SusieG Studio

You’ll remember I started a sketch in my new sketchbook. Well, I could not wait to start applying paint onto paper.

I have to mention that I was a bit nervous when I started to paint. My inner voice was telling me not to mess this up. I immediately I tamped it down and told myself I’ve already put graphite onto paper and I needed to move forward. Listening to soft music helped as well.

Here is my first application of colors on my sketch. I need to apply one or two more colors to the book in the sketch. I applied too much water and tried to move the paint around. Some parts dried faster and the paint coverage doesn’t look that great, but not too bad.

This 600gsm/300lb paper is just lovely to work with. I have a tendency to use too much water and this paper is handling it well. The “gutter” is hardly noticeable under my sketches. I’m looking forward to creating another landscape sketch across two pages.

I love how the paper handles my “blooms” of colors. It’s a gentle bloom versus a hard edge bloom.

I’m using my new sketchbook as a creative experiment while re-learning to paint with watercolors. I’m also learning to use larger watercolor brushes. I need to remember to create larger pools of paint mixes so I have enough paint to cover large areas at one time. My Luchetti book (in the sketch) suffered from this. I had stopped painting and had to mix more color. Interesting, I do like the textures I’m seeing and I’ll call this sketch completed for now.

Here’s a close up of my sketch. I hardly notice the split between the two pages.

The other day, I saw an email from Luchetti about a limited batch run for Batch 5 now open. No need to wait (weeks) for the sketchbooks to become available. The sketchbooks are now available for shipping. So, what did I do? I went ahead and ordered two more black sketchbooks.

I had mentioned in my previous blog post that I have a black cover and a Tuscan brown cover. I’ve decided to save the brown sketchbook for my travel sketches. The black sketchbooks will be used for my experimental watercolor sketches. Maybe one of them will be used for future pen & fountain pen ink sketches. Maybe. Right now, I’m having too much fun with my watercolors.

I was going through my art bags. The ones that I use to carry my art supplies with me when I’m out and about. I used my smallest messenger bag, 11-1/2″ wide x 10″ tall x 2-1/2″ thick, to see what I could fit in my bag. I was able to place my Luchetti sketchbook in the main compartment. My Winsor & Newton slim palette with Daniel Smith watercolor pans in the front slim pocket along with my three Rosemary & Co travel brushes, pencil, Micron PN pen, and a few folded blue shop paper towels. Remember, I reduced the number of supplies I use thus reducing my creative chaos.

I forgot to mention that the Luchetti sketchbooks are a smidge over 1″ in thickness.

I also forgot to mention it comes with an elastic band to help keep the book shut while traveling.

It has a hardcover along with the thick heavyweight paper so it might feel a bit bulky at first when compared to a softcover journal with thinner paper. Once I started carrying this book around I felt like I was carrying something special with me. That’s how much creative joy this sketchbook has brought me.

Journal: Luchetti True Flat Sketchbook. Mixed Media. 100% cotton. Cold Press. 8″x8″ with 22 sheets/44 pages. 600gsm (300lb). Archival. Acid-Free. Gelatin-free vegan sizing. Vegan PU leather covers.