Category Archives: Sketchbooks

Shaken, Not Stirred

I mentioned in a previous post, that I’ve been following children’s book illustrator Emma Carlisle on Patreon since the first of the year. Doing so has opened a whole new world for me in my sketchbook by shaking up my approach rather than just stirring around what already works.

I am being introduced to all sorts of different portable drawing/painting media, such as acrylic markers and Neocolor II water-soluble crayons. What I enjoy most, and am trying to learn to push further, are the diverse range of textures and marks that can be achieved.

©2024 Elizabeth Fram, Brush pen, Colored pencil, Acrylic marker, Gouache. I’ve written before about how much light and color represent any locale. When pulling together an art kit before traveling, practice drawings from photos of a specific destination help with deciding on a color palette.

In general, I love the effect of seeing the hand of an artist in their work. And now I feel armed to push against my natural inclination for polish in favor of letting those marks shine. I also can’t help but enjoy the similarities with hand stitching.

What feels most enlightening is that Carlisle drills home by example the notion that there’s practically no limit on the ways that media can be layered and combined. Because I never learned much about the specifics of art materials beyond the basics in school, I am loving this opportunity to explore how they perform and interact, backed up by outside direction.

I have a trip coming up, so have been sorting through what I want to bring with me. Some of you will understand how much fun that can be. Ultimately, it’s involved a lot of paring down and then paring down again, but at this point I think I’m pretty well set.

I made a sketchbook from a piece of 19.5 x 18 inch Fabriano Artistico paper using this method: accordion-sketchbook-folding-pattern. My little book is about 5″ x 6″ & has 22-pages. It fits easily into my purse. I swatched all the colors/materials I’m bringing on the front cover, making for easy reference both while I’m away and after I get back.

I have a selection of watercolors, colored pencils, gouache and, in an act of supreme self-restraint, only one brush marker. That may sound like a lot, but my kit is pretty compact. As an FYI, I’m leaving acrylic markers at home for fear that TSA might confiscate them.

Anyway, I’m looking forward to seeing how it works out. I’ll get back to you.

Stick Season

I love Stick Season.

It’s prized by locals as the sweet period between fall and winter when pretty much everybody from away, stays away. But I’m more fond of it as the landscape’s last hurrah before the snow arrives.

It’s not as showy as September and October, but the russets, golds and olives of November have their own richness, especially when backed by a crisp blue sky or the drama of heavy purple-grey clouds.

Once again we become reacquainted with the structure of the trees that had been hidden by leaves since Spring. Lingering apples and the garnet red fruit in a stand of sumac brighten barren, grey branches like premature holiday ornaments.

In the early evening, the sometimes subtle, sometimes shocking gradations of a sunset’s colors can be viewed through the dark lines and silhouettes of leafless sentinels, often accented with an early star.

And before we know it, snow covers the mountains and a new season begins. Such is the beauty of Vermont.

Side Note: Can’t write about this subject without referencing Noah Kahan’s hit Stick Season, from the album of the same name

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For those of you who celebrate, I wish you a very Merry Christmas. And for those who don’t, may the weeks ahead be a period of cozy respite and peace.
As ever, thank you for joining me here.

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It’s that time of year and we’re all feeling it. Take a break from the holiday flurry; there are still two more weeks to visit Who Are We? Pieces of the Identity Puzzle at the Satellite Gallery in Lyndonville, VT. (Scroll down the page of the above link for more photos and information).

A Respite and A Request

I’m taking a bit of a respite this week to recharge and reinvigorate. But first, an update.
The portrait that I shared briefly at the end of my last post is now in its last phase. The paint work is finished and the embroidery is well underway.

First pass

I’m loving the variety of processes involved in these works – first, because there’s a certain challenge to pulling everything together, and secondly, because it’s so satisfying to see the piece materialize as each stage builds upon the one before.

Detail

In many respects this whole process is parallel to my my previous stitched-then-dyed-then-stitched work, it’s just that the scales are tipped more toward drawing/painting with much less stitching. The up side is that since these latest pieces move along so much more quickly, I can learn from, and then move on to the next piece to respond to, my mistakes – and my successes – without the huge lag time inherent in the textile works.

Happy accidents lead to fortuitous discoveries. Working on a dry run practice sheet for this section, I stumbled upon the fact that carelessly letting the paint extended outside the masked lines resulted in a flavor of batik. Hmmm, that opens the door to lots of possibilities. This is exactly the kind of discovery referred to above, which I can act on and explore more quickly because this piece is almost done.

And now my request:
I need of models for this series honoring the strength, wisdom and resilience of women of a certain age. If you (or someone you know) fit the bill, live in the central Vermont area and wouldn’t mind giving me 15-20 minutes of your time to take a quick series of head and shoulder photos of you to use as inspiration, please contact me.
ehwfram@gmail.com

Stitching

If you’re shy about having your picture taken, it may help to know that my painted results never turn out to be exact representations of my models – so it won’t be a portrait of you. Rather, your image would be a jumping off point. I’ve come to think of this process as something akin to literary historical fiction … based on fact, but with plenty of artistic license.
I would really like to continue with this series so thanks for considering, and I hope you’ll be in touch.

Oh – and be sure to come back next time for the full reveal of the finished piece!

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A special thank you to India Tresselt for alerting me to Loreen Edwards Forkner @gardenercook after my post on painting the colors of my garden. I have color on the brain now and it’s seeping into my sketchbook. You might enjoy Forkner’s book Color In and Out of the Garden, based on intentional observation of color in tandem with nature’s palette.

I’m not sure I could ever quite do justice to the dramatic blue of the sky and circus tent stripes in Montreal a couple of weeks ago, but Winsor Newton’s Cobalt Blue Deep gave me a fighting chance.

My #1 Investment

First, my thanks to those of you who commented on my last post with your own reading recommendations. If you didn’t see those contributions, be sure to check them out. I have one more quick addendum of my own: the Strong Sense of Place podcast #65 centers on museums and includes an intriguing line-up of museum-related reading to dive into.

Meanwhile, I’m feeling pretty good about having taken care of a necessary chore by weeding through and reconfiguring the portfolio section of my website. Doing so is one of those time-consuming admin duties that accompanies uploading a chunk of new work. One change inevitably leads to another, so making these edits is always a bigger job than I anticipate – which is why I tend to drag my feet getting started. Spending days in a row at the computer feels like such a waste in the moment, but I have to admit the results are very satisfying once the job is done.

Daily Rhythms

As I began, I took a step back to try to see the big picture and it occurred to me that pretty much everything I make falls into one of two categories: “Daily Rhythms” or “Portraits”. So this time, rather than organizing my work chronologically, I’ve grouped all series under those two umbrellas. Ostensibly it may seem like just a menu change, but there’s a lot more behind the switch. The results feel crisp and concise. I invite you to explore the new drop-down menus to see what you think.

Portraits

Lastly, I’m doggedly plowing my way through the Stillman & Birn Beta sketchbook that I’ve devoted to portrait sketches this summer. With each new addition I learn a little more and feel more confident in the results. Practice makes for progress, and as I work ideas are beginning to hatch in anticipation of completing the last page and moving forward toward stand-alone pieces that incorporate stitch.

I’ve been concentrating on these two projects since mid-June and working on them has reminded me that the most important investment I can make in the studio is simply time. Time to practice, time to think things through and reevaluate, time to make mistakes and definitely time to experiment.
Overall, I think it’s starting to pay off.

Diving In

One of the things I’d like to work on this summer is getting to a point where I feel like I have at least some facility with landscape sketching. It’s kind of a logical thing to do in the warmer months when the temps are more amenable to being outside, but the truth is it’s a discipline I really struggle with and would like to improve.

In general, I’m not that inspired to make landscapes in the traditional sense. I am much more drawn to work with an element of abstraction that flattens space, integrates geometric forms, and allows materials to take center stage.

Winslow Homer, Sleigh Ride c. 1890-95, oil on canvas, The Clark Institute This painting is a wonderful example of the attributes I’d like to emulate.

I want to be able to capture the sense of a location by translating a moment through the various color combinations and shapes that grabbed my attention in the first place. It’s the quick marking of a specific time and place I’m after, not a formal finished artwork.
Plus, I can’t help but think of the possibilities of incorporating stitch…

We recently visited our daughter in Chicago; her condo looks out to Lake Michigan. Having grown up on the coast of Maine, I’m very familiar with the fact that bodies of water change by the minute / hour, so it was a fun exercise to practice capturing a similar view at different times of day.

At the moment my results are hit or miss, but I trust the key for unlocking the code lies in practice. Time to take the plunge.

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“Tucked In: Resilience in Small Moments” made a bit of a splash itself this weekend.

Our artists’ reception was well-attended and it was lovely to be able to share and talk about the work in person. Thank you to Dianne Shullenberger, Leslie Roth and to everyone who came to see our work. And if you haven’t been yet, the show will be up through June 19th at the Emile A. Gruppe Gallery, Jericho, VT. Gallery hours are 10-3 Thursday – Sunday, or call for an appointment: 802.499.3211

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And one final suggestion within this week’s watery theme:

If you’re anywhere near Montpelier before May 29th, make sure to stop in at the Front Gallery to see Hasso Ewing’s exhibit, “inside&out”. Her swimmer figures “explore concepts of inner and outer worlds and the relationship between self and other…”. The show is thoughtful, humorous, and extremely uplifting.

For some context, Hasso was the creator/curator of “the Sheltering-in-Place project” at the Highland Center for the Arts in the summer of 2020. That exhibit was the impetus behind my very first Covid house, “Relative Distance”, and for the 17 houses that then followed as I continued making them to “personify” my observations and emotions during lockdown.

Hasso proved then, as in this current exhibit at the Front, that she is a master at producing immersive, magical environments. In a section toward the back of the gallery, she invites us to enter “a watery inner world that brings the viewer inside to find peace and to escape from that which lies just above the surface”. It’s truly a balm in the midst of our chaotic, overly politicized world. Don’t miss it!

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Last note: If you’re a fan of Wordle — check out Artle!

Head Games

Beginning to feel like I had hit a wall this spring, and hoping to make some headway (no pun intended), I signed up for an online drawing anatomy class through Sktchy in March.

@2021 Elizabeth Fram

This particular course concentrates specifically on the head. It is divided into separate lessons that go over the skeletal and muscular systems of each feature (eyes, nose, mouth & ears), the skull, and surface anatomy. The teacher is a medical illustrator who covers the material in great detail, referencing her own layered and labeled drawings using Procreate. She draws simultaneously as she explains each feature.

@2021 Elizabeth Fram

Every lesson is followed by a real-time portrait study/demonstration reiterating what we just learned. I’ve found it helpful to draw along with her, listening as I work. I seem to absorb the info much better that way.

@2021 Elizabeth Fram

How often do we really look at the faces of those we know and love? The human face is such a rich landscape of information. With other subjects my focus often shifts back and forth between recognizably portraying the object(s) and sliding into an abstraction of shapes and placement. But every time I draw a face I can’t help but get lost in the details. Empathy is always looking over my shoulder, reminding me of the potential depths lying beneath the surface and the ever-present similarities in our differences.

If you’re interested, the class is “Drawing Anatomy with Tiffany S. DaVanzo: Learn How to Draw the Human Face from the Inside Out”. Most of the lessons are between 30-45 minutes long.
As an aside, she really knows her way around the Procreate program, which was fascinating to watch in and of itself. Yikes – another rabbit hole one could very easily drop into and become lost within! I know some of you must have experience with Procreate. I’d love to hear your thoughts – pro or con – and how you rate the size of the learning curve.

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As you might imagine, I have quite a variety of sketchbooks, each with its own advantages and disadvantages. For the drawings shown here, I’ve been using an 8.5″ x 11″ Crescent RendR. I like the size — big enough to not feel constrained, but not so large as to be unwieldy. It has a soft cover, so is relatively lightweight, and the paper is very smooth, similar to hot press. It is advertised as “no show thru”, meaning that ink of any sort won’t bleed through to the back side of a page. My Tombow pens have proven that to be true. Since I’ve been using graphite with these drawings, I’m much more interested in the smooth surface, the heft of each page and the fact that a kneadable eraser removes lines cleanly and without any surface abrasion. The one caveat is the paper has a slight grey cast, which I think is due to whatever it is that makes it “no show thru”. Because of this, photos of drawings made with a hard lead can appear under-exposed. That doesn’t seem to be an issue with scanning — although you can definitely see the cool slant of the paper in the images above. All in all, the advantages win out over that one downside, so I’m happily filling up the pages of my book.

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My Instagram share this week also falls in the portrait drawing arena.
I’m always captivated by the gestural and complicated work of Graceina Samosir who packs a lot of punch and information into every drawing. @graceinasamosir

DIY

Whenever we travel by car I feel pretty unconstrained in terms of how much I bring along, but if we’re going by plane I try to travel as lightly as possible. That definitely includes art supplies.

This is what I brought with me earlier this month: a water brush, .01 Micron pen, Water-soluble pencil, .05 mechanical pencil, kneaded eraser, tiny watercolor palette and spray bottle. It all fits neatly in the 8 x 3 inch bag I got at the Munch Museum in May. Check out the Pocket Palette by Expeditionary Art , only slightly larger than a business card.

For Belgium and the Netherlands I trimmed my kit to the bare essentials and it worked really well. However, the one item that’s absolutely non-negotiable and that goes with me everywhere is a sketchbook. I’ve tried all sorts of options in the past, but even the smaller ones end up feeling bulky and heavy, taking up more room in my handbag than I’d like.

I can’t resist bringing museum brochures home but they eventually get recycled. Adding them to the cover of a sketchbook is a much more satisfactory solution. Note the elastic that keeps this sketchbook closed. It’s an extra step in the process that was well-worth the time.

For this latest trip though, I happened upon a new solution that worked beautifully: I made a sketchbook myself. By doing so, its overall size, type of paper, number of pages, and weight were exactly right. The binding isn’t at all bulky and, since it is hand-sewn, it opens completely flat, making a double-page spread possible if wanted.

There are numerous ways that you can bind the leaflets together, but simple is best for my needs.

As a matter of routine, I cut my 20″x30″ drawing sheets down to 18″x24″ so they fit the drawing board I bring to my weekly life-drawing sessions. That has left me with a slew of 6″x20″ strips in a variety of high-quality papers. By trimming 6 inches off the end of some of the strips and then folding each remaining 6″x14″ piece in half, I ended up with the very workable sketchbook size of 6″x7″.

Adding the elastic is simply a matter of making a couple of slits in the back cover that are as wide as the elastic itself, and then using a sturdy glue, such as PVA, to hold the ends in place.

One thing to think about is how many pages you think you’ll need for the time you’ll be away. I used 4 of the 6″x14″ strips and hand-bound them within a slightly larger “cover” of watercolor paper, giving me 16 (6x7in) or 7 (6x14in) pages — not counting the cover which can be additional pages if needed.

It was perfect! Lightweight, easy to slip into my purse, and especially versatile considering the variety of papers I had included.

Seeking out art supply stores in any new city is always fun. However, since everything has become so globalized, it’s a challenge to find something you can’t get at home. I haven’t seen this brand of pen before and it’s charcoal-colored ink sealed the deal for me. It was a great choice and souvenir for less than €3.

Google around to see if there’s a particular method/type of handmade sketchbook that’s right for you – there are a ton of tutorials on the web and Youtube. Or, follow these links: DIY Sketchbook & DIY Binding for a pretty comprehensive overview of the process and binding technique. The bottom line (and beauty) of this method is it’s completely flexible so you can adapt your book to your own particular needs.

Finally, here’s a taste of how I filled the sketchbook that I brought to the Netherlands and Belgium..

Traveling Shoes ©2019 Elizabeth Fram, 7 x 6 inches, Ink on paper. Note that this and the above drawing are on toned paper, while the one below has deckle edges. Variety is the beauty of a DIY sketchbook.

Bird’s Eye View

It’s a sure sign that winter is waning when the warning for Town Meeting appears.

Town Meeting Sketch 1

Each year, the first Tuesday of March brings us all out of hibernation and back into the folds of community. Town Meeting Day is set aside for every municipality in Vermont to come together in order to vote on budget items, to elect local officials, and to discuss town business. It is a venerated civic tradition that has been going strong for more than 200 years, and it demonstrates democracy at its finest.

Town Meeting 2

Aside from those attributes, I love the opportunity to sit up in the balcony of our primary school gym, listening to the discussion and voting “from the floor”, while drawing a vast array of the community members sitting below. Being up high skews my perspective to some degree, but it works to my advantage as I can see a lot more than just the backs of heads.

Town Meeting 3

Unlike airports, where everyone seems to have have their neck bent and head bowed toward their phone, people at Town Meeting are engaged — paying attention to the speakers and select board, or chatting with their neighbor. Within the crowd there were quite a few knitters, children playing quietly near their parents, and a sign language interpreter. So, lots to look at and to think about in attempting to capture an image.

Town Meeting 4

The added advantage is I can happily sketch for as long as I want without calling attention to myself or making anyone feel uncomfortable or self-conscious. It’s a wonderful forum for practice; too bad it only comes around once a year.

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Many thanks to my good friend and fellow artist, Dianne Shullenberger, who alerted me to Sketchbook Vol. 1, an exhibition of 14 contemporary artists’ sketchbooks at Sugarlift in Long Island City, NY. The work is mind-blowing; check out the particulars here and here. You can follow-up by visiting websites or Instagram accounts to see more of each artist’s amazing work.

Secret Weapon

If ever I needed a good reminder of why it’s important to have drawing materials with me at all times, it happened last week.

For years, a sketchbook has been a very trusty companion while I’ve waited…in school and store parking lots, in airports and train stations, and even for cookies to be done in the kitchen. In many instances you never know just how long you will be left hanging. But the beauty of a sketch is it can be done very quickly or, the longer you sit, stretched out into minute detail.

planes

Schiphol Airport ©2014 Elizabeth Fram The word “waiting” shows up a lot in my travel sketches. Airports are great places to try to explore the fluid shape of a plane from different angles. And ubiquitous cell phones & laptops make it easy to practice quick captures of fellow travelers.

Due to an accident on snowy roads last Friday, I sat boxed-in at the top of an off-ramp for the better part of an hour. Not wanting to turn off my engine because it was only 19º F. outside, at least I had the radio for company. But it doesn’t take long to feel pretty antsy when no one is moving and there’s no way to know what is happening or how long the snarl is going to last.

Bruce Road ©2009 Elizabeth Fram, 4.24 x 5.25 inches, Ink on paper When our house was on the market before moving to VT, appointments for house showings would invariably be set up for around dinnertime…most inconvenient when you have a ravenous teenager with a boat-load of homework to get through. We would would pile homework, food, and drawing supplies into the car and park up the street to wait where we could watch to see when they’d left.

Luckily, even though I only had a small 3.3 x 5.5 Moleskine Cahier with me, that was all I needed to get my mind off the frustration of being late for my appointment while finding myself stuck for who knew how long. There’s a lot to be said for getting lost in the world of shape and line — it’s far more interesting and productive than sitting and stewing. And to tell you the truth, it made the situation rather pleasant.

Council Rock vs Bensalem ©2006 Elizabeth Fram, 5 x 8.25 inches, Pen on paper. Over the years I spent as much time as any parent waiting for games and track meets to begin, and happily so. Occasionally lacking someone to chat with, there was usually something interesting to draw.

After about 40 minutes with no police presence to take charge, a resourceful UPS driver (thank you again, whoever you were) got us backed up and turned around, one-by-one like a sliding tile puzzle. And just like that, I was on my way.

Fall View from Shaws ©2014 Elizabeth Fram, 5.25 x 6 inches, Pen on paper. The parking lot of our local grocery store looks across to lovely tree-covered hills. It’s a good spot to gauge subtle seasonal changes.

In hindsight, I keep thinking about how that little sketchbook made it possible for me to leave the situation happily lost in thought about John Muir Laws’ principles, rather than dwelling fruitlessly on the frustration caused by the unexpected delay.
$3.00 very well spent, wouldn’t you say?

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Enjoy your Thanksgiving leftovers!

Laws’ Laws: Awareness, Creativity, Curiosity

I know that one of the biggest challenges people often experience when beginning a new sketchbook or art journal is taking the first step. I get it; it’s hard not to look at a book of blank pages without feeling a certain amount of trepidation about how it’s going to materialize.

John, detail ©2018 Elizabeth Fram, Graphite on paper Many of our life drawing models come with props or costumes. John was leaning on a baseball bat in this pose, which explains the tilt of his body.

In order to get around that fear, I’ve found it helpful to take the perspective that each new page in my daily sketchbook is just another opportunity for pressure-free learning. There’s no point in worrying about the inevitable drawings you won’t want anyone to see, or how unlikely it is that it will end up as a polished product from start to finish. That isn’t the point.

It’s much richer to have a sketchbook that is a true mirror of my day-to-day reality (successes and struggles alike), recording the things that, to some, may seem so ordinary they don’t merit a second glance, but which, for whatever reason, caught my eye in the moment and hold onto that meaning when I look back over those drawings later.

With that in mind, I loved reading about John Muir Laws on Austin Kleon’s blog this week. Laws is a nature journalist and the illustrator of a comprehensive field guide to the wildlife of the Sierra Nevada. He is enthusiastic about sketchbook journaling and promotes it as a way of being more attuned to the beauty that surrounds us and as a weapon against the ennui of familiarity. It’s a strategy that has merit regardless of whether you’re trying to capture a scenic vista or your breakfast dishes.

“We live in a world of beauty and wonder. Train your mind to see deeply and with intentional curiosity, and the world will open before you. Keeping a journal of observations, questions, and reflections will enrich your experiences and develop gratitude, reverence, and the skills of a naturalist. The goal of nature journaling is not to create a portfolio of pretty pictures but to develop a tool to help you see, wonder, and remember your experiences.” ~John Muir Laws

Mermaid ©2018 Elizabeth Fram, 18 x 24 inches, Graphite on paper I regret that the model’s facial expression looks so dour here – as she was decidedly not so. Sometimes, just the slightest change of line can affect the whole expression, but unfortunately I didn’t see the need to adjust until after I’d gotten home. As I mentioned in last week’s post, a bit of time and distance can make a huge difference in assessment. She was wearing the most beautiful mermaid costume that she had sewn herself, covered in green sequins. With the flowers in her hair, she was a force!

Laws suggests a three-pronged approach to have in the back of your mind as you tackle your sketchbook/journal. He is a naturalist, so his purview is wildlife and flora, but his principles apply no matter what you choose to draw. They also serve as a reminder that there is a greater significance to drawing regularly than solely capturing a likeness:

Awareness: “I see…”: You notice something, draw a picture of it, make notes about it.
Creativity: “It reminds me of…”: You consciously seek out analogies to what you’ve seen and make notes about those.
Curiosity: “I wonder…” You ask questions or create hypotheses about what you’ve seen.

Additionally, he recommends that each page contain three different types of notes: drawings, words (descriptions), and numbers (measurements). I think this is an especially smart framework to lean on if you’re having trouble getting into a rhythm with a new sketchbook.

Nefertiti ©2018 Elizabeth Fram, 24 x 18 inches, Graphite on paper This model doesn’t shy from dressing up either, although she didn’t have time in preparing for this session. Still, I couldn’t help but think of regal Nefertiti as I drew her silhouette, her dreadlocks enclosed in a beautiful head wrap.

Take a swing through Laws’ website –he has a page filled with free online lectures, classes, and step-by-step lessons. I’m not a naturalist sketcher, but the I got a lot out of his talk about his drawing process and practice while knitting by the fire a couple of evenings ago.

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Hard to believe that Thanksgiving is already upon us! With that in mind, I’d like to just take a moment to thank each and every one of you who make the time in your busy lives to check in with me here, whether faithfully each week or just sporadically. Your support, interest, and comments (both public and private) are the meat of the conversation I was seeking when starting Eye of the Needle, and are what keep me coming back week after week.

May you have a lovely holiday!