ode to a sketchbook 1

my sketchbook, beaten in and always with a muji .38 tucked inside.

While in school, my professors always stressed having a sketchbook. I tried multiple times to start one, I would buy a new moleskin, and then nothing would come. I was too afraid to touch it and mess it up with my doodles. Then about a year and a half ago, I bought a notebook that I wanted to use to take my class notes. It was pretty cheap, it was grid paper, and it was about 300 pages. Having never even completed a notebook or journal before, I just thought I would try this out. At the beginning I just took notes while we discussed corporate takeovers and the ethics of buying local in design class. I loved to doodle in it, because I love grid paper. It took until march or April to really start using it regularly. I started keeping everything important in it, and having all my to-do lists, grocery shopping and everything else.

It became a no pressure place to do whatever I wanted, a place for Tyler and I to come up with new things, for him to draw funny caricatures, and actually make life decisions.

Once I got to new york for my internship, I started really drawing patterns and coming up with new designs. I also had time every day home on the PATH to write down my thoughts and it became my journal. It became my resource for everything, I never went anywhere without it and I wrote everything down. I grew to love that book, and I have had many if not all my latest designs come from sketches and doodles while waiting at the airport, in church, or anywhere. I just filled up the last few pages, and I was really sad. But I found another one to replace it, but I'm sad that I have to break it in. I wanted to share some of my favorite pages and examples of how my sketchbook became my most important and valued possession.

I tucked these pictures in to keep them safe, and it's always fun to see them again.

Tyler and I made that dino die cut while we were visiting his sister's classroom.

I was fascinated with palm reading charts and traced my huge hand one day at church.