An amazing image from the notebook of a Sudanese political prisoner in the 1970s: Trained as an artist and photographer in Khartoum, London and New York, El-Salahi began documenting the experience he and other prisoners — including university professors, labor union heads, lawyers, scientists and media figures— underwent, drawing on shreds of cement bags. Fearing … Continue reading Ibrahim El-Salahi’s Sketchbook from a Sudanese Prison
I don’t remember how I came across the website of artist Gordon Powell, but I loved this photo of his work space, with a composition book in progress: Gordon Powell, Visual Artist drawing table 2013 My studio drawing table with assorted tools and one of my “Composition Books” Powell has published a facsimile book with … Continue reading Gordon Powell’s Composition Book
A gorgeous, dense sketchbook spread by artist Sterling Hundley, drawn with Blackwing pencil, in what appears to be a Moleskine. This is the kind of sketchbook page I can get lost in. The observational sketchbooks of Sterling Hundley. With a focus on time as a central theme, these journals are filled with “compression portraits”, which … Continue reading Sterling Hundley’s Sketchbook
Is tidying up notebooks possible for us notebook addicts? I’ve been a tidy person who folds her t-shirts precisely and stores them vertically in drawers since long before Marie Kondo‘s “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up” hit the bestseller lists. Because I’ve lived in some very tiny New York apartments, I’ve always been pretty good … Continue reading Marie Kondo and Tidying Up Notebooks
Bestselling author and artist Austin Kleon keeps some great notebooks (see here for other posts I’ve done featuring his work) , and I love this shot of some of his collection. Based on the dates, he goes through about 8 per year, and this photo was from March 2018, so I’m sure there are quite … Continue reading Notebook Addict of the Week: Austin Kleon
You’ve probably seen Wendy MacNaughton’s artwork, even if you aren’t familiar with her name. She has illustrated some really cool books, including these: , and I just discovered this amusing blank notebook she created, the Punk Rock Writers Journal: Now she’s doing a regular feature in the business section of the New York Times, and … Continue reading Wendy MacNaughton in The New York Times
I have quite a collection of books about sketchbooks and notebooks and stationery. Here are a few of my favorites that you might want to consider as a gift for the notebook lover who has everything… for yourself, that is!
Here’s something to add to my wish list! A $200 limited edition set of facsimile sketchbooks by Françoise Gilot. I highly recommend her book Life with Picasso — it’s a fascinating look not just at Picasso and his work but at Gilot’s own life and thoughts about art. Françoise Gilot, now 96, is best known for … Continue reading Françoise Gilot’s Travel Sketches
I recently read an American classic that I’d never had to read in school: Babbitt, by Sinclair Lewis. In the first chapter, there is a description of the contents of Babbitt’s pockets, which includes this passage: Most significant of all was his loose-leaf pocket note-book, that modern and efficient note-book which contained the addresses of … Continue reading Babbitt’s Notebook
From Walter Benjamin: 100 Notes, 100 Thoughts: In 1927, on the occasion of a several-months-long visit to Paris, Walter Benjamin began taking notes on the Parisian Arcades for his most ambitious book project…. With her introduction to a selection of these handwritten notes, Nikola Doll describes how the author attempted “to integrate the principle … Continue reading Walter Benjamin’s Notebook