Unit 1 - Sketchbook/Journal - Upper Level Art - Fall 2014

Artists use their sketchbooks/journals to design and record their artistic process, to doodle, to pass the time at the airport, to find solace from the busy, often hostile, ‘stuff’ of everyday life. Not every day can be the artistic, life affirming, creative blowout we want it to be, but the world you create in your Sketchbook/Journal can be that place you can retreat to anytime, anywhere!!
This project has many learning outcomes. This book will be VERY personal, it’s going to start your art year with 10-20 pages that are not scary, stark white, empty pages, it’s going to introduce you to some fun mixed media techniques that you can use with ANY art medium, and it’s going to expand your concept of art materials and processes!

You are responsible for completing your cover and 10 ‘spreads’ in 2 weeks (10 classes) – you may need to work outside of class to meet the deadline.
This is the order for working on the project:
  1. Quotation(this will be explained the first week, so you can get started)
2.    Pages
3.    Cover

Read ALL Directions before you start working in your SB/J

1. Quotation:
Tricky one…not really a theme, more of an anthem (usually a rousing popular song that typifies or is identified with a particular subculture, movement, or point of view), does that make sense? Words that will run through your head, and inspire, motivate, push, question, frustrate, and more,
OR a mission statement - a mission statement is a statement of the purpose of a company, organization or person, its reason for existing. The mission statement should guide the actions of the organization or person, spell out the overall goal, provide a path, and guide decision-making. It provides "the framework or context within which the company's or person’s strategies are formulated." It's like a goal for what the company wants to do for the world. And it’s for this year, said in a way, that makes you think – ‘that’s it, that’s me’ –

So you look for words said by people you admire, whose lives are those you’d like to emulate, words that will pick you up when you are down, give you direction when you aren’t sure about your next move, and explain what’s in your heart, when you can’t find the words.

2. Pages:
-Look through all the cool stuff I’ve collected in the boxes – pick some things out, and set them aside. (When you go home, look for some other interesting, weird, and nontraditional art stuff!!) Be thinking about your anthem/mission statement while you explore the mixed media – these words will inspire and maybe add direction or a path, for your artwork this year!
-Leave the first page blank.
-Get paint and a brush and a brayer, and a few of your favorite colors, and get the white off your first ‘spread. What’s a spread?? when you open the book, and you are staring at two blank pages side by side – that’s a spread!!
-Paint, stamp, draw, collage, etc. the next 10 ‘spreads’ –You should seal your pages with acrylic medium if it can smear.
--There is some drying time with this project, but you can rush the process with a hair dryer, or a fan. Slightly damp pages can be separated with tinfoil (or plastic wrap for a cool texture) Anyone who wants to bring their own hairdryer, great – anyone who has an old one not being used that they’d like to donate, that’d be great too!

VERY important, be careful about working too thick or too dark -

-On each painted page of the spread, you will attach some kind of paper, to do your writing and sketching on. You can use drawing paper, colored papers, note cards, whatever drawing surface that will inspire and delight you!
-Your painted areas will show all around your drawing areas – and there are also ‘tip-ins’, foldouts, pockets, and popups that you can experiment with!

3. Cover
And lastly, the cover – because the cover is last, you’ve already done so much planning and experimenting with your ‘mission statement’ and your altered pages. You can now start the cover, with focus on your anthem/mission statement, colors, and new skills you have worked on. You may use any medium or combination of media, including, but not limited to: acrylic paint, ink, spray paint, collage, charcoal, colored pencils, pastels, etc.

The front cover must include:
2 - 8x10 Hand printed, painted, drawn, collaged etc. papers
wire, ribbon, paper strips, tape, etc to divide front cover into 3-5 sections
2 related magazine photos – 2”x4” glued to another slightly larger paper then extend the photo out onto the paper.
2 related magazine words – glue to contrasting paper or other mixed media ‘stuff’
2 related small drawings – 3”x4” – that relate to your theme/anthem/mission statement - any media
1 found object – must be firmly attached!

The back cover must be related to the front, but much less complex.

The inside of the front and back covers must be covered, including the first and last page – these pages will be attached to the inside of the front and back covers, and help strengthen your SB/J

While you are at it, create a bookmark – 3”X10”, using 3 of the techniques you have experimented with during this process!


Get excited, get after it, don’t talk too much, listen to your music, be creative, be productive, be an inspiration!!

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