"The drawings are executed with an architect’s eye, balanced with a love of freshness and spontaneity."
Marc Taro Holmes
Last night I uploaded my book about walking and sketching my way across northern Spain to the print on demand publisher, Blurb.
I didn't have a book in mind when I did the sketches. Oh yah, the idea had gone through my mind, but it seemed overwhelming. However, along the way, people would look over my shoulder as I was sketching and ask if I was going to "do something with them". I thought I might look back on the journals, but I really draw and paint because I like doing it, not because I believe anyone would buy them. And anyway, I couldn't cut the pages out of my little sketchbooks to show them on a wall. Not to mention they are really small, and I love big pieces.
When I got home I started writing - almost compulsively. It helped me to process the trip. It was still sort of a dream to do a book. A slender little thing, at 96 pages and only using about half of the 120 sketches I did in the four weeks. But its funny how these things work on you and while it took a lot of investigation and a few false starts, but here it is.
It has been a great experience and I learned a lot. Now, I have several ideas for other projects like this. Not because I think it will be a living, so much as because it's intrinsically satisfying. But... it would be nice to break even.
It can be ordered from Blurb - and even if you aren't interested in buying one, check out Blurb - you may want to do something yourself!
Marc Taro Homes, one of my Urban Sketcher pals and mentors posted a nice review of the book on the Urban Sketchers site.
http://www.urbansketchers.org/
