The Art of the Sketchbook

Book excerpt: For every commercial work released by an artist, countless doodles and sketches remain in sketchbooks, unseen by all but a select few. It is a rare treat to see an artists looser, more playful experiments. These early drafts and creative diversions can reveal new facets of the artists process, and often constitute a body of work just as valuable as what the artist deems worthy of the public eye. The Art of the Sketchbook cracks opens the covers of more than thirty private sketchbooks and reveals the personal work of artists in their leisure. Travel diaries, life studies, and wildly imaginative cartoons are just a few of the styles represented here, and the materials and subjects are just as varied. Double-page presentations show the sketchbooks in their raw form, and artist interviews provide both context for the images and glimpses into the role sketching plays in each artists larger body of work.