Mojo Hair and Clairefontaine Sketchbooks

February 26, 2008

mojo1.jpg

I finally realized that my constant obsession with trying new hair salons is actually research. This weekend I visited a place called Mojo Pie Hair Salon that felt a little like walking into a Tim Burton goes to New Orleans theme, and had plenty of time to do these ten pages of sketches while getting a new stripy attitude on my head.

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It’s tough to draw people in motion, but sharpens the senses and makes one more observant. I came away with a lot of visual information that I probably wouldn’t have noticed otherwise.

sketchbook2.jpgSomeone asked about my sketchbooks. I often carry a small moleskine, but my real favorite is this sketchbook by Clairefontaine (read some interesting trivia about the French company here — talk about archival! I love the story of Frankie T.)

The sketchbook fits in a medium-sized purse, and has nice white paper that scans very well. And it’s cheap, four bucks at my local National Art Shoppe.

sketchbook1.jpg

Plus, it’s landscape. I have a theory that some people see the world in portrait and some in landscape orientation. I definitely see it in landscape. How do you see the world?

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Comments

20 Comments so far

  1. Kristin L on February 26, 2008 11:15 am

    I love your sketches and wish I would get my act together to carry around a sketchbook as well. FYI, I definitely see the world in “Portrait” format.

  2. PaMdora on February 26, 2008 11:40 am

    Thanks Kristin! That’s why I like the smaller sketchbooks — also a smaller page is sometimes less intimidating too.

  3. Jane LaFazio on February 26, 2008 4:01 pm

    I have a feeling a quilt will come out of these sketches! Can’t wait to see the new do too!
    Saw you on QA TV–wonderful!! congrats!!

  4. PaMdora on February 26, 2008 4:09 pm

    Oh you’re so perceptive… I’ve had an idea for a hair salon quilt for a long time, but now I’m trying to draw characters from real life instead of making them up or from photos. Only problem, I’m wondering how to handle all that messy hair!

  5. Emmie on February 26, 2008 4:54 pm

    You’re so brave. I’d be scared to death to go to a salon named “Mojo Pie”! I like to use a sketch book when I’m watching TV. Great quicky portraits.

  6. Del on February 26, 2008 7:27 pm

    Great sketches - perhaps you are the only person in the world to think of sketching in a beauty shop! Do you stamp the pages of your book before you fill them with your observations? What tool do you use to do the drawing? I also see the world in landscape. I’m too old to have my view affected by TV, perhaps it comes from looking through windows - car, train, bus, the great picture windows of my childhood.

  7. PaMdora on February 26, 2008 8:41 pm

    Hi Del, interesting questions. Actually because I wanted to put my sketches on Flickr, I was more concerned about signing them. I don’t really like the typical watermark stamps, so I just used Photoshop to stamp my name in gray on the images.

    Lately I really like using a Pigma Micron archival felt tip pen with a .03 tip. I get them at my art shop, and they also come with thicker or thiner tips.

  8. Susie Monday on February 27, 2008 8:17 am

    Portrait mostly. I think its because the shape and orientation feels a little like a little window that I am looking through to see my version of the universe! But this is a tempting sketchbook. Susie

  9. PaMdora on February 27, 2008 8:21 am

    A window is an interesting analogy. I thought maybe people who see portrait may be more interested in fine details, but a peek inside is also an explanation.

  10. Judy on February 27, 2008 8:32 am

    I believe I’m more of a landscape type of gal: maybe that’s because we have so many sliders in our house!

    I wanna see your new do!!!

    xo

  11. Stacy on February 27, 2008 9:23 am

    Great question! Portrait or Landscape? Depends on the subject and what I’m trying to say. Now that I think on it I’d have to say that many times I end up following Dr. Seuss’ advice; I mentally turn everything upside down; or, stand on a chair & look at the room I’ve been in a zillion times from a new perspective. Orientation is everything, don’t you think? LOL!

  12. PaMdora on February 27, 2008 10:01 am

    I love this quote! I’ve never heard it, but sometimes I pretend I’m a movie camera and I try to swing around and see things from a completely different angle.

  13. Gerrie on February 27, 2008 9:09 pm

    I think I am mainly landscape, but am probably bi-! I love the name of the shop and now I want to see your hair.
    I am on the hunt for a new place. I’ve gotten two bad haircuts in a row. Time to move on.

  14. PaMdora on February 28, 2008 11:03 am

    ha ha Gerrie, now you sound like me…. on the hunt!
    I’m trying to figure out how to take a photo of my hair. Maybe I’ll just have to draw it?

  15. Sue in western WA on February 28, 2008 3:59 pm

    So much food for thought! (In the comments as well as in your post.) I tend to prefer a portrait orientation in the artwork I look at; does that make me a portrait person? I’ve always thought I preferred it because landscapes are generally “calm” and I like action, a story line. I may not *be* very active but I prefer action over inaction!

  16. Lyric on February 29, 2008 12:39 pm

    How do I see the world? Usually in a second or two as I run by chasing a little one. That said, my sketchook is portrait… 4×6 so it’s small enough to fit in the little purse I sling around my body so my hands are free to catch and snatch up said little ones.

  17. chickengirl design on March 4, 2008 5:55 pm

    oooh, thats a great peek into your sketchbook!

  18. Cindra on March 6, 2008 7:38 pm

    Love the sketches… would love even more to see the hair!!!

  19. Cynthia on April 20, 2008 4:54 pm

    Wow…really nice blog, and congratulations on your beautiful studio! Your dog is the best… :)
    How is that bamboo flooring working out? How does it handle water spills? I actually got to your website by accident! I was typing in http://www.pandora.com and did a typo! You might want to check out that music site…it’s free and I can totally see you playing it while you are creating art! It’s a really cool music player that is free and plays ONLY music you like.
    Glad I ran across you, your site has been a pleasure to view! :)
    C

  20. We’re talking Really Big Hair : PaMdora’s Box on July 28, 2008 9:23 pm

    […] monuments are starting to appear in my quilts. They have mysteriously collided with my interest in hair stylists and the results have crash-landed in my studio. I’ve been doodling ideas throughout the […]

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