SketchLook is an ongoing feature of the SCBWI Blog. It is a glimpse into the working process of artists, how we experiment, think through our ideas, stretch our imagination and observe the world. This is a glimpse at current work in progress, free doodles, rough drawings, and sketches from life. CLICK HERE to participate in SketchLook.
Take a peek at the working drawings and sketchbooks of some of our members:
Aura Parker—Sketchbooks are great for scribbling down an idea before it fleets out of your mind, and I'll scribble on whatever's handy, a post-it note, scrap of paper or my phone.
When I'm working on a book the early thumbnails can look like cryptic heiroglyphics and probably don't make a whole lot of sense but it's great for working out how things will fit into 32 pages and the detail can come later. Other times though, if I keep a picture bottled up in my mind and imagine it in detail, by the time I start drawing it'll pour out more fully formed. When I'm working on a print I usually have a clear idea of the colour palette before I put pen to paper, and then begins the fun/torture of trying to make the reality match up with what's in my head. I love it though, can't get enough of that fun/torture!
This little girl character has been on my mind for a while and I drew her onto an illustration board, in the process of drawing and redrawing my sketches were rubbed out and drawn over. Hopefully now she'll grow a story... because pictures can grow into stories and that's a wonderful thing.
Liz Anelli—I'm making up a book about Martins mostly set at the seaside. At the rough storyboard stage I’m completely open to compositional possibilities and I go out drawing the things people do on the beach. Seagulls and such are pretty docile and easy to draw. They also seem to have a lot of character. Capturing them in flight is more about what they suggest to me than exactly how they look. Drawing children playing is harder – they move about all the time. So to develop characters I also draw them in another place – like watching TV.
A call-out for the next selection will be sent out in good time but members of SCBWI Australia East & New Zealand are invited to submit images at any time. Work should be scans or snapshots of sketchbook pages featuring sketches, drawings from life or working drawings. Up to five images, Jpeg format, 72 dpi, 750px width maximum. Kindly avoid overlaying text on images and other digital manipulation. CLICK HERE to submit images for SketchLook.
