Here’s something I came across on the website of the Morgan Library: This is the only surviving personal notebook of the French artist Édouard Manet (1832–1883). He used it in the early 1860s, when he was between the ages of twenty-eight and thirty, documenting aspects of his everyday life and work in the two years … Continue reading Édouard Manet’s Notebook
I loved these images of Octavia Butler’s notebook, with her affirmations about becoming a successful writer. (She eventually did.) The post at Black Cardigan Edit where I found these also shows off some notebook pages by Sylvia Plath and Frida Kahlo! Other posts about writers’ notebooks Other posts about artists notebooks and sketchbooks
There’s an interesting exhibition of Turner’s watercolors at the Mystic Seaport Museum in CT. Of course, browsing in the museum shop is always half the fun, and I had a chance to flip through a book of Turner Sketchbooks: Buy at Amazon Here’s my favorite page: There were no intact Turner sketchbooks exhibited at the … Continue reading J. M. W. Turner Sketchbooks
Our latest notebook addict of the week is Vanessa Berry, an Australian writer and artist. In a 2012 blog post, she talks about her collection of 31 diaries, written starting in 1998. The photo of the whole collection is striking: The close-ups of the individual notebooks are also fascinating. She mostly uses old notebooks found … Continue reading Notebook Addict of the Week: Vanessa Berry
I recently posted about artist Betye Saar’s sketchbooks. The article linked below from Hyperallergic is a great exploration of her work, with lots of sketchbook images. The sketchbooks reveal how Saar’s practice has evolved over time, and how time itself is a major thread in her work. Read more: Betye Saar’s Never-Before-Seen Sketchbooks Offer Deep … Continue reading More on Betye Saar’s Sketchbooks
I must have missed this Brainpickings article when it was originally published in 2014, but I’m glad I discovered it via Pinterest! Artist John Vernon Lord created amazing illustrations to accompany James Joyce‘s Finnegans Wake in a collectible edition published by the Folio Society (now out of stock, alas). The illustrations are stunning, but of … Continue reading John Vernon Lord’s Notebooks
Betye Saar is a 93 year old artist I hadn’t heard of until reading about her in the New York Times Fall Preview. She is getting a lot of attention right now, with two major solo exhibitions this fall at MoMA and LACMA. Betye Saar’s sketchbooks play an important role in her work: Everywhere she … Continue reading Betye Saar’s Sketchbooks
Isn’t this flower stunning? I love sketchbooks that surprise you with big spreads of saturated color! The painting is by artist Dasha Egudkina, who says: I carry about three sketchbooks with me at all times. For the rare occasion I am not, I have a pocket sized Moleskine. Besides a few exceptions, often made for … Continue reading Dasha Egudkina’s Sketchbooks
Some of my favorite images from artists’ sketchbooks are from Eugene Delacroix’s travel notebooks. A new book now translates his notes into English for the first time. In 1832 the 34-year-old Eugène Delacroix, already well known for his Orientalist works, accompanied a French diplomatic mission to Morocco and travelled through Algeria and Andalusia. His exposure … Continue reading Delacroix’s Notebooks, Now in English
As a follow up to last week’s review of the Arteza Sketchbook and Watercolor Book, Arteza has kindly agreed to offer a giveaway! 2 lucky winners will be selected from all eligible entries: On Twitter, tweet something containing “Arteza Sketchbooks @NotebookStories @ArtezaOfficialâ€, and follow @NotebookStories and @artezaofficial On Facebook, “like†the Notebook Stories page and the Arteza page, and post something … Continue reading Giveaway! Arteza Pocket Sketchbooks