I haven't heard the term commonplace book until today. It sounds like an art journal, a diary which includes drawings, maybe a scrapbook which includes things cut and pasted in from magazines and other sources. It is a curated collection of thoughts, ideas, and interests. The idea isn't so new but the phrase is new to me.
This description comes from a site which hosted commonplace journals. Its gone now.
A commonplace book is a collection of remarkable quotations, reflections, and oddities gathered from one's reading, thoughts, or experience--in short, a reading and writing journal.
A private commonplace book is also a great way to organize your research by author, source, and subject, and gives you the ability to display and search your notes by each category and by keyword.
The original, vintage Love is... drawings were created by a woman to the man she loved. They later married, in May 2011.
The new Love is... has all the love, happiness and spark of mischief which the old Love is... is missing. This is likely because the original artist hasn't been drawing the cartoons for many years. It was taken over when her husband (the man she loved) died and she stopped drawing the cartoons.
If you loved the old Love is... cartoons in the 1970s take a look at HJ Story, the Love is... cartoons for the new century. He has a Deviant Art page which gives more of his story, their story.
The History to the Vintage Love Is... Couple and Illustrations
The Love Is... drawings were created by New Zealand artist, Kim Grove, as a series of love notes in the late 1960′s for Roberto Casali. They later married but Roberto became ill with terminal cancer and Kim stopped working on the cartoons in 1975. Roberto died in 1976.
Since 1975 the cartoons have been drawn by Bill Asprey.
My own photo of a Love Is... glass I found at the local thrift store.
Originally posted to SuiteU, part of Suite101. SuiteU is being removed from the site. I wanted to save the ecourses so this resource would not disappear.
Drawing 101
By Joan Martine Murphy
Introduction
Most people would love to be able to draw what they see. Many people find enormous pleasure in the art of self-expression. Sadly the idea of learning to draw skillfully is quite daunting for a high percentage of people of the Western World. This is sometimes due to negative experiences that have come from early child hood.
Drawing is a form of communication, which can allow us to express ourselves when words will not suffice. This simple art form affords us the opportunity to express our emotions in a safe and pleasurable manner. Many people for example find that the simple exercise of drawing negative emotions which are then ceremoniously torn to shreds or burnt away - is a useful, safe way to deal with them. The exercise allows the artist to move on to a more relaxed and harmonious and peaceful happiness state.
Maps, symbols, colours, expressions and many other elements of design convey meaning and help us to construct a world of illusion. They help us re-present our reality. This can be useful, informative, recreational and healing.
…more
Lots of links, not in any real order due to a small mishap with cut and paste somewhere along the way. Most of these are for beginners who draw on pen and paper, but not all. I think everyone will find something to stir their imagination and (I hope) pick up a pen to doodle. Join in for Doodle Week this weekend.
One thing I do know about drawing a comic is that it can't be too detailed if you hope to get them out there on a regular basis. Maybe it's different for those who aren't hand drawing each one.