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.
I would like you to join us on a journey of self-expression. The course has been designed to give guidance, to explain processes and to establish routine. The learning curve of drawing is never finished! The visual journal is the motor of this train. The journey will be made manageable by the guidebook provided. There will be a clear path forward and your journal will become your guide. Journaling makes it easy to revisit, rework and discuss ideas with those around you, so that the learning experiences are richer and more meaningful as you develop the habit of creative endeavour. This course is highly visual. It is also highly cost effective. If a drawing pencil, paper and colour pencils are all you have? - that's fine! If you are looking for further stimulation - there are plenty of extension exercises provided which encourage you to explore, push boundaries, create and revel in the fun that a variety of mediums can afford you. Please Read "How To Tackle This Course."
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Just pucker up and blow… if you want to go with some kind of spray paint doodle. I don’t think the paint tastes that great so I just stick to a semi-ordinary pen and blank, white paper. I scan my doodles then plaster them to my personal blog. The odd thing is that people like them. Thank you to those who have sent kind and encouraging comments.
Claire and I began Doodle Week this year. I think I came up with the plan but I know it would not have gotten as far as it did without Claire. She doodles too.
I draw my stick figure grrls in pen and ink. I use a small photo scanner to turn them digital. Then I use software to turn them the right way around, resize them and erase smudges and little lines I regret. Claire uses software to create her doodles. Her doodles are very different from mine in appearance. You can also draw your doodle or use some other art skills such as collage and take a digital photo of your creation. I’ve learned to make sure I don’t get my own shadow or any other in the way when I take the digital photo. Also, if you scan your drawing, place a sheet of unblemished white paper behind it. Makes it come out sharper.
Claire and I have different styles for creating our digital images but the really odd thing is how we both have some kind of queen/ diva of the world feeling. I think drawing something for your blog does that. When are you taking more of a risk than drawing something for your blog, to publish out there in the big, wide, digital world? Typing a journal entry is not the same. Your letters are perfectly formed and spaced. It’s only when your hand is unsupported by your keyboard that you realize just how imperfect and down right skillful you really are. Let’s just say each one is very original.
There are some resources and groups for bloggers who want to get into this more creative aspect with their own blogs. I wrote a post to the EntreCard blog about this and will carry over the links from that post. (I’m lazy that way).
Flickr Groups:
Join us for Doodle Week, July 14th – 20th.