First the background—in 2010 I asked people to sketch me from life into their visual journals if they happened to see me in public (at sketch outs, at MCBA Visual Journal Collective Meetings, at the State Fair, and of course just out and about—one woman caught me at a lecture; it helps that I have pig-tails and am easily recognizable). I called this activity Project Journal Infiltration (PJI), because I was infiltrating people's journals. I have an on-going goal to be sketched into as many visual journals as possible before I die. (We all have to have a hobby.)
I also asked people who couldn't sketch me from life to support the project by promoting it on their blogs with an introductory blog post and placement of a sidebar button that sent people to the information page.
During the contest I received jpegs of sketches from 22 people, 14 of whom asked to be included in the contest, the rest just seemed to enjoy the assignment. Several people did multiple sketches over the course of the contest (drawings done on different days were counted as separate entries and actually gave you additional "chances" to win the drawing).
Out of those two groups two winners were drawn out of a bowl on September 7th.
Congratulations to Suzanne Hughes who won the main drawing and the book made with Barcham Green's Dewint paper. Suzanne lives in the Twin Cities and teaches art and I look forward to seeing what she creates on this now defunct paper. (The link goes to her blog, not her sketches of me.)
In the promotion of PJI Cheryl Gebhart won the drawing. She'll be receiving a 6.75 x 10 inch book I made using Nideggen paper. I hope she also enjoys journaling in her new book.
I would like to thank again everyone involved in both parts of the project (there was a third part that involved International Fake Journal Month and drawing from photos, that you can read about here).
I love that you rose to the challenge. And I love the wonderful sketches you were able to make. I am honored beyond anything that you can imagine to be included in your visual journal. I hope I sat reasonably still when you were sketching and didn't give you too much difficulty.
Several people have already told me that they wish PJI would continue. Well, frankly it will continue, it's one of those life-goal things for me. I just might have to get a little more blantant about it—walk up to artists and suggest that they sketch me into the scene they are putting into their journal.
I think it is always important to practice sketching people so I hope if you are in my vacinity and you feel like practicing you take a moment and sketch me into your journal. If you then take another moment to scan the sketch and send it to me with a note about where and when you sketched me I'll be even more thrilled.
I don't know if there will be another time period for sketching with a prize at the end of it. I'm sorting through a bunch of projects right now and frankly don't feel as if I have my head attached. But I have to say I think it quite likely that there might be a new phase of the project on the horizon. Keep reading for details. I'll be saving all sketches made after September 6, 2011 in a special folder, just in case!
Also, take some time every day to sketch a friend or a loved one. Maybe you all go out to eat lunch. Well, spend 8 to 10 minutes sketching. If you can't manage that at lunch time then your digestion is going to be seriously impaired and frankly I'm concerned for you.
Developing your skills makes sketching friends from life a worthwhile endeavor. It's also a great way to pass the time productively. When you walk away from lunch you also carry a great momento of the event. Jot down a phrase or two that your friend said. It will bring the moment back to you years from now. Sharing these pages with your friend are also a way for that friend to learn what it is he or she is always talking about (believe me, over the past year and then some I have been amazed to read back some of the stuff I've said when people were sketching me).
Thank you again.
