I thought you might like to take a peek at my sketchbook from this past week. I have a love/hate relationship with my sketchbook. When I am working in it, I am battling the demons that hover over me and tell me that this artist path is useless. In the past I made mistakes while sketching and would tear the whole page out and all that would remain is "the keepers"... this would result in several unfinished sketchbooks... most filled with pathetic attempts. Lately though, I decided to try something new. Rather than trying to make "great" sketches, my only goal has been to make "finished" sketches. Saying that you are going to "finish" something is way more doable than saying you are going to do something really well.
So what you see below, are my finished sketches from last week, mistakes and all.
First up is a little sketch I made down by the river:
I got some lovely flowers, for our table, at City Market:
This is where the gondola takes off in Vail. We have year long passes to go up on it, and it has been great fun going to the top in this awesome summer weather. I wish I had had more time to work on the sketch. I felt rushed:
I had a great morning one day at the Betty Ford Botanical Garden... it is odd not knowing all the names of the local trees and plants:
I am going back to this spot, along Gore Creek, again:
I went out hiking with a group. BIG MISTAKE. I was the little fat girl that couldn't keep up. At one point, when my lungs felt like they were going to come out of my throat, I had to call it quits. I was near the tree line. I could not catch my breath and told the group to go on ahead without me. I sat down and made this sketch of the beautiful trees around me. I thought- if I am going to die right here, I am going to make a sketch of my death bed. I was beyond 11,000 feet up. Altitude sickness took over and I had to hike down and finish painting the sketch from memory. For your information - it was NO picnic getting altitude sickness:
The last one I made this past week, is of the view from the terrace of the Arabelle Club in Vail. Although a little Disney-esque in it's execution, this part of Vail (Lionshead) manages to transport me to a make believe world of European alpine villages. Nothing like the real thing, I know, but it does the trick:
If you ever feel like your sketches stink, try doing what has worked for me... finish every sketch.
Carolina
So what you see below, are my finished sketches from last week, mistakes and all.
First up is a little sketch I made down by the river:
I got some lovely flowers, for our table, at City Market:
This is where the gondola takes off in Vail. We have year long passes to go up on it, and it has been great fun going to the top in this awesome summer weather. I wish I had had more time to work on the sketch. I felt rushed:
I had a great morning one day at the Betty Ford Botanical Garden... it is odd not knowing all the names of the local trees and plants:
I am going back to this spot, along Gore Creek, again:
I went out hiking with a group. BIG MISTAKE. I was the little fat girl that couldn't keep up. At one point, when my lungs felt like they were going to come out of my throat, I had to call it quits. I was near the tree line. I could not catch my breath and told the group to go on ahead without me. I sat down and made this sketch of the beautiful trees around me. I thought- if I am going to die right here, I am going to make a sketch of my death bed. I was beyond 11,000 feet up. Altitude sickness took over and I had to hike down and finish painting the sketch from memory. For your information - it was NO picnic getting altitude sickness:
The last one I made this past week, is of the view from the terrace of the Arabelle Club in Vail. Although a little Disney-esque in it's execution, this part of Vail (Lionshead) manages to transport me to a make believe world of European alpine villages. Nothing like the real thing, I know, but it does the trick:
If you ever feel like your sketches stink, try doing what has worked for me... finish every sketch.
Carolina
I really enjoyed these. My favorite is the botanical garden! <3
Posted by: Sheri Thompson | 08/18/2014 at 06:22 PM
Well, I love the sketches! You are out there doing your thing and taking it all in which is wonderful and I'm so excited to see what you have been up to since you got to Colorado :) I'm loving all your pastels too!!!
Posted by: Elizabeth Mackey | 08/18/2014 at 06:50 PM
I enjoy looking at your sketchbook entries, Carolina! It makes me hungry to return to mine...they have been neglected since we have not been traveling lately. I especially like the looseness of your work. And I agree that worrying about the "quality" of the sketch hamstrings the experience. I like to think about my work in the sketchbook as a conversation with the moment, wherever I am. I will never forget the day that I opened my sketchbook and supplies and sighed out loud..."ah, now my vacation begins!"
Posted by: Melisse Carr | 08/18/2014 at 08:43 PM
Carolina, I loved the sketches! Miss seeing you, but will follow your adventures. Sending a hug.
Posted by: Kathy Collier | 08/18/2014 at 09:57 PM
You should write and illustrate a book. What a wonderful page. Fabulous everything.
Posted by: John Fuller | 08/19/2014 at 04:48 PM
Love them all and so happy to see you bloggin again! I have read all your post on my phone so I could not comment but now I'm back home again behind my laptop. Keep them coming!
Posted by: Mari @piecesoffab | 08/21/2014 at 08:27 AM
You are so right about "finishing" being more important than perfection. It's so easy to spend our energy worrying about that elusive state instead of getting down to business and creating as best we can.
I sympathize with your experience with altitude sickness. Been there, done that. Although to be perfectly honest, even under the best of conditions, my brain does not do well without enough oxygen.
I'm happy to see your joyful experiences of this new adventure through the lens of your sketches. Don't stop!!
Posted by: Melissa P | 08/27/2014 at 09:18 PM