Back in March 2019, I purchased a sketchbook from the Brooklyn Art Library for their Sketchbook Project. In my post, Ordering My Brooklyn Library Sketchbook, I gave an overview of the project and decided that my book was going to be Pittsburgh-themed. It took over four months, several hours, and multiple pencil sharpenings. But now, my book is finished and has been sent off to the Brooklyn Library to be cataloged and shelved. Here is an overview of the process of finishing my sketchbook for the Brooklyn Library Sketchbook project.
Art as a hobby
I used to draw all the time when I was younger. Back then, I had a lot more free time. Art has always been something that I did for fun. I don’t have a “natural ability.” Any project that has turned out even remotely decent has been the product of study, practice, and just handling the materials the right way at the right time.
As I got older and busier, art became something that I didn’t have the time or patience to do. When I would try to sketch something, it was always a rushed and sloppy mess. It felt like all of the techniques and skills that I had acquired had disappeared. I just didn’t have it anymore.
Art as therapy
Then, a few years ago, I turned back to art as a therapy tool and a creative outlet that I did just for me. I needed something to do, something that was interactive but with no expectations attached. I needed an escape that would allow me to take time out from everything else, to clear my head, and live in the moment.
To start, I bought a watercolor kit. It contained the paints, brushes, instructions, and watercolor paper, some with pre-drawn images on them. Playing around with this medium forced me to relearn the patience that it takes to paint. You have to work on one section at a time so that the colors don’t bleed together and wait for it to dry before starting on another.
It was also something I did for fun, just for an hour or so at night to recharge and process my thoughts. Your mind tends to wander when you paint or draw. Things become clearer, and even negative thoughts don’t seem to infiltrate. Essentially, you detach.
A book by me in a library
Then, one day I saw an ad for The Sketchbook Project. Fill a book with images of your choice, send it back, and they’ll shelve it at The Brooklyn Art Library. Not only would it give me a new art project to try, but I would have a book in an actual library.
No submission process, query letters, or rejections. All I had to do was fill it up, and it would be placed into circulation. They even notify you if someone checks it out. Figures it would take creating a book with minimal text and no story to have a book in the library with my name on it.
Filling up my sketchbook
A few days after placing my order, my sketchbook arrived. Any creative person will tell you how exciting it is to open a blank notebook or sketchbook. But I was also intimidated. Would it turn out anything like what I imagined in my head? Would I have the time and patience to fill in 32 pages? What was I thinking?
Like I said, I don’t have a natural talent for art. I can’t draw from memory or know how to draw objects from certain angles or where to shade and shadow to make it look three dimensional or realistic. I have to have the actual image in front of me.
So, I started to flip through my photo albums, pulling pictures I had taken of my hometown over the years. I pulled everything from snapshots of the farm that I visit every fall to iconic street shots of downtown Pittsburgh. I had 32 pages to fill, and in the end I drew 30 images. One image filled the two middle pages, and I created an index on the final page.
The sketchbook’s layout
I used tracing paper to outline my photographs before transferring the outline to a sketchbook page. I also turned the paper horizontally so that I could capture a wider area.
It was important to me to vary the locations within the book. I mixed up indoor and outdoor images, trying not to group the museums or ballparks or suburban areas together. I also stuck to using colored pencils so that colors wouldn’t bleed through and pages wouldn’t stick together. Only the index is written in black Sharpie, some of which unfortunately bled through to the drawing of the Laurel Caverns on the other side.
But I didn’t stress about my mistakes too much. I do see flaws in every drawing in the book, but they are tiny compared to the big picture. Overall, I’m happy with how the book turned out.
I also met the Sketchbook Project’s deadline by several months. Had I rushed, I would have regretted it later. Slowing down allowed me time to come up with and tweak each design idea and to execute it with patience and success.
The cover
I saved decorating the cover for last. The covers are made of brown cardboard. So, colored pencils wouldn’t look too good. Ultimately, I decided to paint it and planned to stencil a title onto the front, but stenciling can be tricky, especially with paint. I didn’t want a sloppy cover.
Then, I remembered that I had some round label paper and decided to design my title on that. Once I printed out a design that I liked, I stuck it to the center of the book, and it looked nice but still bare. That’s when I had the idea to print out some photos of the city on the labels as well.
The stickers came out nice, and I managed to put them on relatively straight and evenly spaced, a win for me who has a hard time drawing a straight line with a ruler. I’m still not sure about the black background, but at least it covers the cardboard and isn’t busy or tacky. Sometimes I forget that less is more. This time, I restrained myself and tried to keep it simple.
Hopefully, it’s interesting enough that it will encourage patrons to pick it up and flip through it. I’m especially interested to see if a fellow Pittsburgher, either a tourist or one transplanted to NYC picks it up and is reminded of home.
Another nice feature is that you get to plug your website and social media links inside the book. I printed out a separate label and stuck it to the inside back cover next to the space reserved for your name and contact info. Maybe one day I’ll hear from a patron who has checked out my book.
Book binding
After finishing the cover, I was nervous about binding it. The book came stapled together, but I removed those staples to make it easier to draw on the paper. Now that it was finished, I was worried that my stapler wasn’t strong enough to rebind the pages to the cardboard cover. What if the pages shifted and ended up stapled crooked or some of the pages didn’t catch?
So, I looked online for other ways to bind a small book. I found this video titled: DIY Saddle Stitch Bookbinding Tutorial by Sea Lemon. It’s a simple process where you just poke small holes in the spine and pull them together with a needle and thread. I used black thread since my cover was black, though it did leave a black line running down the center image, but ultimately, I think it was the easiest way to bind the book together.
Sending my sketchbook
Once the book was finished, I went online and registered the bar code on The Sketchbook Project’s website. There, you fill in your details about the theme, materials used, your history as an artist, and your process/intentions. It makes you feel like a real artist with something to contribute to the art world. Now, I’ll be able to see whenever my book is checked out, and I’ll be able to follow along with the project itself to see how it evolves over the years.
The library offers multiple projects besides the Sketchbooks including mini-Sketchbooks, painting party kits, and other collaborations with artists of all skill levels. Despite art being a personal hobby to me, it’s enticing to contribute to these larger projects. It’s not a competition but a collaboration, and that makes the work feel more important without the pressure to “be the best.” It just has to be YOUR best. With that mindset, you can’t lose.
What theme would you give to your Sketchbook Project if you ever bought one? Share your ideas in a comment below!
Buy it!
Buy a set of these colored pencils here, and help support local bookstores! This is an affiliate link, and I will earn a commission on any sales.
Need some washi tape and stickers for your next creative project? Check out The Washi Tape Shop here, and support LBB with your purchases. This is an affiliate link, and I will earn a commission on any sales.
Pin it!
How cool is that!
That’s super dope you did that. A definite accomplishment to be proud of! I’m a big fan of art and a little envious of those that can draw/paint 🙂 I’m a doodler at best lol but art is something I’ve always admired.
My husband gifted me with a beautiful new notebook. Ive been waiting for my inspiration to fill it with my poetry. I can definitely relate on what it’s like to be excited about a blank canvas! The possibilities are endless!
Those are some great images you drew. Thanks for sharing. The whole process of drawing sounds meditative to me. I don’t have the patience for it, though I wish I did. I do paint every so often, however. I’m glad you chose to do this. Seems like a wonderful project.
I didn’t think I’d have the patience either. I tend to rush through my creative projects because I’m always thinking about other things I could be doing. Something about this project, though, made me take my time with it, and even though it took up a lot of time, it was ultimately satisfying and therapeutic. Also, you can swap out the paper for watercolor or other kind of heavy painting paper. So, if you ever wanted to do an all painting sketchbook, it’s a possibility.
Love those sketches. Wish I could produce something like that. The sketch book would be good for me daughter or my mum, they are the artists of the family.
It is a lot of fun, and I’ve seen a lot of different types of sketchbooks. So, you can play to your strengths, whether it’s doodling, painting, drawing, calligraphy, stamping, etc.
What a cool idea this is! I love how much thought and effort you put into your book and the best way to do things such as the cover & binding. Those personal touches will prob help your sketchbook stand out from the crowd for library visitors to pick it out.
Such a great project to be part of, no wonder you are proud!
Helen | http://www.helensjourney.com
I hope people have flipped through it. Maybe not now since the libraries are closed, but it’s exciting to think that there’s a book of mine on a library shelf.