Via TFL

Via TFL

Ideas from the sketchbook.

Explained at bottom of page.

Explained

This is The Fucking Lab, a sketchbook hub of ideas. Approaching the end of my second year mastering my digital-surrealist-collage style, with the process of searching through old photos to collage, I wanted to shift my practice. I felt like I wasn’t 100% involved in the process, as a big part of my finished product relied on whatever random photos I found. So, I decided to apply my vintage-feeling surrealist style to a different creative process. I picked up an old sketchbook I had laying around for while, and promptly decided this is where I would begin my new era. For me, it’s very easy to take a sketchbook too seriously. I think too much about filling the page, or making everything cohesive and professional-feeling. So, I promised myself I wouldn’t hold myself to any intensive organizational or creative boundaries, and just sketch an idea that comes to me in whatever detail and format I wanted to

This birthed a new way of thinking about my art for me, as well as filling a hole in my relationship to what I created. Now, in this TFL series, everything in the final product was a full manifestation of my own imagination from start to finish. It was a pleasing break from the randomness of collaging that I had, and still very much do, enjoy. The process of sketching out everything I made also felt very refreshing to my process, and made me think about what I was going to make in a more patient, planned manner. An important aspect of this whole thing is I didn’t pressure myself to stick with it 100%. I still very actively continued my previous process and workings right along side this growing TFL series. I think all of these pieces represent that lack of pressure, as all of the ideas you see are through a very loose and calm creative process. In general, this was my first big step to making myself change my process, and it felt great.

I feel like showing the original sketches alongside the finished products would be cool, but also maybe too detailed of a behind the scenes? Either way, here’s a few pictures of the sort of sketches I make for TFL and what the planning look like.

Vol. 15

Vol. 10

Vol. 23

Vol. 12

Vol. 7

Vol. 11

This is an ongoing series that I will continuously add to, although I have slowed down a lot since starting college. The nature of these designs is low-pressure creativity turned into highly-attentive follow up, so it’ll pick back up eventually for sure.