1/25/16 Sailor Nagomi brush pen, Canson All-Media Book (5-min. pose) |
In the past few of years since I started attending life-drawing
sessions somewhat regularly (at least during the wet-weather months), I’ve
tried various sketchbook types and formats. I needed something larger than my usual
6-by-9-inch “Stefano” size, and
since I burn through a lot of pages in a typical three-hour session, I wanted the
paper to be relatively inexpensive yet friendly to a variety of media. The book
had to be bound in a way that would make flipping quickly from page to page easy
(during the very short poses that change without a break, it’s critical not to
lose time fussing with materials).
A tall order? As usual, yes, but I’m really happy with the
two favorites I’ve stuck with the past couple of years.
Canson Drawing Book and All-Media Book |
1/18/16 Zebra brush pen, Canson Field Drawing Book (2-min. pose) |
1/23/14 Conte pencil, Canson Drawing Book |
In both cases, I use the 9-by-12-inch, hardcover, spiral-bound
format. If I were sketching on-location, that size would be too big and heavy
to carry around or use when standing. But in life drawing, where I always have
a chair, the format works well: I prop one edge on my lap and hold it up like a
self-easel, and the spiral binding makes it easy to flip the page quickly and
turn the book over when a pose changes.
Carrying the two large sketchbooks (plus a case full of pens
and pencils) in a tote is a bit heavier than my usual daily bag, but it’s a lot
easier than the 18-by-24 portfolio bags I see the other figure-drawing
participants hauling around! Compared to them, I’m always traveling light.
1/15/15 water-soluble colored pencil, ink, Canson All-Media Book (10-min. pose) |
11/21/14 India ink, Canson All-Media Book (20-min. pose) |
11/21/14 fountain pen, Canson All- Media Book (25-min. pose) |
Great to see what you are sketching in and sketching with. Nice figures!!!
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