Saturday 18 March 2017

Ailish Henderson & her Creative Sketchbooks


Fear of the Unknown - Ailish Henderson

Recently, Ailish Henderson, freelance artist, designer, lecturer and tutor, came to talk to the City of York Embroiderers' Guild about creative sketchbooks and brought some of her own to share with us.

Carrot Musings - Ailish Henderson
More Carrots - Ailish Henderson


She told us that we shouldn't be afraid of how they turn out and that they didn't have to be neat.  They don't have to be made of paper and you can make them a page at a time and combine them later.  You can use what's to hand and don't have to use anything special.  Recycling envelopes and packets, staining papers with tea and coffee, collaging items, painting and stitching are all techniques to be used.

Sketchbook - Ailish Henderson

Collage - Ailish Henderson

You can use them to explore ideas and thoughts, give an insight into what's going on in your head and make your thoughts real, encourage deeper thinking and self directed learning, provide focus and develop confidence.  The resulting creative sketchbooks become things to keep and treasure.

Watercolours - Ailish Henderson

Sketchbook - Ailish Henderson


The following day Ailish held a workshop for us so we could try out lots of different techniques that we might want to use in our own sketchbooks.  Here's what I made on the day using collage, stamping, discharge printing, stitch, painting, filled bubble wrap, oiled papers, bondaweb sandwiches and more, all presented in a concertina book...


My concertina book of samples - side 1
My concertina book of samples - side 2
My sketchbook cover

Thanks for sharing your ideas and techniques, Ailish!


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