SKETCH phase: Staying organized

Time to get organized:

It's important for me to stay somewhat organized with my book making....

I can quickly accumulate a lot of "stuff", especially when I'm sketching so many things.

From experience, I need a place where I know everything will be that involves this project.

If you saw my studio space, you would understand why I can't find a good place there....

I have many creative projects going on and it is important for me to feel that each project

has it's own space.

So how do I make this happen?

A "mobile box" came to mind as a good option since I am creating my sketches in different locations. I may be at my drawing table one day or the kitchen table the next or the park to draw an object that will be in my spreads.

The box seemed to be an effective way...

I just grab the box when I'm ready to work on the book and head to the place I choose

for that sketch time.

Once there, I take everything out of the box that I need....use it...when I'm done,

pile everything back into the box and put the box away.

I'm easily ready for the next sketch time and I'm not scrounging around looking for different pieces I've already done.

Having decided this, I headed down to Wal Mart and bought a

shallow clear plastic box (with a snap on top) for about $6.

Loving it!

The size had to be big enough to handle the large galleys that the publisher sent me. These galleys are the exact size that each spreads (page layout with the type placement) will be

in the book. Here's the galleys...

These will go in my box along with my sketching clip board ($2 at Wal Mart)...

some white copier paper to sketch on when I'm playing with ideas...

a black china marker (glorified crayon) that is great for sketching in this phase...

and the sketches that I've done so far.

Here's the sketches.....

and here's the whole thing together....

Now I'm ready for the all the sketching I will be doing over the next couple of months!

I feel better prepared and set up to succeed.

Mission accomplished!

This kind of simple organizing can be a significant contribution

to the creative process!

I'm not saying, "do it like me"....you can organize your things

any way you know will work best for you with the creative projects you have.

But I do recommend, "organize in some way", as it will help you in the long run!