I poured my heart into my sketchbook but it has only been 'borrowed' by two people on the tour so far and has only one comment on the website. There are so many thousands of sketchbooks on the tour that the odds of your individual sketchbook being taken out and looked at must be pretty slim. Too slim? I just can't decide whether to spend the huge amount of time it takes to make a sketchbook or whether to save that time for something else. The best way to look at it is as something you do for yourself, so that it doesn't matter whether or not many or even any other eyes fall upon it. However, I think we all know it feels good if other people see what you've done.
I'd more or less decided not to do a sketchbook this time round, then I saw my little sketchbook in a video the Brooklyn Art Library people had posted on Vimeo and that has almost given me a change of heart -- but it still doesn't mean more than three people have seen the insides.
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| a glimpse of 'Audrey' |
6 comments:
I went through the same thought process, Jane.
After consideration I've signed up and have received my sketchbook. Only one person has viewed my book so far (although she did go back the next day and have another look!) but that's one more than I realistically thought would look at it.
I decided that the pleasure for me is totally in the making and the sending, and the knowledge that it is going on an artistic journey with the (slim) possibility that someone will choose to look at it.
I admit that I like other people to look at my sketchbooks and to receive comments about it, and I am satisfied that my blog is the best forum for that. That's enough for me.
From a personal point of view I hope you DO take part in the new project. I ADORED your last book, every page.
x
I've signed up for 2013. I didn't participate last year - I thought about it but decided against. But I really fancy the challenge, hence my change of heart. I am doing this for me - for a host of reasons - so if only a few folk see the end result that's a bonus. I'd say if you found last years effort rewarding - and surely you wouldn't have worked so hard at it if you didn't - then go for it :D
Jane, having not signed up for any year my comment may not be much use but I think Jo is right when she says it is about the making and the doing. In truth, with so many people signing up to the project year on year the percentage chance of being viewed is bound to go down. So, if you do it again do it because YOU will get something out of it rather than making it because someone else will. Does that make sense?
Well funnily enough, although I couldn't see the point last year, having seen what you produced, and the response to it, I now think that it is a very worthwhile endeavour.
Although you only know of a few people having taken out your book, the organisers were clearly impressed with it, as they featured it on the website. In addition, lots of people have now seen your beautiful, moving and inspirational work on your blog.
So we all think it's worthwhile.
But in the end, as the others have said, you have to decide if YOU think it's worth doing for yourself. You could always skip this year and do it again next year, perhaps?
I loved your response to the project last year and like other people who have commented, was amazed at what you produced. I am with Lesley and Jo in that so much is to be gained from the making and the doing and the ideas generated....... BUT, that making and doing has to be enjoyed.
Your sketch book was amazing. But I'm wondering why you had almost msade up your mind to move on to something else. Was it because you were disappointed that not enough people had looked at your work? Or because you have ideas about doing something different that would not fit into the sketch book format. So maybe the time is right to take what you learnt from the process of making the sketchbook and use it in a different project. Hope that helps.
(ooh - number recognition today is my favourite number!!!)
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