The Sketch Book Diary

Painting the cover
It's Tuesday and time is running short for me. Between work, projects and the book; I have been pretty busy. I have some out of town training that will take me from the studio for right around 27 to 28 days. Which I don't really mind because it will give my creative side a time to settle and relax. The thing is I have until Thursday to get a few more hours on the drawing board done so when I get back in late November, I can flow back into the book and get the damn thing done. I did take some time out yesterday to enjoy a Frappe at the Hard Back Cafe. It sits next to Hobby Lobby and I had to stop there to pick up a gift idea for my 3 Kiddos.
It would seem to be that my three little ones have latched on to the liking of art.
Michaela, Jake & I
Now Michaela, who is 5, has always enjoyed doing art. Any time I was at home in the studio she had to be there. I would be at the drawing board and she would be at her table either coloring or painting. Every five minutes would be used for a quick critique and a smile saying "Thanks daddy." And even then there would be the added pressure of her advice... "Dad it’s too dark, dad you didn't use enough color..etc" but it was always welcomed and enjoyed.
But it would appear that my oldest,

Kyle, has flipped the script. He has a new art teacher at school that has pulled the creative side from him and place it on paper. There's still the added X-Box every now and then, but according to my mother-in-law (who is watching the three of them right now) said he has taken up the work and to his excitement is enjoying it a lot.
So I figured this much, everything begins with a sketch, I still own several sketch books from when I was a kid and refer to them often. But I bought four of them and modified the cover so each would be able to identify their own. (If not it would be a blow out fight) and sending it to them so that they can keep sort of a sketch diary. I told my mother-in-law that it would be a great idea if they all drew in it so they could show their mother when she returns from Iraq. I even got her one; she’s always working on projects with the kids and pretty creative herself. This way when the time comes to sketch, color or paint, she won't have to fight for her own piece of paper. I hope it works; after all, I got my first sketch book when I was five and haven't dropped the pencil yet.

Finished work