Moleskine skinned
Ever wish Moleskines had the paper of your choice rather than the rather odd stuff they stuff them with? Martha at Trumpetvine Travels has posted a great guide to remixing a Moleskine with the paper of your choice. Clear,...
Here and now
One of the pleasures of carrying round a little journal is being less precious about my drawing. Insteads of sitting down in a studio with all of the materials at hand, I can just whip out my book and...
Notes to Myself
I've used every sort of journal-book over the past decade, but the one I've returned to the most was the pocket-sized, drawing Moleskine. The paper is a little odd; it has a water resistant treatment designed, I guess, to...
A Year in Japan
My favorite new book is A Year in Japan by Kate T. Williamson. It is a fantastic, illustrated journal bulging with lovely, graphic watercolors and sprightly writing. I was so excited by the book that I have acquired some...
Booking to LA
I just started working on my 45th illustrated journal and decided to give myself a treat by binding up a variety of really nice papers into a special book. My new journal is an inch thick slab of 8x12"...
Change of scene
When I was drawing with my pal Roz Stendahl, I was amazed to see that certain pages of her journals were randomly pretreated before she turned to them. She might have a fat, wet brush stroke across a spread...
Dibujo en México*
Notes from my trip to Mexico and some thoughts on travel journaling.
Crawling Intrepidly through the Village
A brave group of draw-ers gathered this morning under the Washington Square Arch at 9 am and bravely battled the elements through the morning.
Drawing fire
I wrote about Steve Mumford last year when his work was only available on Artnet. Now he has published a sumptuous book collecting all of the watercolors and observations he made during his visits to war-torn Iraq. He told...
Slow=Know
Basic advice to someone who draws but wants to do it better.
Pony girls
A few months ago, I went to Berlin and my illustrated journal from that trip is in the July/August issue of Print magazine. It was about Venus, the European sex trade show. Now calm down, folks, I did say...
Jerusalem Journal I
I have just returned from a few days in Jerusalem and over the next week I shall doll up and dole out the journal I kept there. As my writing can be a little tough to read, I have transcribed...
Why do I do it?
The story of how and why I started drawing again and starting this blog and writing books and all that stuff.
Notes on notes
Doing my homework for color theory class this week, I discovered I had made the sort of thing I had always admired. It's a great feeling , to look at your own work, and say, "Hey, that's how you...
The Open Book
I am a member of a wonderful community called "Artist Journals 2" which is currently conducting a discussion on whether or not one should share the contents of one's illustrated journals with others. I had to chime in: I'm a...
Class 5H
Dear Class 5H, Hazelwood Junior School, London, UK: I am so very happy to hear that you enjoyed my book, Everyday Matters, and that you are now keeping journals of your own. I was blown away to see how...
Bookbinding 101
I have bound many of my journals myself. I learned how at a fantastic place called The Center for Book Arts, here in Manhattan. It was a lifelong dream come true, learning to make my own hard cover books. I...
Write on!
A minor question to ask your self on this Martin Luther King's Day: are you having enough fun with the lettering in your journal? Study magazines, old books, the fonts on your computer for inspiration. Try brush pens, calligraphy...
Dealing with turds
Advice on how to contend with the 'worst 'of your creations.
A record of my exploration into all aspects of drawing, illustrated journaling, creativity, and the inspiring aspects of art. By the author of "Everyday Matters," "The Creative License", and "An Illustrated Life" and other books.