I know January isn't over, but I was just looking through my sketchbook (preparing myself to get back to the big canvases after much time away) and thought I'd share a few pages with you. Mental preparation is such a huge part of the creative process, isn't it? Spending time in my sketchbook truly helps. Though sometimes it's hard to recognize how much of the prep is actually a boost and how much is procrastination (or fear). I guess in the end it doesn't matter as long as you do the thing. And actually, for me, my sketchbook has become the thing. It's now as important as a "product" of my efforts as any other painting. (How's that for circular thinking?)
If you want to see a few pages from my 2013 sketchbook, look here.