay), the experimenting with collage, stamps and paint integrated into a landscape of houses (Casey), I simply couldn't pick out any one person's work - it's been great :>)

It has been so good to see peoples work in real life and have time to study it before sending it reluctantly on - and know that I would have several pieces of work from each participant at the end in my own book. It has given me ideas for my own work, looking at the way others use materials - nothing negative at all!

For how it worked, just look at the tags on the right of this blog and select sketchbook exchange and you can follow it through from the start - or go to our website to see more: http://flyingpictures.wordpress.com/

Has it made you want to set up a similar exchange?

Comments

Making A Mark said…
It's really amazing. I can't wait to see the rest of them

What I was astounded by was how I picked out and got most people's work right without having read your post.

Style is a powerful thing!
11:08 pm
Rose Welty said…
Well, yes, Vivien...some of us are positively viridian...watching the exchanges from afar!

Beautiful work by everyone!
1:26 am
vivien said…
very true Katherine - and it's something I convince my students of - STOP copying other artists work from books (like trying to walk in someone elses shoes!) and let their own voice come through and develop :>) It was so interesting to see the different angles and approaches to the same theme

:>D Rose why not start an exchange of your own with a small group of people you 'talk' to?
11:39 am
Anita said…
Fantastic!!! What a treat to see - and what a treasure to have! What fun to be involved in something like that. I wish I could find two minutes to do any sketching, time just escapes me.
Isn't it amazing to see how different people can handle the same subject matter.
Looking forward to seeing the feathers.
12:27 pm
my croft said…
If I may butt in -- Rose, what I tell my students is that sometimes -- often , in fact -- it's amazing what you can get simply by asking for it.

The challenge variation is also an intriguing possiblity, see http://twelveby12.blogspot.com/ for an example.

I'm involved in an exchange that arose in reaction to this one. I'm an extremely fledgling artist (and in w-a-y over my head), but the project has happily pushed me so far out of my comfort zone that I may no longer have one, which is an extremely good thing.

Thanks, Vivien, as always, for all your various inspirations.
2:27 pm
dinahmow said…
Yay! For exchanges! While still enjoying ours (it's on the move again)I have really loved following your FPP, Vivien. And the Slide wotsit is just the thing for showing the books. I will do the same when my book comes back.(I've had a little trial run already)
Congratulations to all of you!
5:15 pm
vivien said…
Hi Melanie, Anita and Dinah

I'm glad some of this was useful to you :>)

I can't claim any credit for the organising of this - it was all down to Lindsay who arranged it brilliantly - and with the moley exchange it was all down to Stephanie - I just enjoyed playing!

my moley is hopefully on the move again having been 'stuck' for a while in the chain

Dinah I've got your exchange bookmarked and wondered why nothing had been posted for a while

and Melanie I'll look your up

Anita I like your recent work and the portrait commission will be interestign to see
8:13 pm
Unknown said…
I love it, I think it would be good to do something similar but I don't think there is enough of us just yet to make it work. Really great to see though :D
10:06 pm
Africantapestry and Myfrenchkitchen said…
I just enjoyed your book vivien, with your amazing feather...loved every minute of it and it is so true what Katherine said..Style is waht makes each one unique.
ronell
2:40 pm
vivien said…
thanks Chrissy :>)

and that's so true Ronell - even when experimenting with new ideas, everyone's unique 'voice' came through strongly
3:13 pm
Brenda said…
It's wonderful to hear that the Twelve by Twelve Collaborative Art Quilt has been an inspiration for artists in other media. Be sure to watch out on 1 December (US time) when our mathematics-themed quilts will be unveiled!

How special that you end up with a set of paintings created by your friends.
8:51 pm
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