Juliette Orton

Since I've started a new sketchbook recently I thought I could do a diary of sorts to explain how I have put the various sections together. I chose the theme of 'Layering' as I was looking through some old A-Level Art & Design question papers and this topic appealed to me. If you want to create your own sketchbook obviously you could choose any theme you like, just make sure that it's something that interests you and you will find plenty of inspiration. I favour an A3 size sketchbook but there are no hard and fast rules on this, and it's best to go for a scale that you feel comfortable with. I started out with a title page and a 'mind map' of written ideas of anything that I felt could relate to the theme of 'layering', a brainstorm of sorts. This is a good way to get over the dreaded 'first page fear' when you just can't bring yourself to start your pristine book and any mark you make is overly scrutinis...

 I  thought I'd share another one of my  sketchbooks with you in this post which is based on Islamic Art & Architecture.                                                               As a starting point, I did a mind map and looked at what the subject encompassed by selecting different themes such as geometry, script, floral, colours, mosaics, designers etc. I then focused on each one of these themes over several pages, presenting them using different media such as papers, paints, stitch, prints and straws (paper) to create a riot of pattern, texture and colour which I felt represented my interpretation of the theme. I experimented with the shapes and patterns that inspired me and did some repeat pattern prints. Some of the designers that I investigated were Tine de Ruysser (jeweller), ...