Content/Subjects The notebook/journal is a location for gathering thoughts and images.

It is a work in progress.

I documented research for two long-term projects on which I am working: “To Poetry” and “Chinas”. I tested different compositions and colour combinations. I drew incidental studies: people, leaves, frescos at Herculaneum, landscapes in this country and elsewhere, including Vesuvius and Sorrento. Occasionally, I copied drawings from other sketchbooks into the journal and reworked them in colour, or framed them against different colour settings.

 

My Practice and Materials

To achieve consistency with my other journals I worked in graphite, soluble graphite, watercolour, Indian ink, and some coloured pencil, simple media, that didn’t require much equipment, (especially away from my studio). Occasionally, I stuck heavier watercolour or drawing paper into the notebook, when I anticipated using a lot of water, or working vigorously.

 

Reasons for Getting Involved

1). I generally use several sketchbooks and occasional journals at the same time. This works well, but it can mean that a chronological thread isn’t visible. In this journal, I wanted to keep my entries sequential.

2). I do not exhibit my working drawings. This project gave me an opportunity to show non-practitioners that ideas may have already taken a long journey before there is a “Finished” work on a gallery wall.

 

Timescale

It took roughly six months from start to completion. I followed a habit that I have had for many years, where the works on the first page or two are somewhat throwaway, just to get things moving. These “starting works” often end up having no particular relation to the content of the rest of the notebook, but I include them anyway.