Exercise 1.3: How personal do you want your sketchbook to be?

To hide, or not to hide

I am happy to share, I often “hand over” my sketchbook to my family members or they pick up and look, I used to feel exposed but I’ve learnt over last six months it helps people understand me.
I keep a sketchbook with my daughter and she has started her own collection and so it also a “bonding” thing. As I do not like to write in them I do not have to worry about my “words” its all visual insight into my brain really!

Yes, I guess these are personal, but like a visual diary, I get my thoughts and feeling on each page and in many ways guess it is human nature subconscious to be understood, be heard and I guess my sketchbook is in a way I have a voice!

I while I try not to hide, I sometimes add bits over as flaps so can have more pages, room or yes hide a little but not erase. VERY few times I have glued over something with intention to “hide” and that is normal case the page is “ruin” more than a mistake. Such as torn, or overworked or I really “HATE” it. I like to see my mistakes, I try hard not to have to much polished works as it tells my visual story better than I could ever find to the words to do so.

As I was doing my “list” for everyday (above), I realized I wanted to be more open, share more reasoning behind my thoughts. Even if just for myself!

Inspired by the starter pinterest board I started my own (which I plan to add more)
https://www.pinterest.co.uk/clemmiee/oca-sketchbook-hide-folds-pockets/

I already think nothing of adding pockets, sticking pages in, gluing papers down into sketchbooks, but this board has given me some new ideas such as using an envelope, I like how could recyclable post, more so when junk mail as can have very interesting envelopes!
Another that caught my interest was a page (square) that fold out into a larger square, it took me a couple of times to work it out but I got there in the end and was quite proud of myself, I will be including this in my sketchbook and work in the future.

I put all these folds/pockets into a sketchbook page and as part of the assessment research I created the page based on the style of Frida Kahlo’s diary.

Again enjoyed this little exercise, while it took me a while to understand some of the folds, when I got it I was really proud of myself.
I like how bold and colourful this page is (it helps to hide the pocket and things!) Again it is something I will carry on throughout the course (and try more ways to hide)

I really like sketchbook that are almost magical, with hidden bit and messages, so I will try to add that element to my work.