I heart Moleskine

My latest project (because I always need a latest project) starts tomorrow... I stumbled across an art journaling challenge posted by fellow blogger Ghislaine Bruno. I love Ghislaine's work, and also enjoy reading her blog in french then seeing how good (or how poor) my french comprehension is these days :).

A challenge! I'm there! Er... at least I'll start it...

In all seriousness - my sketchbook is down to its last few pages and it was about time for another. Getting *something* down on page consistently is important for your art, and I've decided that it's just going to be a constantly waxing and waning thing with me. It's so easy to get caught up with my non-art related work, home, life... you all know that there's always more that needs to be done. Like everything important in life, you just have to ~make~ time for the art. And that's exactly what this challenge is about. For you artists who might be reading this you can find the details on WetCanvas here. Basically the task is to fill a sketchbook in one month - specifically the month of October 2010.

Now this doesn't supplant my 100 dogs challenge, in fact it will augment it... I need to fill this sketchbook in a month, there are definitely going to be some pooches in there! I'm only up to 20 in the dog challenge, and coming up fast on the one year anniversary! At this rate I'll be.. well, let's not talk about how old I'll be when I finish it.

(c) Pam Boutilier 2010, Dog Sketches #14-19

Suffice it to say that more sketching is always better, and more dogs are always better (at least as far as sketching is concerned)...

.... and then there's the Moleskine!

You see, I've always slavered over Moleskine sketchbooks. They really aren't that impressive, a simple black book with an elastic binding. They ~are~ a high quality sketchbook, but it's more than that. There's something about the romance of using the same kind of book as Matisse, Picasso, Hemingway.... *sigh*. Maybe it's just we artsy folk who do this - but somehow there's an energy in such a thing... almost as if you are linked through time and space to those great thinkers and artists by virtue of a nondescript, little black book.
But despite the romance, I always seem to talk myself into buying a different sketchbook. One that is bigger, bound differently, less expensive, or just happens to be there and the Moleskine does not (buying sketchbooks is rarely something on can ~wait~ on). And so never have I actually had a Moleskine. And so when I read of this challenge I knew immediately that a Moleskine it would be! For simply practical reasons, they are smaller - and if I'm going to fill this thing in one month I really shouldn't start with a 100+ full-page sketchbook. So with only practicality in mind (*cough*) I jaunted down to the local art supply store and came home with this....

Isn't it beautiful?!

*happy sigh*

Of course now I have to mar it's simple perfection with my coarse markings. Perhaps the inspiration of Matisse will seep through the pages to infuse my pencil and brush. We'll see.. Even if I don't achieve those lofty heights, I will get some sketching done - and after all, that's the *real* point here...right?

>:)

~ Pam

(PS - I'm a total hipster aren't I?)

(PSS - how do ~you~ pronounce 'Moleskine'?)